Editor,

I would like to comment on the issue of our Monarchy system that is not seen or known from outsiders or non-Tongans.

From the beginning:

This Kingdom, as we know it today, has four Generations of political stagnation. To encompass the whole make up of this tiny Kingdom, goes back four Generations, to a time of numerous civil unrest, turmoil and enslavement. Tongans back then, were far more different from today.

The Tongans then, were without a soul or were equal to the animals of the land, sea and air. Their civil liberties and individual rights were non-existence and the only person that had this spiritual significance were the rulers of the Title Tu...’i Tonga, Ha...’atakalaua and Kanokupolu. The Tu...’i Tonga being the supreme ruler. The class system of Upper Class and Commoners still exist today.

Taufa‘ahau Tupou Maeakafaua, later changing his name to George Tupou I, united the three lines of Kings and ending the reign of the Tu...’i Tonga when he died in 1865. Giving Tupou I the absolute ruler of Tonga. However, the new political system needed help and was threatened by the neocolonialism sweeping the Pacific by the colonial powers from Europe.

Palangi influences:

This help came from Missionaries present at that time. Two important Missionary figures that arose were:

Firstly, Rev. Moulton, who established the first school in Tonga and compiled the first, written Tongan language and musical notes.

Secondly, Rev. Shirley Baker who help write up Tonga...’s Constitution and was the first Foreign Prime Minister of Tonga.

Without these initial move to a well established government with written Laws and political systems, Tonga would of joined the other Pacific nations who were under a de facto control by more powerful colonial empires.

However, in saying that, the Tongan Constitution, courts and other political systems initially placed were similar to that of the infamous empire of England.

Tonga...’s Political system today, has not much changed since 1875. After four generations of descendants of George Tupou I, this present generation, have been Tonga...’s most controversial and corrupt.

To be proud of that, is hard to swallow, this is the same reason Taufa...’ahau wanted to unite Tonga under one rule and give more FREEDOM for his people, the edict of Emancipation signified the love of a King to his people.

Today, that Love and passion towards the people is slowly fading. The trust towards this Government is losing momentum with numerous scandals of highly ranked Government officials. The hope of the whole Kingdom for a new leader or political model is increasing, because the present Government has failed in nearly every aspects of running a country, being socially, economically and environmentally.

Yes, I am proud of our founding ruler, King George Tupou I, but for the next predecessor, may God help us all.

Yours truly,

William Mariner.

ionaxe [at] yahoo [dot] co [dot] uk...”">ionaxe [at] yahoo [dot] co [dot] uk [2]