Eager to reform, but plunging into uncertainties [1]
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 - 21:54. Updated on Thursday, May 1, 2014 - 10:02.
Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua
In spite of our national eagerness to embrace the economic and political reform programs that were introduced by government during the first few years of a new century, the reality was that the strong words that were used to describe the reforms and win public support were followed by the indifference and elements of uncertainty that the reforms were implemented with.
A clear example of a vast difference between theory and practice was the Economic and Public Sector Reform Program that was introduced in 2002.
When the Minister of Finance launched the program he stressed some of the very good reasons why an Economic and a Public Sector Reform Program was needed; because government was spending beyond its means, and far too much of government revenues went into salaries, leaving very little for operations and investments in the private sector.
The Minister went on to say that the economy was too dependent on aid and remittances, while at the same time unemployment and the inflation rate were rising.
The plight of the Tongan economy was tangible but there was a strong conviction that with reform the economy would rebound.
Now, five years later, the situation appears worse than before. Government spending is still very high and the percentage of government revenue that goes into salaries went through the roof with the 60, 70, 80% salary rise in 2005 along with the millions of pa'anga that was spent on redundancy payments to nearly 1,000 civil servants, who chose to voluntary retirement. The flip side of this exercise was that some of those who retired have been recalled to fill their vacant posts.
Political reform
In 2004 government introduced its Political Reform Program, and the Prime Minister recommended to the king the appointment of four Cabinet Ministers: two from the Nobles' table and two from the People's table, and there was a belief that eventually all Cabinet Ministers would be appointed from elected members.
The first four elected members who were appointed as Cabinet Ministers were Noble Nuku and Noble Tu'ivakano and from the elected People's Representatives were Dr Feleti Sevele and Peauafi Haukinima. Later Fineasi Funaki was appointed as the Minister of Tourism.
The launch of this Political Reform Program came as a big surprise to many people, who held the belief that political reform might be introduced once the economy was in a stronger position. The move though was very sleek, it took place without having to amend the constitution, and it was gradually allowing people time to adjust to it.
For government to launch an Economic and Public Sector Reform Program, and a Political Reform Program within five years was astounding.
Performance
But from the outset the temptation that elected members have to handle when they are appointed as Cabinet Ministers has caught the public's attention. Out of the three People's Representatives who were appointed as Cabinet Ministers, one resigned after he got drunk and misbehaved at a Royal Wedding, while another is currently under investigation for the alleged misappropriation of a foreign aid grant.
With reform still very much in the people's minds the logical way forward is to review the existing reform programs and revamp them so that we can move on to the next phase.
Uncertainties
But, instead, we are plunging into more uncertainties with a promise from government that there will be political reform in 2010, only two years away. The detail of that reform has not been made known, other than that the constitution has to be amended along with the Electoral Act and other legislation. Despite this uncertainty there is an opinion within government that there is no need for a referendum.
It is clear that unless we are committed, serious and realistic with our desire for Tonga to have a strong economy and a political system that we will be proud of, at least for the next hundred years, we will drift along into the second decade of the 21st century still embroiled in disjointed economic and political reform programs.