Editorial: Tonga Needs a Parliament That Delivers Results
As aid dependence rises to nearly half the national budget, Tonga must move from policy talk to practical reform. Tonga Independent News calls for a government that acts decisively and a Parliament that holds it to account.
When Tongans voted in the last election, there was hope that a new generation of leaders would bring sharper minds, stronger credentials, and modern governance skills to office. On paper, they did. Tonga’s Cabinet and Parliament are among the most highly educated in the nation’s history. But education alone has not translated into measurable progress for ordinary people.
Over the past four years, nearly half of Tonga’s national budget has been funded by foreign aid, rising from about 40 percent in 2021–22 to almost 50 percent this financial year. In real terms, every second pa‘anga spent by government comes from an external donor, not from Tonga’s own economic strength. This is not just a fiscal statistic; it is a measure of national direction. Despite years of development plans and policy statements, Tonga remains structurally dependent on others to keep its economy moving.
At the 2024 National Economic Summit, leaders, business owners, and development partners agreed on the same core priorities: build domestic revenue, empower the private sector, improve governance, and reduce aid reliance. Yet the budget tells a different story. While the share of aid keeps climbing, the government’s direct investment in private-sector growth remains small. The Public-Private Partnership and “growth initiatives” envelope for agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and manufacturing amounts to only about one percent of total spending. Even with the promise of thirty million pa‘anga over three years, the scale of that investment is still modest compared to the volume of external support that underwrites government operations.
In presenting the 2024–25 Budget, Finance Minister Tiofilusi Tiueti said the government’s priority is to “strengthen domestic revenue and build sector-driven economic growth.” That goal is widely supported, but the numbers suggest it remains far from reach.
This imbalance reflects a deeper issue. Many in government speak well about reform but few seem ready to take on the hard, unglamorous work of executing it. The ability to craft speeches and strategies is not the same as the ability to deliver results. Tonga needs a government that understands how budgets work, how aid flows are structured, and how policy decisions affect local businesses, farmers, and families. It needs leaders who can read the numbers — and act on them.
Parliament, too, must do its part. A serious legislature would treat the rising aid ratio as an alarm bell. It would ask why domestic revenue has not increased faster than expenditure, why donor projects still carry the burden for essential services and infrastructure, and why government has not built the systems that allow private investment to thrive, from business licensing to reliable transport and energy. These are not theoretical questions; they determine whether Tonga can stand on its own or continue to depend on others for survival.
The facts are clear. In education and health, there has been progress. In transparency, fiscal independence, and institutional strength, far less so. Economic resilience still depends heavily on external assistance. That pattern will not change until leadership does.
Tonga’s leaders must bring more than degrees. They must bring courage, competence, and a willingness to confront the realities shown in the national accounts. They must hold ministries accountable, deliver on commitments, and ensure that national plans produce real outcomes for the people. Above all, they must recognise that true independence is not only political but economic, and it begins with the resolve to put reform before comfort.
As elections approach, responsibility also rests with the electorate. Voters must look beyond familiar names and campaign promises, and choose representatives capable of managing a modern economy and holding government to account. The failures of government are not separate from the choices of the people who elect it. For incumbents, the question is simple: what have they done to strengthen the country’s independence, improve livelihoods, and reduce reliance on aid? The next Parliament will only be as strong as the voters who send it there.
That is the kind of leadership — and citizenship — Tonga now needs: one that acts, not just speaks.
