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God is not with us

UK

Editor,

Everyone is crying over spilled milk. This Chinese Loan as we speak will be done, no matter any sort of criticism or controversy that anybody has.

The future of Tonga is already bleak and gloomy, the conversion rates of the Tongan Dollar is at its lowest in the history of the Kingdom's economical status. This is a wonderful pleasure for my counterparts who are overseas and tourists who want to splash or have a shopping spree if they visit Tonga. However, the reality of the mighty dollar sinks in with the average or those below the minimum wage of Tonga.

Those in that bracket are saved by the grace of remittances from loving families in their adopted countries that flood this poor Kingdom with their donations from their pockets. The sad story of Tonga's Export revenues and reformed Tax system is still patiently looked at whether a drop of savings will fill the Kingdom's Budget to the brim.

Jews Vs Tonga

A nation like Israel has already been prophesied in the Bible that all the Jews will be returned to the land of flowing Milk and Honey to Abraham and a promise to them which has come to pass. With this prediction, it is hard to criticise because Divine nature overrides the criticisms of the actual events and go against Muslim belief, that is a tug of war for all Arabs in the Middle East.

Whereas, for our Kingdom of Tonga, I do not believe that God himself is behind all of this that is happening in Tonga.

I have been writing numerous letters way before the Strikes, Burning and now the Loans and still I believe, God is not present. For Israel, it is another story because they are God's most loved race and his people, that he will continuously bless until the day we all are gone and the Chinese Loan is paid off.

In saying this, decisions that these leaders make for the rest of the Kingdom of Tonga should put God in the equation and Tonga as their first priority. Tonga's motto of "Koe 'Otua Mo Tonga Ko hoku Tofi'a" surpasses and speaks more volumes than others have stated and quoted.

Money is not an option for Tongans abroad but their Hearts & Trust

With the argument of Tongans abroad could not collect or gather enough money than the Chinese Loan may not be true. The only reason Tonga's ailing economy is still afloat is the graceful remittances Tongan families send from abroad to stabilise the financial see-saw Tonga is going through.

One bad decision of national debt or offshore investments can offset the balance between the inflation and economical viability of Tonga's economy. Which in the past, the Government has gone ahead without proper deliberations and debate, then consequences are seen several years ahead. This instability of judgement, makes investors weary in seeing whether it is a gamble to invest in Tonga for this time. The foreign investments and confidence relies solely on the Government's stability and popularity which in recent years been the opposite.

As for Tongans abroad, money is not an option and can be raised, if they would know it would be used for the future of Tonga. Recently over the years, a lot of secondary schools in Tonga have been touring with their brass bands asking for donations for Tongans abroad and the returns have been in record numbers. 'Apifo'ou College recently visited the US and collected TOP$1,000,000 (US$500,000), so I can't believe what I read in some letters that Tongans can not fathom of collecting or equalling the Chinese Loan of $100 million? Now, that is "Ko Tonga Mo'unga Ki he Loto" , the only mountain that is stopping Tongans in their hearts are Tongans themselves.The Chinese Loan now or later, Nuku'alofa is still back in business as we speak, why add more problems for years to come. Tonga built Nuku'alofa over 100 of years, this Loan won't be the magic wand that would suddenly build Rome in a day.

Regards,

William Mariner

ionaxe [at] yahoo [dot] co [dot] uk