Tonga's new Prime Minister Lord Tu'ivakano will not attend the historical opening of the Tonga Legislative Assembly which was rescheduled to Thursday, June 2, as he will be away on an overseas trip.

The 2011 session is the first under a reformed system of government with a new composition of parliament that was elected on 25 November 2010.

The Prime Minister Lord Tu'ivakano said on Thursday that the opening of the 2011 parliament was originally scheduled for the last week of May, but it clashed with other events, including the return of King George Tupou V after he attended the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Katherine Middleton, and the also the celebration of the May 29th birthday of Tonga's queen mother Queen Halaevalu Mata'aho.

A new date for the opening of parliament was set on June 2, but the Prime Minister will not be in Tonga then.

Under the reformed government the King will no longer have any executive involvement in Cabinet other than appointing the elected Prime Minister and also the Cabinet Members chosen by the Prime Minister.