No nation, however rich, has enough resources to do everything. Hard choices must be made. Ultimately, the trade-off is the defining characteristic of politics: deciding where to spend extra resources first.
Click this link to Download Report
Every nation has many demands but limited resources. If we can’t do everything right away, where should we focus our spending and attention first? A new report released by the Government of the Kingdom of Tonga, the Copenhagen Consensus Center and the Royal Oceania Institute identifies the most powerful policy priorities for Tonga. The report is designed to help the Government of Tonga as well as development partners to set priorities and improve the quality of life for the people of Tonga.
This one of a kind report for Tonga uses cost-benefit analysis to identify which policies will bring the most immediate good with our very limited resources. It can be a powerful tool for policy makers in Parliament to focus on the most effective and efficient policies first. I hope this work can also be an inspiration to governments across the Pacific to set more evidence-based and data lead priorities. As an independent report, we hope that our development partners join the government in prioritizing the best policies first.
Lord Fakafanua, Chairman of the Royal Oceania Institute
A New Approach to Prioritising for Tonga; delivers a rapid cost-benefit assessment of the Tonga Strategic Development Framework: 2015-2025. Based on the high-level integrated vision of direction set out in the Strategic Development Framework, the new report uses the well-established economic methodology of measuring costs and benefits of different policies highlight those that would deliver the most social benefits for each Tongan pa’anga (T$) spent.
The report we are launching today, together with the Copenhagen Consensus Centre and Royal Oceania Institute, is an excellent example of cost-benefit analysis highlighting where extra resources can do the most good. Something that everyone should focus on. We look forward to sharing this report with our stakeholders to better utilize the limited resources that we have.
Tonga Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku
The report was launched on International Women’s Day by the Prime Minister of Tonga Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, Chairman of the Royal Oceania Institute Lord Fakafanua and the President of the Copenhagen Consensus Center Bjorn Lomberg in the Presence of the Crown Prince of Tonga His Royal Highness Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala in an official ceremony in Nuku’alofa, Tonga.
This Rapid Assessment is not a conclusion but rather an aid to begin an even more informed conversation of future priorities for Tonga.