Editor,

Ms Rosina Hauiti of N.Z. and David Lloyd of the U.S.A. are apparently not knowledgable about the Kingdom of Tonga, her people, and her culture.

While echoing the politically-correct notion that a young girl 18 years of age - accused of causing the death of three innocent people - could benefit more and serve the people of Tonga better there, they are in fact insulting my intelligence as a Tongan.

What can this young 18-year-old female bring to Tonga? No disrespect to Ms Delgado and her family, but I'm guessing she's barely out of high school.

Does Ms Hauiti, and Mr Lloyd, propose that Ms Delgado will be serving as a Peace Corps volunteer? Or, rather, would she become Tonga's first terrorist prisoner?

Secondly, it's a sad situation for Ms Delgado who is facing the possibility of losing eight years of her youth to a prison life. What positive experience would she then bring back to the U.S. after serving time in a prison in a foreign land with a foreign culture?

Thirdly, it's appalling to suggest that Ms Delgado would learn to appreciate the law more if she is shipped off to Tonga. In contrast, she would have been treated more humanely in the U.S. prison systems with education and rehabilitation, etc.

Please note, Tonga is not a penal colony, mind both of you. It is a country of law and order.

You painted a life of "hardship" in Tonga if Ms Delgado would be sent there. Obviously, you've been listening often to "the sky is falling" rhetoric of Tongan politicians trumpeted in the news media.

Does either of you know of any torture, killing of innocent people, execution of political prisoners, deaths of homeless people recently in Tonga?

Tonga may not be a Paradise for your liking, but N.Z. and the U.S. are neither.

Sincerely,

Sione A. Mokofisi

s1mokofisi [at] yahoo [dot] com