Dear Editor,

When electric power generation and distribution was privatised, Tupou IV announced to the nation that Tonga would have cheaper electricity because Shoreline would be able to get cheaper fuel from the United States. In disbelief, I made some observations and asked some rhetorical questions:

That privatisation of a public utility was not suitable for Tonga. The country did not have a public social benefit scheme so utilities should be managed and controlled by the government which could subsidise them as a form of social benefit assistance for the financially struggling majority of the population;

That if the Crown Prince was able to get cheaper fuel, why was he, in his several government official capacities (Crown Prince, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Member of Cabinet, etc) not acting on that for the general benefit of his people?

How could a profit-making operation be able to sell cheaper services than a non-profit one? I did not pretend to know a lot about economics but I was not sold on the public relation exercise by Shoreline that appeared to make an attempt at sweet-talking the nation into the belief that privatisation of electricity generation and distribution was the best option for the country; and

I wished then, as I do now, that the people, not the King, had the sovereign power so that such important decisions would never again be made at the whim of one person.

Today, Shoreline has again embarked on a public relation exercise. That Shoreline took over electricity generation and distribution to fix fundamental problems. They have now completed the task and are ready to hand it back to the government (at a price that Tonga can not afford). They suggest that the government obtains a business partner for managing electricity generation and distribution.

It is very generous of Shoreline to offer free advice to the government but it is advice that will aggravate, not alleviate, the damage they have caused to the morale and political stability of the country.

Privatisation of electricity generation and distribution should cease as it is not appropriate for Tonga‘s economy, as explained above. If Shoreline is capable of finding a source of cheaper fuel so is the government. If Shoreline can put in place efficient management of power generation and distribution so can the government

Both the government and Shoreline have failed to justify the privatisation of electricity generation and distribution in Tonga. They also fail to own up to the fact that they made a mistake by privatising the said public utility. It is a disturbing aspect of this electricity fiasco that the Crown Prince appears to have acted solely as a businessman, in total disregard for his status as the future King of Tonga, and the King seemingly had no issue with that conflict of interest. Both can make amends by transferring electricity generation and distribution to the government and the sovereign power to the people.

Faka‘apa‘’apa atu

Lisiate Ikaafu