Photos by Linny Folau and Pesi Fonua.

The 2008 session of Tonga's Legislative Assembly opened today by the Princess Regent Pilolevu Tuita, is expected to be the last parliament to sit under Tonga's current constitution.

At the parliament building, in Nuku'alofa this morning the princess reminded members of parliament that their next three years in the Tongan Legislative Assembly is historical and they are responsible for introducing a new political system for Tonga.

The princess was opening parliament in the absence of King George Tupou V who is abroad in Hong Kong.

The Princess Regent said that her father, the late king, Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, had set in motion a process of political reform for Tonga. The political reform, she said, is supported by the present king and the government, and she announced that a Bill will be presented to the House next month for the establishment of a commission to work on amending the Tongan Constitution and the Electoral Act. The Princess Regent stressed that the government and the House will play an important role in the drafting of this legislation.

Increased Budget

The princess stated that the economy, after struggling during the past few years was looking up and that a turn around in the economy was witnessed by representatives of the International Monetary Fund, who visited Tonga last Month. This had enabled government to increase its budget for the new financial year by $30 million and the economy is expected to grow by 3% in the coming year, she said.

Because of these expected growth in the economy in the coming financial year, the Princess Regent said that the government is in a position to increase its expenditure. She said that $6 million had been allocated for road maintenance, and promised that in future imported meat and chicken will be exempted from customs duties.

Unemployment

With regards to the problem of unemployment, the Princess Regent said that 750 Tongans had found employment, fruit picking in New Zealand and negotiation was currently underway for Tongans to go to Australia under a similar seasonal working arrangement.

Marching

As usual with the opening of parliament, the streets of Nuku'alofa were crowded today. The only change in the opening of parliament routine, was that secondary schools did not march through the grounds of the Royal Palace because of renovation work is underway, so they marched past the Prime Minister's Office where the Princess Regent, the Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers observed the procession.