In this year’s Budget statement, I outline the next steps in our continuing reforms, and announce new targeted measures. Both consistency and focus must be applied to overcome global uncertainty and local difficulties, and to achieve our vision – our long-term social and economic goals. The setting for this year’s budget is that our challenges have multiplied, but our people’s needs have also continued to increase: the needs of our young people, our elders, families on very low incomes – and especially our people on the outer islands. We cannot, and will not, ignore those needs.

Lolotonga hono fa’u ‘o e Fakamatala Patiseti ki he 2003/04, ko e tu’unga faka’ekonomika ‘o e fonua ‘oku ta’emahino ‘aupito pea ‘ao’aofia. Neongo kuo lava e konga ‘uluaki ‘o e feinga tau ‘a e Ngaahi Pule’anga Fakatahataha pea mo ‘Iulaki, ka ‘oku kei ‘i ai pe ‘a e ta’eta’epau he tu’unga ‘oku ‘i ai e ngaahi maketi pa’anga pea pehe ki he ngaahi maketi koloa.

The Budget for 2003/04 has been prepared in a climate of considerable uncertainty. Although the war between the coalition forces and Iraq is considered to be over the initial phase, there is considerable uncertainty in the world’s financial and commodity markets. The impact of SARS is continuing to affect overseas travel in Asia and the Pacific while the onset of el nino towards the end of 2002 had a significant impact on fish catches in the Pacific.

Ko e Patiseti ki he 2002/03 ‘oku ne paotoloaki ‘a e ngaahi fokotu’utu’u fo’ou ‘i he founga ngaue ‘a e Pule’anga, ko ha makatu’unga ki hono pukepuke ‘a e fakalakalaka ‘oku potupotu tatau ki he tafa’aki fakasosiale mo e ngaahi ngaue faka’ekonomika.

The Budget for 2002/03 shall build on the new direction of the Government’s policies of preparing the foundation for building and maintaining a fair and sustainable social and economic order.

Ko e Patiseti ki he 2001/02 ‘oku ne tofa ha hala fo’ou ki he ngaahi fokotu’utu’u mo e tu’utu’uni ‘a e Pule’anga. ‘Oku ne ‘omai ha founga kene langa’i mo pukepuke ‘a e founga ‘oku taau pea mo maa’usia faka-sosiale mo faka-‘ekonomika.

Ko e tu’unga fakalakalaka ko ia ‘a Tonga ‘oku fakangatangata ia ‘e he si’isi’i e koloa fakaenatula, vamama’o mo e maketi ki tu’apule’anga, si’isi’i e maketi fakalotofonua mo e ngaahi fakatamaki fakaenatula. Ka neongo ia kuo malava pe ke a’usia ‘e Tonga ha tu’unga fakalakalaka lelei, ‘i he tu’unga fakasosiale mo faka’ekonomika

Tonga’s growth potential has been kept low by constraints such as narrow resource base, remote location, small domestic market, and vulnerability to natural calamities. Nevertheless, Tonga has achieved a progressive level of social and economic development.