“It seems that the state of our economy is starting to look up, the result of efforts that we have made in the past” -King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV.

Made on October 30, during his speech from the Throne, on the closing of the Tongan parliament for 2003. The king supported his contention by pointing out that the Royal Tongan Airlines was extending its service to the Cook Islands, Hawaii, and Wallis and Futuna, while Tongan agricultural produce was being exported to Korea, and Japan.

Meanwhile, the Tongan pa'anga was continuing its decline, after loosing 54 per cent against the New Zealand dollar in the last three years; inflation remained at around 12%; and the 2003 squash season was predicted return the lowest prices ever.