26 Nov 2010

Leader of Tonga's pro-democracy party says first priority is to audit finances

11:01 am on 26 November 2010

The leader of Tonga's pro-democracy party says he was expecting his party to win, but it has taken a long time to get to the point where most of the country's MP's are not from the nobility.

The Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands has won 14 of the 17 seats set aside for ordinary citizens in Tonga's general election.

The party leader, Akilisi Pohiva, says it has taken almost 30 years to get to this point.

He says the new Government's first priority is to audit Tonga's finances.

"The new Government will have to look at the actual position of our finance. But we have to make sure that we have a report on the financial position of the government at this point of time."

Akilisi Pohiva says the Government will then need to look at other options for new funding as 70 percent of its income comes from overseas relatives.