A Commonwealth Observer Group of four, led by Margret Wilson, arrived in Tonga on 9 November to observe Tonga’s 2017 National Parliamentary Elections on Thursday, 16 November.

Margaret is a former Speaker of Parliament and Attorney-General of New Zealand. She is accompanied by Ms Lomcebo Diamini, a Human Rights Lawyer from Swaziland; Mr Joseph Cain, an Electoral Commissioner from Nauru, and Mr Mohammed Saneem, a Supervisor of Elections from Fiji.

The group will observe Tonga’s pre-electoral environment, the poll, the count and the declaration of results during the evening of 16 November.

A team of observers will be deployed to Vava’u and Ha’apai on 15 November.

The Commonwealth Observer Group is supported by Commonwealth Secretariat staff led by Mr Albert Mariner.

It is the first time for a Tongan National Election to be observed by a Commonwealth Observer Group, and according to Margaret Wilson it was requested by the Prime Minister Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

A report of the Observer Group will be released to the Commonwealth after they leave Tonga on 20 November, and the Commonwealth is expected to release copies to the public soon after.

Commonwealth Observers look at elections throughout the Commonwealth on  a regular basis.