HM King Tupou VI expressed his immense concern that illicit drugs are being spread easily and reaching families and communities in Tonga. “It is urgent to stop the spread of the use of illicit drugs,” he told Members of Parliament today.

HRH Crown Prince Tupouto'a 'Ulukalala delivered the King's speech, accompanied by Lord Tu’iha'ateiho and Lord Luani at the state opening of the 2024 session of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga, 16 May, at Parliament House in Nuku'alofa.

In the King's speech, he noted that Police had seized over $14 million pa’anga worth of illicit drugs this year.

"Despite the great work by Tonga Police and relevant stakeholders on fighting against illicit drugs, it is an immense concern that illicit drugs are being easily spread and reaching families and communities," he said.

The King proposed for members to take this message to their constituents, and to assess and plan on how they are going to counter this huge challenge to the country. The members must work together with their constituents to put an end to the spread of illicit drugs.

Losing educated and highly skilled people

The other challenge that is facing the society, the King said, is the increasing number of people leaving on overseas employment programs.

"Although this is a fast way to earn money quickly for families in Tonga, but it is not countering the huge challenges that face the country."

In the agricultural sector, the King said that there was a decrease in the labour force because many had left on various work schemes overseas, resulting in plantations and tax allotments being abandoned.

At the same time, the King said families were also affected due to parents leaving for long period of times, impacting their children and the elderly by not having anyone to care for them.

In addition to that, he said that the major problem was that we are loosing our pool of educated and highly skilled people in many different sectors, diminishing any chance of development in these sectors, including local industries and businesses.

The King acknowledged the work that had been commissioned by the Cabinet to control the movement of labour, through a labour mobility supply management strategy.

Schools line up in the rain

Despite the constant rain, school students from middle schools and high schools lined up at Taufa’ahau Road to Parliament House, cheering on as the Crown Prince made his way to open the 2024 session. The occasion was followed by a march led by the Tongatapu High School brass band.