Tongan capital will be rebuilt, says King at closing of Parliament [1]
Thursday, November 23, 2006 - 19:00. Updated on Sunday, May 11, 2014 - 12:14.
Tonga needs an estimated USD$200 million to reconstruct and redevelop its capital Nuku'alofa, HM King George Tupou V said this morning in a speech from the Throne to close the 2006 session of the Tonga Legislative Assembly.
A week after the central business district of Nuku'alofa was burnt to the ground on November 16, the king said that Nuku'alofa will be rebuilt.
"Today we meet to close this session of parliament in sombre mood. A few metres away, buildings lie burned, bodies have been retrieved from the ashes and our capital is silent as never before.
"We have to rebuild our sense of mutual responsibility to each other, so that never again will we see violence, arson, looting, death - and such shame.
"We also have to rebuild our capital city of Nuku'alofa," he said.
"The Justice System will do its work and distinguish between lawful protest and unlawful activities, and to deal with them firmly and speedily according to law. Instigators of violence and crime must be dealt with firmly.
"Law and Order must be restored immediately so that the people can feel safe and secure once again in their own homes, at work and wherever they want to go."
The king said that the events of the last few days had shaken our constitutional foundations, "but our cultural and constitutional roots are innately strong, and we have been prepared by more than a century of constitutional government to be able to face the political tasks that lie ahead."
With regards to political reform, King George Tupou V said that the late king was very concerned that Tonga's political development was not keeping abreast with its economic development and the aspirations of the people. "This led him to set a precedent, momentous in Tonga, of appointments to Cabinet based on the recommendations of a Prime Minister elected by the people. This was the beginning of a new convention of the sovereign voluntarily choosing to exercise his constitutional powers on advice of a Prime Minister from those elected to the House."
The king recognised the work of the late Prince Tu'ipelehake and his committee members, the National Committee for Political Reform (NCPR). The report and the recommendation for political reform by the NCPR has been accepted by the House. "The government subsequently tabled in parliament the broad outline of the constitutional changes that it believed should be considered in conjunction with the Tu'ipelehake report as there is much in common in the two proposals.
"The People's Representatives also submitted their own proposals to the assembly two weeks ago. All the proposals that are now in the public arena have the same ultimate aim - a more democratic form of parliament and government but appropriate for Tonga.
"The differences among these various proposals are not irreconcilable, and can be resolved through dialogue.
"We would urge all parliamentarians to continue discussion, and table their consensus at the next sitting of parliament, including a timeframe for implementation," he said.
"Last week, Tonga made news in a way that we hope we will never repeat. As we look ahead, we have the opportunity to make history in another way. Let us pick up our challenges, each one of us. Let us rebuild a new capital and a new Tonga. Let us make a history that we will remember with pride after another 131 years of Constitutional Government based on freedom, the rule of law, and the dignity of our people."
Parliament House
The closure of the Tongan Parliament this year was a sombre affair, there were no school children cheering and marching through Nuku'alofa. It was the first time for a number of years that the closing ceremony was moved from the Queen Salote Memorial Hall to the old wooden Parliament House, and there was not a member of the public who was there to witness the event, except for members of the news media and civil servants who had checkpoint passes. The New Zealand and Australian High Commissioners the Chinese Ambassador and other diplomatic representatives also attended.