Drugs crisis

But one issue that's dominating pre-election discussions is the country's growing drugs crisis.

"It's taking everyone by surprise. Tonga is not used to those stuff and the changes that come with it, it's just overwhelming for everyone," Samuela Halahala from the Tonga National Youth Congress told Pacific Beat.

The Kingdom's seen a dramatic rise in the use of illicit drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine, and is no longer just a transit point for drug smugglers taking their product from South America to large markets in Australia and New Zealand.

Tonga goes to elections on 18th November with 74 candidates registered.

Sione Fonua, who was to stand in Tongatapu 2, says he withdrew to make it easier for a new candidate to come through.

Figures indicate the drug problem is going from bad to worse, with more than half the activity in the country's courts involving drug offences.

Mr Fonua says the current parliamentary line up is not treating the drug problem as a priority.