SELLING of bread in Tonga will be prohibited starting this Sunday, July 3, 2016.
The Minister of Police announced this in Parliament on Wednesday after the Legislative Assembly passed the national budget for 2016/17.
Hon. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa said it has been about 30 years now that Tonga has breached its own Sabbath Law with bakeries and restaurants operating on Sunday.
Only restaurants in hotel and other accommodations are to operate on Sunday.
According to the Constitution, Sunday should be kept holy and no person shall practice his trade or profession or conduct any commercial undertaking.
Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said Tonga is a Christian country and Tupou I formally decreed Sunday to be kept holy and the prohibition of trading activities on Sabbath.
He said there is exception to trading on Sunday but only in times of natural disasters.
The public has been urged to kindly abide with the Sunday Law.