The 2019/20 budget is guided by the theme: ‘Our Country Our People.’ This is with the objective that all work carried out by Government funded by this budget is aimed to benefit all our people in Tonga, the country that we love and cherish. We are therefore calling on everyone in the society to work in collaboration to develop our people and our country. With continued vigor and great enthusiam, by God’s guidance and grace, our nation will get through difficult times and overcome any challenges ahead.

‘I he fakatu’amelie´, ko e patiseti ki he 2018/19 ne fatu ia mei he uho ‘o e Saame 46:1 Ko e hufanga ‘a e ‘Otua´ kiate kitautolu mo ha mālohi ko e tokoni ‘i he mamahi mātu’aki ofi, 7 Ko Sihova Sapaoti ‘oku ‘iate kitaua, ko e ‘Otua ‘o Sekope´ ko hotau mo’unga.

‘Oku ou fiefia ke fakahoko atu heni ‘a e fakamatala patiseti hono tolu ‘a e Pule’anga lolotonga′. Ko e patiseti 2017/18, ko e me’angāue mahu’inga ia ki hono fakahoko ‘o e ngaahi tu’utu’uni ngāue′ pehē ki he ngaahi palani′ ‘o fakatatau ki he ivi fakapa’anga ‘oku ala ma’u′, ka e fakatefito pē ‘i he ngaahi ngāue ‘oku fakataumu’a ki he tupulekina ‘a e fonua′ fakalukufua.

I am very pleased to present the third Budget of the current Administration. The 2017/18 budget, as the vehicle for implementing government policies and transmitting plans into actions through necessary fiscal space, remains focused on diversifying the economy towards achieving sustainable broad-based inclusive growth. This budget constitutes an integral part of the annual corporate planning and budgeting processes for government which aims at “A more progressive Tonga supporting a higher quality of life for all” as the prescribed national impact under TSDF II.

Ko e uluaki Patiseti „eni „a e Pule‟anga Fo‟ou hono uaʹ hili „a e liliu fakapōlitikale ne kamata he 2010. Ko e moto „o e fonua: “Ko e „Otua mo Tonga ko hoku Tofi‟a” kuoʹ ne tataki lelei mai „a Tonga pea „oku hoko ko e makatu‟unga „oku fa‟u ai „a e Patiseti „o e ta'uʹni. . „Oku poupou ki heni „a e malohinga „o e Fa‟unga Palani fo‟ou „a Tonga 2015-2025 ke: “ Paotoloaki „a e Fakalakalaka ke fakalekesi e mo‟ui ki he taha kotoa”

This is the first budget delivered by the second government administration following the political reform initiated in 2010. Our national motto: “God and Tonga are my inheritance” has served Tonga well over the years and that it provides the foundation for this year‟s budget. This is supported by impact for the Tonga Strategic Development Framework 2015-2025:“A more progressive Tonga supporting a higher quality of life for all”.

Ko e Patiseti ko ení, ‘oku hangē ko e ngaahi ngāue kotoa ‘a e Pule’angá, ‘oku fakama’unga ki he moto ‘o e fonua: “Ko e ‘Otua mo Tonga ko hoku Tofi’a.” ‘Oku poupou ki heni mo e taumu’a ngāue ‘a e Pule’angá “Ko e Hoa Ngāue - Pule’anga mo e Kakai ke langa fakataha ‘a e tu’unga faka’ekonōmika mo e nofo ‘a e kāinga ‘i he sōsaieti”. Ko e taumu’a ‘o e Patiseti ko ení, ‘oku langa hake mei heni: “Ke toe fakalelei’i ange ‘a e fakahoko ngāue mo e taliangi ‘a e Pule’angá ki ha ola ‘oku lelei ange ma’á e kakai ‘o Tonga ‘o fou ‘i he Fengāue’aki fakataha mo e hoa ngāue”.

This Budget, like all work of Government, is founded on our national motto: “God and Tonga are my inheritance”. This is supported by the Government’s theme “The Partnership – Government and People Together Building the Economy and Society”. The Budget theme builds on this: “Improved Government Delivery and Accountability for better Results for the people of Tonga through Partnership”

Na’e hoko ki he lakanga ‘a e pule’anga lolotonga ‘i ha taimi na’e kei fakaakeake ai ‘a e ‘ekonomika mei he to lalo fakamamani lahi mo e tu’unga veiveiua fakalotofonua, mo hono tali ‘o e ngaahi nunu’a ‘o e no lahi ne fakahoko ki hono langa ‘o Nuku’alofa. ‘I he taimi tatau, kuo hiki hake ‘e he ngaahi liliu fakapolitikale mahu’inga ‘oku lolotonga hoko ‘a e ‘amanaki ‘a e kakai.

This administration took office at a time when the economy was still recovering from the global crisis and domestic instability, and coming to terms with the consequences of the large debt it had inherited for the reconstruction of Nuku’alofa. At the same ti