EDITOR'S COMMENT

By Pesi Fonua

On November 10 King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV and his Prime Minister, Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata, made a historical decision to appoint four new Cabinet Ministers from the 18 members of parliament who will be elected in the General Election in February 2005.

For the first time the elected representatives of the Nobles and the People to the Legislative Assembly, will also become eligible to be appointed as Cabinet Ministers.

Tonga has been labelled as an abuser of human rights because its political system deprives its population of the right to elect its leaders and to change its government.

So in this light, the move to allow two members elected by the people to join the country's governing body, the Cabinet, is a smart move. However, it is a very cautious first step by government in a long march to democratising the Tongan political system, under the "democratic principle of the Tongan Constitution."

In some quarters it has been hailed as a great success in giving people new hope, and a sense of participation in the selection of their leaders. But on the other hand, it can also be seen as offering the people only a false sense of participation.

The process of selecting Cabinet Ministers from elected members of parliament remains to be seen, but presumably only elected members who are prepared to "toe the government line" and appear in the "grace and favour" book of the Prime Minister will get the nod to become Cabinet Ministers.

Under this new policy, with four elected members becoming Cabinet Ministers, it will further weaken the voting power of the People's Representatives' table, which has been clearly identified as the Opposition, and that of the Noble's table as the power brokers.

So despite the fact that we are on track for a political reform, but so far government appears to have tightened its grip on the helm.