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2009
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Thursday 24 September 2009 6:23pm
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea : Random house has finally given us two versions of a dictator. However we are still to hear from Mr Fale which definition leads his argument, because the second version is arguably applicable if for example Bainimarama did things like withholding health services and medicines to a certain region of the country that opposes him which then led to people there dying from preventable diseases. Corruption, nepotism and murder of minorities and political opponents are obvious weapons of choice that he will also not sit and twiddle his fingers on. - Sam Tupou -
Thursday 24 September 2009 5:42am
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA : Mr Kava claims some dictators are suitable for some countries (Democracy...23 Sep 2009), and would Mr. Kava like to be forced to live in one of those countries ruled by a dictator? - Sione Mokofisi -
Thursday 24 September 2009 5:25am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : I have been defending the position that there have been "successful" dictators, not necessarily "good"; this is a totally different argument. I have also been stating facts that refute generalizing dictators as "failed wannabes", because in reality - as I have been arguing - even in our current world, dictators do exist and some continue to be successful. - Daniel Fale -
Wednesday 23 September 2009 1:30pm
Mata ki 'Eua,Tonga : How disappointing to see electricity prices increasing again. Even more disappointing is to hear of the plan to install 1mW of solar power which is probably an expense of around $20 million pa'anga to produce on average around 3% of total power and therefore no effect on the electricity price. For close to same sum of money one could build a plant using biomass to produce on average 15 times as much electricity and end up with a retail power price of around TOP 0.65/ kWh at current oil prices. -Peter Goldstern
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Wednesday 23 September 2009 12:55pm
Pago Pago, American Samoa : Webster defines a dictator as a person having absolute authority and supreme governmental powers. The nature and characteristics of a dictator is not part of the definition of the word. I fail to see where Mokofisi got the idea that murder, corruption and nepotism is part of the definition. On his part, he fails to realize that the same characteristics is present in all forms of government. The news is replete with accounts of these in democratic America. Read about corruption in Israel. - Sione Lousiale Kava -
Wednesday 23 September 2009 5:46am
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA : Most dictators share certain things in common that a dictionary definition does not mention: They murder people indiscriminately (especially minorities and political enemies), and they enact their own laws to keep themselves in power. - Sione A. Mokofisi -
Wednesday 23 September 2009 5:18am
Manila, Philippines : Economic growth in the Pacific will slow sharply in 2009, with five economies in the region expected to contract as the global economic slump continues to erode incomes from tourism and remittances, says a major new report from the ADB. Premium content -
Tuesday 22 September 2009 11:46pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Tonga Police yesterday seized a large shipment of illicit drugs at a residential home in Halaleva, Nuku'alofa, arresting one male suspect who will be charged with illicit drug offences. Premium content -
Tuesday 22 September 2009 11:31pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga's electricity tariff will go up by 20.35 seniti per kWh, effective from the meter reading at the end of October, Peter McGill, the CEO of the Tonga Power Ltd. announced this afternoon. Premium content -
Tuesday 22 September 2009 10:42pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A Fatai man was arrested and charged with grievous bodily harm last week after hitting a 42-year-old man with an axe over the head in a drunken brawl at Fatai, report the Tonga Police. Premium content -
Tuesday 22 September 2009 9:44pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Preliminary Inquiry of a father charged with the murder of his four-year-old son at Popua earlier this month, will begin on October 7 at Fasi Magistrate's Court. Premium content -
Tuesday 22 September 2009 3:12pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Random House Dictionary defines dictator as, "a person who exercises absolute power, especially a ruler with absolute, unrestricted control of government". There is also a broader meaning of the word dictator used by political scientists that is given to leaders of one-party states or similar set-ups in which a dictatorship does exist in practice like Cuba, and yes, Singapore, and yes, Dubai. You do not have to kill thousands of people or do any other atrocity to be considered a dictator, as it seems Mr. Mokofisi believes this to be a requirement for a person to be a dictator. - Daniel K. Fale -
Tuesday 22 September 2009 11:45am
Adelaide, Australia : Ko e liliu fakapolitikale mo'oni ... Koha Kau fakafofonga Falealea Fakapotopoto Poto ma'a Tonga 'ikai ko e kau fakafofonga Falealea Tokolahi ange. (Quality not Quantity). -Siale Christopher Kava -
Tuesday 22 September 2009 5:52am
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea : The English (U.K.) Thesaurus defines truth under three headings i) fact, reality and certainty, ii) accuracy, genuineness, precision, exactness, legitimacy, veracity and truthfulness and iii) honesty, candor, integrity, dedication, loyalty, devotion, fidelity, uprightness and sincerity. - Sam Tupou -
Sunday 20 September 2009 1:57pm
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA : A brief read of Lee Kwan Yew's success as Prime Minister of Singapore (1959-1990) does not show the life of a dictator. Instead he rose through the Singapore Parliament as PM during British rule, and developed one of the poorest states in SE Asia to rival Japan's industrial economy. He was accused of running a tight ship, but that's the price of "transformation" I would say. - Sione A. Mokofisi -
Saturday 19 September 2009 7:02pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : November 2010 has been set by the Tongan government as the date for an election of Tonga's new parliament, the Deputy Prime Minister Dr Viliami Tangi told the Tongan Parliament on Monday, September 14 and he urged the House that instead of waiting for the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Commission to present its draft final report in November they should move ahead an amend Clause 77 of the Constitution, to enable the Prime Minister to set a date for the 2010 parliamentary election.From the House. Monday 14 September 2009. Premium Content. Premium content -
Saturday 19 September 2009 3:31pm
Pago Pago, American Samoa : I have reservation on Dr. Koloamatangi's thoughts. A thorough dissertation will be for another day but my history memory reminds me that Europeans left England in the early 16th and 17th seeking freedom from the English monarchy. Those that ended up on the Kingdom's shores realize that they are jumping from one dictatorial regime to another. Dr. Koloamatangi thinks that the visitors were quite happy because it is just like back home. - Sione Lousiale Kava -
Saturday 19 September 2009 2:41pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Franco of Spain was successful because his goal was to save Spain from divisions, disunity, and civil war. Franco's bottom line was to establish stability and maintain peace for Spain, and for that stability and peace to be maintained after his time. This is exactly what happened. He never did anything that was unreasonable, but all things were done to achieve his goal which really was in the best interests of his country, especially considering the circumstances Spain was in. - Daniel K. Fale -
Saturday 19 September 2009 9:45am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga's first group of 40 athletes for the 8th South Pacific Games left for the Cook Islands on September 17. Premium content -
Saturday 19 September 2009 9:14am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A company that offers small loans at village level, the South Pacific Business Development SPBD Microfinance Limited Tonga, officially launched it's operation in Tonga this week. Premium content
