21 Nov 2005

Women's Action group in Tonga says pace of change too fast

10:30 am on 21 November 2005

The Coodinator for the Tongan Women's Action Group for Change, Ofa Guttenbeil-Likiliki, says she fears the push for democratic reform in Tonga is happening too fast.

The National Committee for Political Change is giving the government until the first week of December to respond to its submissions for reform before it undertakes a series of strategic demonstrations.

However Mrs Guttenbeil-Likiliki says she doesn't believe such an ultimatum should of been issued.

"Things are happening so fast, I'm fearful it could result in a situation that we wouldn't want it to result in, for example some violent conflict situation, because for a full consultative process, that hasn't really happened for this whole constitutional reform change. We need to step back and take things one step at a time."