The Tongan government has reviewed longstanding Sabbath laws prohibiting most businesses from operating on Sundays.
The announcement follows remarks from His Majesty the King last week while closing the Parliament.
Prime Minister ‘Aisake Eke said last week that constitutional provisions banning Sunday trade remain in effect, except for life-or-death emergencies.
The review will examine whether restaurants and other public-facing businesses operating on Sundays violate the law.
Current exemptions apply only to essential services like hospitals, police, and emergency services, he said.
Tonga’s Sabbath laws have long been a subject of controversy.
In the late 1970s, the then King permitted fossil fuel drilling, a failed oil exploration project, on Sundays at the Free Wesleyan Church in Kolomotu’a.
The decision sparked criticism, particularly because the drilling occurred just outside the church’s doors, directly contradicting Sabbath observance traditions.
Kaniva News recently published an editorial stating that Tonga’s interpretation of the Sabbath significantly differs from its European origins, where Sunday activities have become matters of personal choice.
