Shoreline is a private company [1]
Friday, February 2, 2007 - 18:45. Updated on Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 21:30.
Editor,
My thoughts on Mr. Viliami Lakasi's response and Sione Mokofisi's comment.
Talofa Mr. Lakasi and Mr. Mokofisi:
I have always wondered who are we referring to when we use the word "government". Is it the king, or the ministers or the parliament or some combination of all of these? It is very important that when we refer to or assign the blame on an individual or party that we are able to identify by names. I know it is so much easier and more convenient to use illusive terms such as "government" but please allow me to address the issue at hand with references to the individuals and agencies actual names.
Power production was sold to the Shoreline only after the approval of the Parliament. It included the concurrences of all the People's Representative. Before visiting the issue at hand, it is appropriate and proper to interview my representative in the parliament who voted yes to the sales of the power producing authority and responsibility to Shoreline. I, being from Tongatapu would like my representative at the parliament, Mr. Pohiva, Mr. Pulu and Mr. Edwards to explain the reasons why they agreed on the sale.
There has been unfair blame and animosities towards Soane and Sefo and now, HM King Siaosi Tupou V and Shoreline. But all they have to say is, "You and I, sold the power producing responsibilities and authorities to Shoreline". And I agree. You and I were not there but our representative ant the parliament was there and voted "ay" on our behalf. We need to know exactly why the parliament agreed to sell first.
The public claim to have two problems with Shoreline. 1) Electricity and water is too expensive, 2) the managers at are being paid too much money.
It is in our nature as human to get as much as we can without having to pay for it. The best discount is when on anything is when it is free. Complaints about high cost of fuel and high cost of electricity is clear. What's definitely not transparent here is that the Competent Authority at Tonga's Ministry of Commerce has not been able to put their numbers together and determine first, whether Shoreline is overcharging its customers and second whether the cost is as is throughout the industry and it is the nature of the business producing power in Tonga and anywhere in the Pacific Island Region.
Shoreline is a private company. For that matter, it is well within their rights to determine their payrolls. They can pay themselves as much as they want.
Again, I submit, that main issue is not whether Shoreline's paid its corporate executive outrageous amounts of money in salaries. But, whether it is overcharging its customers? The Ministry of Commerce must determine this and let the public know.
"Let there be uninterrupted supply of electricity to Tonga", says the Board. "May there also be control and transparency in cost calculation", beg the consumers.
Mafi 'o Amerika Samoa
Sione L. Kava
slkava [at] samoatelco [dot] com