The changes to the Constitution [clause 23] regarding the ability to continue to sit in the assembly or hold any office means that a "convicted" person who is sentenced to less than 2 years can still sit in the assembly and hold office.

This does send a rather odd message to the public and the world - that the Tongan house of parliament and the Cabinet will allow a convicted person, whose character is thereby reduced, to still hold office!

The consequences for the encouragement of corrupt practices will I hope never be seen.

This sort of problem is arising in Tonga because the very careful considerations of the Constitutional Commission and all of their recommendations were not followed. The final report of the Constitutional Commission was never released and the government of the day adopted only its own submission as the way to become a new democratic Tonga.

John Cauchi
Tasmania, Australia