'Etita,
TULOU atu pea kole mu'a ke u kau he talanoa 'a Katalin, Mafi o Amerika Samoa pea mo e toketaa. Dr. Fotu's argument is based on a cost saving strategy and Mafi agrees. In essence, he proposes that cost-saving will improve Tonga's economy. It is to this proposition that I want to contribute to this conversation.
Some cost saving leads to success others do not. The influence of cost savings in any context (national, corporate, family or individuals) is not and should not be a predetermined one as there are practical processes involved. A focus on the cost figure without paying due consideration to the practical processes by which these costs contributes to the economy borders on negligence. In that, I agree with Katalin that closing of foreign consular offices (under the label of cost-savings) needs very careful consideration.
I am not saying that cost-saving as a way forward has no role to play in our economy. I just want to raise awareness that the relationship between cost saving and better economy is not a linear one.
TRUE, "every one cent counts" BUT "to make cents you have to spend cents".
Kole fakamolemole atu he fakatalanoa talahu'I 'oku ou fai. Just think of it as a conversation under the rain tree. I also encourage Katalin to respond (if she wishes) in English as I think the gist of her earlier message was lost in translation.
Respectfully,
Peni Fukofuka
peni [dot] fukofuka [at] anu [dot] edu [dot] au
