King Tupou VI welcomes Commonwealth Parliamentarians to Tonga

Tonga is eager to learn from your experiences and share your knowledge, HM King Tupou VI told members of parliament from Commonwealth countries when he opened the 2012 mid-year Executive Meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre, Nuku'alofa this morning. 

It was King Tupou VI's first public engagement since ascending the Tongan throne on March 18. He told the gathering that the two previous Tongan monarchs, his father King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, and his older brother, King George Tupou V, were instrumental in promoting the political reform that is currently in progress in Tonga today.

He said that nature had taught us that "diversity is a good thing", as there are many lessons we can learn from each other regardless of our relatively small population or economic power, and that the sharing of ideas and experiences is vital for the development of a nation.

"It is only through meetings and exchanges like this that these ideas take root, through dialogue giving them a chance to bear fruit. We here in Tonga are eager to learn from your experiences and to share your knowledge, and I know that this will promote our shared values in the Commonwealth."

King Tupou VI said this is the first time the Executive Committee had met in Tonga, and Tongans are very proud to be their hosts. 

Good Governance

Rt Hon Sir Alan Haselhurst, the Chairperson of the CPA Executive, said talks this week would carry forward work to advance and strengthen parliamentary diplomacy, because it is their aim to promote representative democracy through meetings and seminars designed to help members to do their work better.

He said in today's world good governance is the key to success and there are always new members of parliament who can benefit from the change and instructions that comes form joined meeting such as the CPA.

"Just as Tongans learn from their involvement in CPA, so may they teach, as no parliament has a monopoly over wisdom of what is the best practice."

He commended that Tonga had consistently been a member of the CPA, and the CPA had benefited from contributions made by Tongan parliamentarians, such as Lord Fusitu'a and Lord Nuku, who had served as members of the Executive Committee.

Closed

The two day meeting is attended by Executive Members, the President, Hon Chamal Rajapaksa MP, from Sri Lanka; Chairperson Rt Hon Sir Alan Haselhurst MP of the United Kingdom; Vice Chairperson Dr Nafisa Shah Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan and Hon Alix Boyd Knights; the Speaker of the House of Assembly of Dominica.

Also present were 30 regional representatives from the association's nine main branches of Africa, Asia, Australia, British Islands and Mediterranean, Canada, Caribbean, Americans and Atlantic countries, India, Pacific and South East Asia.

The Speaker of the Tonga Legislative Assembly Lord Lasike and members were also present at the opening of the CPA Executive Meeting.

The meeting will end on Thursday, 19 April and participants leave Tonga on 21 April.