Prime Minister Dr. ‘Aisake Eke revealed that Tonga’s government travel budget exceeded its allocation by over 1 million pa’anga in 2024, prompting a review of spending policies.
Speaking at a press conference at St. George Government Building, Eke stated that as of December 2024, the government had spent over 5 million pa’anga on travel—well above the approved 4 million budget.
“We need to spend money carefully and must return value to government,” Eke said. He attributed the overspending to the high number of officials traveling and current per diem rates.
To curb costs, Eke announced stricter scrutiny on international travel. “Time away from Tonga is time away from government work,” he said, emphasizing that all overseas trips—whether funded by donors or government—must be approved by Cabinet.
Civil servants’ international travel funded by foreign sources including domestic travels will be left to ministerial discretion, but trips using local funds will face tighter controls. The government will work with the Ministry of Finance to review travel policies, including per diem allowances.
Eke was joined by Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Taniela Fusimalohi and other ministers, reinforcing the government’s commitment to responsible spending.
