representatives

Election of representatives

FEBRUARY is the month for Tonga’s elections elections which are held every three years to choose the nine people’s representatives and the nine nobles to parliament. The other 12 members of parliament are cabinet ministers appointed for life or until they are asked to resign by the King.

The people’s representatives are

elected by 95 per cent of the population (around 94,000) while the nobles have elections among themselves to choose their nine representatives from the 33 noble titles.

In November in a meeting between church leaders and cabinet ministers, Prime Minister Baron Vaea put forward the idea of forming the kingdom’s first political party - the Christian Democrat Party. Previously candidates contested as individuals.

Most church leaders were unhappy with the suggestion saying they were concerned that government was trying to use the church to further its own ends.

What was communicated at the meeting was so vague that it left them with more

unanswered questions.

The head of the Catholic church in Tonga, Bishop Patelesio Finau, said the government appeared to be trying to manipulate the church and described the plans for the political party as “devious”.

Some observers see the government’s suggestion for a political party was a panic reaction to oppose the Pro democracy Movement. Four of the

people’s representatives in Parliament

are behind the forming of the Pro democracy Movement. They are confi dent of retaining their seats. It will surely indicate the mood of the people if the are not re-elected.

One of the options considered by the pro-democracy movement was the for mation of a political party. However, they have been unable to do this in time for the February elections.