11 Sep 2008

Tonga MP says Government misleading people over establishment of Constitution Commission

1:41 pm on 11 September 2008

A Tonga pro-democracy MP Clive Edwards is accusing the government of misleading the people over the setting up of a Constitution and Electoral Commission.

Parliament passed legislation approving the Commission six weeks ago but the process appears to have stalled.

The job of the Commission is to consider the nature of political reforms expected to be in place in time for elections in 2010.

But Mr Edwards says the government rushed the bill through in time for the Coronation and has done nothing since.

"Once the bill was signed and this has happened and announcements made and the King has said he's renouncing his constitutional powers so that he can have a democratic government set up and a Royal Commission has come into force etcetera, nothing has happened since. I think this is another typical government move just to frustrate things for people."

Tonga pro-democracy MP, Clive Edwards.