Loading ...COUNTRY OVERVIEW –> Government & Administration
The 1875 constitution laid down the foundation for the present system of Government in modern day Tonga. The government consists of three main bodies.
- 1. The Executive
2. Parliament and;
3. The Judiciary.
The King in Privy Council and the Cabinet, serve as the Executive. The Monarch appoints the Cabinet as well as the Governor’s of Ha’apai and Vava’u. The Administration of the public sector of which 20 odd government Ministries and quasi-government bodies exist, come under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister. Cabinet becomes the Privy Council when presided over the monarch. It is the highest authority in the country.
The Parliament is unicameral and is composed of an appointed Speaker by the Monarch, the Cabinet, nine Nobles elected by 33 hereditary Nobles and nine representatives elected by the people. General elections are held every three years. The judiciary, the Privy Council with the addition of the Chief justice becomes the Court of Appeal. Below this, is the Supreme Court, the Land Court and the Magistrates Court.
Tonga is 13 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Official languages are Tongan and English.
