The Editor

I am writing to contribute a positive input into the current industrial situation in Tonga.

We hear this phrase again and again but I believe it is one of the most vital, fundamentally important sources of energy for inspiration and persistence to aim for success in this global, industrial world. Here I am talking about Tonga ...‘Mo...’unga ki he Loto...’ and a Tongan own ...‘Kupesi...’.

An Industrial Kupesi must be created, that does not destroy the local confidence with too many items in the ...‘too hard basket...’, but will kindle and enhance the Tongan peoples...’ creativities and innovation, their lateral thinking, their ...‘ta...’efieto...’ attitude and hard work to make it happen. If we continue with this approach to industrial development then we are halfway there because the driving energy and inspiration I am talking about, must come from the minds and the hearts of the Tongan people. I believe all these Tongan traditional power sources can be transformed to modern technological and industrial innovations that we can smartly apply to economic development.

Leadership must recognise the core strength of the Tongan people as well as be aware of their weaknesses to promote a strong economic strategy. We need more than the current government development plan issues 2006/7-2008/9 possible structure and issues (SDP8). We need to dig deeper into our Tongan tradition. We need to focus and do it now, one step at a time. I believe with a workable, appropriate Tongan Kupesi of industrial development, we could remould the current industrial strategy into one that is dynamic and world class. Lets learn from other nations successes as well their mistakes, for example Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and China. The Chinese aggressive industrial approach to produce cheap products and the way they have merged their culture with their identity as a modern industrially wealthy nation, developing products and coping with the booming economy, can act as a useful example to us.

Lets call on our willing fellow Tongan and overseas friends who have experience in the fields of business, marketing, finance and engineering and as well local businesses and manufacturers to identify overseas niche markets for viable innovative local products or inventions. Lets select and cultivate a technology that evolves from Tonga by a Tongan Industrial Kupesi with technological and industrial templates and know how that we may ...‘borrow from overseas...’, which will allow us to piggy back on their industrial success.


As a starting point, marketable projects must be carefully selected on which Tongan industrial Kupesi can be applied. Projects which can be low technology but have high market yield, whether they come in the form of a software solution supplement, a new fishing hook with a lure developed from local fishermen...’s experienced input aimed for the multi million dollar recreational market overseas or a solar distillation product to overcome high salinity in dry land such as in central Australia, a new design for a recreational boat that may improve riding in rough seas based on local knowledge, refining the process of organic fuel extract from vegetable oil to fuel internal combustion vehicles are all possibilities. These are achievable examples with huge market sizes and I believe we can use them to kick start local industries with minimum research and development. The assistance from a group of experienced engineers, scientists, marketing research people, financiers, and international patent attorneys is a must. We need small innovative projects or inventions to kick start Tongan Industries and advance them in line with leading industrial countries before we try any bigger fish, unless bigger overseas companies are willing to assist.

With these approaches we are aiming to fully use our Tongan Human Resources, minds and hearts, not to directly compete with industrially developed nations like China, Japan, USA etc. but to supplement their market demand.

Malo.

Vilo Niumeitolu
Tongan Industrial Innovation Forum

niu [at] bigbutton [dot] com [dot] au