Aid to Tonga

The government announced today that it would be contributing $2 million to a Business Recovery Fund to help Tonga recover from the "black Friday" riots last year. But rather than overall aid levels being increased, existing spending will be "reprioritised" - meaning that less will be spent on education and health than originally planned. OTOH, aid to Tonga has received a hefty boost in the last two years, going from $4.61 million in 2004/05 to $10 million in 2006/07 - so it seems a little churlish to complain.

But while we're on the topic, it has to be asked: how much is the government planning to spend on promoting democracy in Tonga and helping the Tongan government make a stable transition to fully democratic rule? Because I'd hate to think that they were helping to prop up a feudal kleptocracy against democratic opposition from its own people.