Tongan cash cows [1]
Sunday, September 14, 2008 - 18:33. Updated on Tuesday, September 10, 2013 - 18:57.
Editor,
I was dismayed to read about the passing of the dual citizenship legislation prescribing the charging of a fee of $750.00 per application.
It seems that the decision-makers are treating overseas-based Tongans as cash cows. There does not seem to be any acknowledgement that these are the very same people who prop up the Tongan economy with remittances, and contribute to the never-ending begging bowls that arrive at overseas shores almost weekly.
If your coffers are so depleted, you could raise more funds by increasing the tax rate for higher income earners.
Malo 'aupito
'Amelia Schaaf,
Auckland
a [dot] schaaf [at] clear [dot] net [dot] nz