Tonga, They're

In Semi-Feudal

Moving Towards

Democracy

Semi-feudal, tradition-bound

’onga, with a population of

bout 78,000, took a step to

rard democracy at the end of une when town and district fficers were elected by the eople for the first time. 1 TOWN officer represents the Government in a village, while district officer has authority over >out six villages. Both types of ficer receive salaries.

Before the June elections, the town id district officers were chosen by ic Premier.

The new set-up represents the ggest political advance in Tonga nee King George Tupou I emanci ited his people from semi-serfdom 1862.

Knowledgeable Tongans interpret e change as recognition by the overnment of the people’s growing :mand for a say in their own affairs.

They say it will help to ease the nsion and discontent that has been hiding up in Tonga in recent years r er the country’s failure to advance ►litically like its neighbours.

Concessions Soon?

But they believe the Government ay soon have to make further con ssions to the people by granting sm a greater voice in the Legislative isembly.

At present, only seven members of mga’s 21-member Assembly are jeted by the people. Of the remain % 14, seven are nobles elected by 2 33 hereditary nobles, and seven j Cabinent Ministers (also nobles) 10 are appointed by the Queen.

The people’s representatives are srefore frequently in a minority of o to one. So any move to amend ; constitution to make Tonga’s vernment more democratic can ly be made if the nobles are pre red to cede some of their power.

Pressure on them to do this will Dbably grow after Tonga’s first tel opens in Nukualofa in the next v months and foreign tourists begin ming in from the outside world,

bringing with them new and more liberal ideas.

The influx of tourists will probably also force the Government to take a long, hard look at the Sunday observance clause which is written into the constitution.

This clause, which reeks of the Puritanism of Tonga’s early mission aries, states; “The Sabbath Day shall be sacred in Tonga for ever, and it shall not be lawful to do work or play games or trade on the Sabbath.

And any agreement made or documents witnessed on this day shall be counted void and not re cognised by the Government.”

The churches in Tonga, not sur prisingly, are strongly opposed to any relaxation of the strict Sabbath, and have voiced their fears in radio talks that tourism will have a disruptive effect on Tonga customs.

But if Tonga, with its growing population and limited resources, is to remain solvent, it looks as if the Government must either amend the Sunday observance clause or turn a blind eye to breaches of the law.

Otherwise, it will be impossible for a tourist to take a taxi ride, buy a shell necklace or go for a swim—a state of affairs that would certainly not attract visitors to the country.