THE Legislative Assembly's parliamentary session for the year 2021 will be officially closed next Thursday on September 16 in a soft closing ceremony.

Read more: Parliament's 2021 session and the current parliamentary term to officially close on September 16.

The Speaker of Legislative Assembly of Tonga, Lord Fakafanua this afternoon delivered to His Majesty, King Tupou VI, the second part of the Legislative Assembly’s reply to the Speech from the Throne in the event of the State Opening of the 2021 Parliamentary session on May 6th, 2021.

Read more: Speaker delivers second part of the Legislative Assembly's reply to King Tupou VI Speech from the...

Lord Fakafanua, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly submitted the Illicit Drugs Control (Amendment) Bill 2021, which proposed the death penalty for certain offences. This included adding the death penalty for the offence of unlawful import and export of 5kg or more of a Class A illicit drug. It also added the death penalty on the third or consequent strike for any person who without lawful excuse supplies, administers, compels or engages, employs or uses a child for illicit drugs offences.

Read more: Parliament passes the Illicit Drugs Control Bill 2021 but did not endorse the death penalty.

The Lord Speaker and the Legislative Assembly of Tonga wish to express their sincere condolences and offer their deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of the late Hon Sione Vuna Fa'otusia. Prior to his passing, Hon Sione Vuna Fa'otusia had been a Member of the Legislative Assembly since 2014 as the People's Representative for Tongatapu 7 and was appointed as the Minister of Justice and Prisons until 2019. He also served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga until his resignation in 2020.

Read more: The Lord Speaker and the Members of the Legislative Assembly are deeply saddened by the passing of...