Opening of Tonga's 2012-13 parliamentary session t Parliament House

The Tonga Government is facing up to the challenges presented by the current global financial crisis by developing a strategic plan to revive the economy, HM King Tupou VI said in opening Tonga's 2012-13 parliamentary session yesterday, June 7.

The king emphasized the enormity of the economic challenges that Tonga faces, and reminded members of parliament that the livelihood of the people was in their hands, and they should remember them, "during their deliberations in the House."

He said that a shift of executive power to Cabinet and the Legislative Assembly under Tonga's new system of government meant, "that power comes with responsibility for members of parliament to be in close contact with the people, so that they can address their most urgent needs."

The king outlined six routine projects that government had continued to work on with the hope of energizing economic development. These included:

• encouraging Private Sector development
• improving the Public Service
• continuing with the search for renewable sources of energy
• encouraging the self-employed and the manufacturing sector
• improving transport, over land, sea and air
• boosting the development of tertiary education, health and tourism
• development of a new fiber optical cable network next year, to boost the flow of information and digital communications.

HM King Tupou VI arrives at Parliament House for his first opening of parliament.