Tonga's King allows commoners to join Cabinet

NUKU'ALOFA - Dressed in sandals, a smart black shirt and a woven pandanus grass kilt, Asita Mani is the epitome of the traditional Tongan. But his views are decidedly modern in a country still governed by one of the world's last absolutist monarchies.

"We need democracy in Tonga," the 50-year-old teacher said. "We are a small island nation but we have to catch up with the rest of the world. We want to choose the right people to lead us instead of having the monarchy imposed on us."

Mani is not alone. In a general election on Thursday, Tongans voted overwhelmingly for pro-democracy candidates - seven out of the nine MPs who were elected are in favour of sweeping reform in the Pacific's only kingdom.

Tongan elections have traditionally been an exercise in futility for ordinary people - of the country's 30 MPs, two-thirds are chosen by the King and his small clique of nobles, and awarded the job for life. The nine elected by the "commoners" have been politically impotent.

But in the first signs of compromise from the embattled regime, the King announced this year that two of the commoner MPs elected yesterday would be included in his Cabinet. The move gives pro-democracy politicians their first taste of power since Tonga adopted its constitution 130 years ago.

Of a dozen people questioned at random as they left the polling station, all had voted for pro-democracy candidates, and many voiced their disillusionment with the monarchy. Such public expressions of dissatisfaction would have been unthinkable a few years ago.

"We need greater freedom from the Government," said Sione Folau, 36, a carpenter. "As commoners we don't have any power at all."

Resentment towards the business empire carved out by the King's son, Crown Prince Tupoutoa, 56, was a common gripe. The monocle-wearing prince controls an airline, television stations, a telecom company and the national electricity provider.

Father-of-four Manoa Vai, 40, said the cost of electricity had rocketed and he could not look after his family on his labourer's wage.

"We only use one light bulb at home, and we never make ice," Vai said. "We don't like the way the royal family have abused their power."