NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga — Draft laws to reform Tonga's constitution and bring more democracy to the near-feudal South Pacific kingdom will be introduced in Parliament next month, a royal family member said today.

Princess Pilolevu Tuita told the opening session of Parliament in the capital, Nuku'alofa, that the current session is the last before general elections to be held in 2010 under a reformed political structure.

"This Parliament is a watershed for Tonga's political evolution, the last one under the existing constitutional provisions," she said.

She told the nation's lawmakers they bear "a heavy responsibility" to agree to a new structure of government "that will always promote stability, peace and prosperity."

The government agreed to political changes following riots in 2006.

Only nine of Tonga's 32 lawmakers are now elected by popular vote, with the prime minister and Cabinet ministers appointed by the king. The country's noble families appoint another nine legislators.

Under the changes being considered, Tonga's 66,000 voters would elect up to 21 of the 30 legislators in a new parliament.

Princess Pilolevu said the government would introduce a bill to consider aspects of constitutional and electoral reform next month.

In the annual speech from the throne, she noted that after several years of poor growth, the economy was forecast to grow by 3 percent in 2008-09.

This would be boosted by rebuilding the capital's business center, which was torched during riots in November 2006 that saw eight people killed. As the rioting spread, the government hastily agreed to reforms including the planned, 30-seat Parliament.

The princess said rebuildng the business center would cost over $50 million, and that at least $20 million already had been secured from foreign donors.

She also said there would be five days of coronation celebrations for King George Tupou V, beginning July 29.

The impoverished kingdom is expected to spend $2.5 million on the bash, but has said it expects to make double that amount from visitors who attend the celebrations.

The island nation of 101,000 people, halfway between New Zealand and Hawai'i, depends on agriculture, fishing, remittances from Tongans abroad and foreign aid to support its people. According to the World Bank, half of the population lives below the poverty line.