Give government a chance

‘Ikai lava ke ta‘ofi ‘a e ngutulau mo e matalatala - Joshua Nehasi:
‘Oku malie fau ‘a e hanga hifo ki he lave kuo fai mei he CEO ‘o e Takimamata’ ‘o felave’i mo ‘ene tohi kuo mama ki tu’a mei he Fakataha Tokoni’. ‘Oku fai e fakame’apango’ia ‘i he mama ko ‘eni’ pea kuo fakama’ala’ala mei he CEO ‘oku ‘ikai koia na’ane fakamalofa ki he mitia’. ‘Oku ou toe faka’ofa’ia ‘i he fakama’ala’ala ‘a e CEO mo e kole koia ‘oku ha ‘i lalo’ he na’e totonu foki ke ngaue CEO mo e Minisita ‘oku pule ki ai’ pea toki fai ‘ene lipooti’ he ‘oku ‘i he malumalu ‘o e Minisita koia’. ‘Oku hange ‘a e fakama’ala’ala ia ‘a e CEO na’e ‘ave hangatonu pe ‘ene lipooti ‘ana kihe Palemia’ ‘ikai ‘ilo ki ai hono taki’ ko e Minisita ‘o e potungaue taki mamata’.

“I do not support the way in which this issue is being used against Government, nor do I support those who have made the information publicly available, or those who have gained access to the information in a wrongful manner.”

Ko e tu’u he taimi ni’ ‘oku ‘ikai ke ngaue hala ha taha ia ‘i hono fehu’ia ‘o e tohi he kuo tuku mai ia ki he loto ‘ata’ata’ pea koia he ‘ikai toe tanaki e ipu ia kuo mahua’. Tetau ui nai e tokotaha koia kuo ne fai e fo’i maumau ko ‘eni’ mei he Hou’eiki Minisita ko e “Whistleblower?” (mapuhi’ea).

Ko e me’a fakaoli mo’oni ko e ‘ikai toe malava ke ta’ota’ofi ‘e me’a ko’eni mei he kakai ‘oku nau fai’. ‘Oku hange kiate au kuo hoko e taumu’a na’e paaki mai ‘o felave’i mo e “Whistleblowers awarded $2 billion” ko ha me’a ke faka’ai’ai e kakai ke nau fai ke tupu ai ha ma’u ha’anau pa’anga.

‘Oku ‘ikai foki fai ha ofo ia ‘i he ‘ene hoko’ he ‘oku hoko pe ‘i ‘Amelika ‘i he kau falala’anga taha ‘i he fakatotolo mo ngaue fakapulipuli FBI, CIA.

Malie pea toe faka’ofa! - Joshua Nehasi

CEO versus Minister - Sam Anamanu:
Mr. Cocker pleading to public for a tranquil time instead of outrage and prejudice prior to the said report submitted by him to the Prime Minister, which he should sensibly confidentially handle in the first place. The lack of philosophical approach to his report substantially contributes to the bombastic reactions towards him and the matter before any such settlement reached, which has a considerable influence in our political opinion.

The public have been seduced for so many time and the assumed matter worsen the psychological behavioral of untrustworthy towards our embattled government. They (media, lobbies, concern parties, Temos, etc) would not let this scenario go pass without make an effort to have a crunch into and I would not blame them. In this time of unprecedented political fluctuation, Mr. Cocker should know better, the government decisions to restrain media accesses in disseminate of the political issues escalated the damaging speculation in public and will diverts the approach of the freelancers or journo to aggressively investigative rather than a normal reporter of a media outlet. That sort of investigative mind-set in media can be ugly and the target issues especially an influential segment of a current affair as Mr. Cocker’s Report can gravely cost those involved their jobs.

As he continued Mr. Cocker’s honesty and what ‘he thinks is a right thing to do’ is in question even though is an act of obedience to conscience. Why is that? First, why he shouldn’t prevent this series of episodes by report the first incident or the second, he might miss something but he responsible. Secondly, Mr. Cocker, according to him, judiciously selected the wording to water down the legal infraction sound and intention of the documented report. He virtually avoid any such malice or misrepresent will ultimately justify an offset litigation or dismissal against him. In that sense we can probably says that he play safe even though he half-hearted to reach the report to media. He should opt to directly dialogue without compromised with the Minister in question before he documented the report and submitted to the Prime Minister in a protected channel. The civil servants are under pressure from government scrutiny and many of them are sympathizer of political reformers, which may let them to compromise department confidential.

He underestimates the current political exploitation that engulfs our vulnerable departmental set up. Mr. Cocker is a high government official but he is subordinate to Minister and if the current set up allowed him to do so, the system fail not only him and the Minister but all the government departments’ allocation model. Cabinet Ministers is (a holder of a ministerial office appointed by a Constitutional authority or a politician as in ANZ) not a Civil Servant. CEO/director is a Civil Servant. The Cabinet Ministers should ensured that they execute their assigned responsibilities and simultaneously scrutinized the integrity of their performance in regular basis by a standing committee of the/or an independent commission administrate by Legislative Assembly. The executive branch should (lineal or matrix over lapse) counter-check by its peers in power not by a subordinate. Moreover, if presently the case those assigned officials should shoulder responsibilities for the assumed concern.

As we play the mind-game makes sure that 60% plus turn up that day to watch us win instead of supporting our demise. Public is like a turtle when something happen that have direct impact in the reason deter of its existence its head pop up with watchful eyes. Let support our government to draw up a fair devise that prevent indecisive manners. I hope that the dust will settle soon, and for those who responsible should face the music appropriately. - Sam Anamanu

Minister should know better - Sione Sekope:
Sam Amanu in his letter to the editor, “Ceo vs. Minister”, sort of putting the blame on the CEO for not handling his report confidentially. With all due respects to everyone involved, there is nothing to ke kept confidentially in this day and age since accountablility and trasparency are two
fundamental aspects.

The Minister of Tourism should know better and avoid stupid actions because that could put him behind bars. The evidence that Cocker presented is enough to take the Minister to court. Because event though he is a Minister, the law is equal to everyone.

CEOs of other departments should follow suit and do the same because it is only in this way we can weed out corruption.

Malo and Keep up the good work CEOs. - Sione Sekope

Minister and CEO displayed weak link - Sam Anamanu:
Sione Sekope missed the point, which I suggested in my letter. The government and its system to handle confidential and sensitive information should review, and the system to check the Cabinet and governmental performance should in the hands of peers in power. This is my position, my letter’s main concern! The Editor of MT picked it up (the point) and evidently highlighted in the home Webpage.

As I mentioned in the conclude paragraph of my letter ‘those involved should face the music …’, the equality in the face of law, or whatever echelons that embrace you in the society, government, or an organization might worth of a mention but is not the point here. The accused Minister if find guilty, of course he have to cope the consequences but he is not the one who pray by a letter to this outlet expressed his opinion in the editorial to calm things down, due to the confidential report of him loosely in the hand of the Cabinet with its subsequent end up in public knowledge. Why Mr. Cocker plea to public, for him he shouldn’t waste his time if there is nothing wrong, but he knows, he knows that something irrelevant somewhere there beyond outrage and prejudice, regardless is him or any one else, or the system, or a group of people. There must be reason, a reasonable reason! By that, clearly demonstrate there is a serious crack in the system that needs to revamp instead of Sekope suggesting that I sided with a one particular party.

Accountability and Transparency are fundamental but sometime both an overused aspect stretches by lobbies, political institutions to verify some certain subjective claims. We, of course, need those feature in government but government cannot operate efficiency or functional without confidential, and even the anti-corruption organization International Transparency have privacy and confidential position. There are various essential reasons, due to the facts that citizens have different level of understanding and vary randomly according to some certain issues arise in a particular society, a security reason, a legal reason, and more included but virtually paradoxical, accountable and transparent reasons. Once again, this is not the point here.

CEOs can report Minister at any time for unbecoming in their position to a commission of the Legislative Assembly but through a protected channel, for example, he will notify in writing instead of documented report to the commission to aware of any misappropriation and they investigate the matter, before submitted to the House. When report reach the Legislature meant the assumed affairs is genuine either committed or not. The House is the confidential terminator but accountability and transparency preacher, followed by media conferences and court action, public chitchat, etc.

Therefore, we should support the Sevele Administration to review and formulate a strong protected-link with fluent network to handle wisely this type of affair in government departments. The weak link between Minister and CEO displayed by this saga should now entrenched with an outlines to secure the integrity of each position in the long run but not a continual tension relationship, which vulnerable sometime to subordinate to have a go on superior, in other word, that is avoid power struggle. - Sam Anamanu

Tonu ke fakafisi e minisita mo e kau fakafofonga ‘o e kakai - Pola Loiti:
‘Oku malie pea fakaoli e me’a ‘oku hoko ‘i Tonga fekau’aki eni mo hono tukuaki’i ‘o e Minisita ki he Takimamata. Kuo ‘osi mahino ‘oku lolotonga fai e ngaue ki ai te’ekiai ke mahino hono ola. ‘Oku ‘ikai ke toe faka’uli’ulilatai ko e fa’ahinga ‘ulungaanga eni ‘oku tau feinga ke to’o ‘ikai mei he pule’anga pe ka ki Tonga kapau ‘e ‘osi e ngaue ‘oku halaia e Minisita.

Kaekehe ko e me’a ‘oku malie ko e kau longoa’a he ngaahi kautaha ongoongo ‘i muli mei he kakai ‘oku tau pehe ‘oku nau maama. Ko e uike ‘aki eni hono ua hono paaki mai ‘e he letio fakavaha’apule’anga ‘a Nu’usila e ngaahi ongoongo fekau’aki mo e fiema’u ke fakafisi e Minisita lolotonga ‘oku fai hono fakatotolo’i. ‘Io ko e founga eni ‘oku ngaue’aki ‘e mamani pea kou tui pe au ia ki ai. Ka ko e fakaoli he ko e sekelitali seniale ‘a e kautaha Totonu ‘a e Tangata mo e Temokalati ‘i Tonga, na’a ne tomu’a fakaha he ongoongo koeni ke fakafisi e Minisita kae fai ha ngaue. Hoko mai ai ko e fakafofonga ‘o e kakai e ongo Niua, ko e me’a tatau ai pe ko e kaila ke tuku ki tu’a kae fai e fakatotolo.

Ko e ‘aho ni eni ko ‘Akilisi Pohiva eni kuo ne kalanga ki he Palemia ke fekau e minisita ke ‘alu ki ‘api.

Ko e me’a ‘oku fakaoli ai koeha nai hano kehekehe eni pea mo e tukuaki’i ne fai pea ‘oku lolotonga lele ‘a e hopo ki he ngaahi me’a ne hoko he 16/11 ‘o e kau Fakafofonga ‘o e Kakai ‘e ni’ihi. Ne ‘ikai lea mai e Kautaha Totonu ia ‘a e Tangata moe Temokalati ke tala ke nau fakafisi mei he Falealea kae’oua kuo kakato e ngaahi hopo. Ne ‘ikai lea mo ha fakafofonga ia he kakai ke nau fakafisi. Kapau ‘e pehe ke hange ko e lau ‘a ‘Akilisi kuo ma’u ha fakamo’oni, ko e fe leva e fakamo’oni ‘a e tafa’aki ‘e taha ‘oku tukuaki’ii ‘o hange pe ko ia ‘oku hoko he Falehopo. Ko e ngaahi me’a ‘oku fai’aki e tukuaki’i e Minisita mo e kau fakafofonga ‘oku nau kehekehe.

Koeha ‘oku vave ai ke tautea’i e Minisita te’ekiai ke mahino e ngaue ki ai kae hao pe ni’ihi ia koee. ‘Ikai ‘oku nau tonuhia kotoa kae ‘oua kuo toki fakamaau’i pe ‘oku nau halaia pe tonuhia. Fefe ke tuku ke fai e ngaue ke kakato kae ‘oua te mou tolomaka’i si’i Minisita he ‘oku mou nofo fale sio’ata pe mo moutolu. Kapau ‘e toki ‘osi e ngaue ‘oku halaia pea ko e taimi ia ke fai ai e kalanga ki he le’olahitaha ke fakamalolo’i he kapau ‘e kei ngaue atu pe ia pea ‘oku hala leva ia. Kaekehe fai e me’a ‘oku mou loto ke fai atu ‘o fai ia ki he kakai kehe. - Pola Loiti