PDP calls for elected Prime Minister [1]
Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 18:42. Updated on Tuesday, September 10, 2013 - 18:16.
A call to give the people of Tonga the right to elect a Prime Minister and Government Ministers, was delivered to the Palace Office in Nuku'alofa today by a small group of political activists.
Members of the People's Democratic Party Inc. held a political rally this morning with message for political and constitutional change in the running of the Tongan Government. Teisina Fuko, the President of the PDP, then led nearly 30 people from the Catholic Basilica to the Palace Office to present a letter of petition to the King.
The petition which was received by Sateki 'Ahio, the Secretary of the Palace Office, proposed for a more democratic system in Tonga, and to let the people of Tonga take part in running the country by giving them the right and the authority to elect the members of Cabinet, including a Prime Minister and Government Ministers.
Teisina said that their proposed change would not alter the constitutional right of His Majesty as the King and ruler of Tonga, as well as his Royal household.
"This is a new era and we hope that what we are proposing in regards to change will help resolve the difficulties our country is facing at the moment," said Teisina.
This march although small , was the first political march held during the on-going strike by Government civil servants in Tonga.