30 Aug 2005

Tonga's striking civil servants seeking consensus on demands for political change

10:14 am on 30 August 2005

Tonga's striking civil servants are to meet to find consensus on their demands for political change.

Representatives are going out to villages to rally for support.

The interim public service association is due to have a meeting this morning, to establish a set of political demands.

The association's chairman, Finau Tutone, has already called for a wholly elected cabinet.

Meanwhile hundreds of teachers are to stage a rally calling for the dismissal of the education director, who himself has pushed to sack striking teachers.

Our correspondent Mateni Tapueluelu explains.

"Around 865 of them are marching with a petition that the director of education because his policy simply causes more disappointment amongst the students and teachers."