The Speech of HM King George Tupou V on the closing of the Tonga Legislative Assembly session in October 2010:
HONOURABLE Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
Honorable Representatives of the Nobles
Honorable Prime Minister and Honorable Ministers of Cabinet
Representatives of the People
Members of the public
This year has been one of those with the highest workloads for Government and the Legislative Assembly in order to complete the reforms to our Constitution and the Legislations regarding the powers and responsibilities of the Privy Council, the Cabinet, the Legislative Assembly and the Judiciary.
But the most important and historically most significant duty of the Government and Legislative Assembly this year had been to facilitate and complete the devolution of My executive authority as the King of Tonga, to the People.
I therefore thank you, Mr. Speaker, and the Prime Minister and Ministers, and the Representatives of the Nobles and the Peoples Representatives, for agreeing to carry out My wishes.
Let it be inscribed in the hearts of every Tongan citizen, what you have agreed to carry out, and let every generation from now on rejoice and celebrate the memory of what we have achieved.
And we must continue to attribute all the glory to God and to pay homage to those brave and wise Leaders of the past, because of whom we are able to flourish in a bountiful and peaceful country today.
Today we remember King George Tupou I, for it is He who established the first Monarchical, Christian, and Democratic Government for our nation, and we cherish His enlightened vision that included His commitment to be bound by the written rules of Government and the generous granting of His lands to the common people to then bequeath to their heirs in perpetuity.
Today we are on the verge of completing in our era the handiwork and vision of Tupou the First and the Past, and we are indeed proud and grateful that the pathway on which we travel had been charted from the Past and that we did not get to where we are by accident or by chance, so that we are confronted by difficulties and the unexpected.
Therefore on this day, I convey My gratitude to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga for carrying out the important responsibilities of the day.
In addition, I also convey my gratitude to the Prime Minister and Government for persevering and for completing all the important tasks that required completion in order to facilitate the implementation of the major and difficult national development programmes of this historical year.
I also wish you well for the many tasks that still lie ahead as you continue to strive for a stronger, peaceful and prosperous Tonga.
I also convey My best wishes for the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections. I appeal to the all members of the public to please go and cast your vote for your Representatives to the Legislative Assembly on Election Day.
Let me also convey My gratitude to the Government of Australia, the Government of New Zealand, the Government of the Peoples Republic of China, the Government of Japan, and to all other foreign Governments that provide assistance to Tonga in all different spheres.
Similarly I convey My gratitude to the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Union, and all other intergovernmental agencies who work in partnership with and provide assistance to Tonga.
To all the people of Tonga, Ofa atu!
May God continue to bless us all! GEORGE R, 30/10/10.
