By Linny Folau

The Australian High Commissioner to Tonga, HE Mr Colin Hill (56) will leave Tonga next week with some happy memories of his three years term, including his role in encouraging his government to support the work of the NCPR.

During Colin's term in Tonga he witnessed a number of historical events, "one that easily springs to mind was the numerous protest marches during the Civil Servants' strike last year."

On a brief reflection on development projects, which he initiated and implemented, he said that he would be very happy if the people will remember the role that he played in encouraging his government to support the work of the National Committee for Political Reform. "Something that I was closely involved in and which I have been very glad to see it unfold."

Colin believes that what is needed now is more consultation in the community. "Government voted for a Tri-Partite committee to take charge and continue the work of the NCPR committee, so it is high time for people to be talking more about the outcomes and findings on the shape of things that have been spoken of by government in its public announcement."

He said Australia has strong expectations, bearing in mind that the Tongan Prime Minister Hon Dr Feleti Sevele has met with the Australian Prime Minister John Howard firstly in Australia, and again in the Forum meeting last month in Nadi, as well as meeting the Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.

“We are very conscious of the processes that are going forward now under Tonga'’s own leadership and direction and we are hopeful that come to the time of the next General Election in 2008 a lot of the thoughts that are coming out now are going to be included in the election process of the time.”



NCPR

Colin said that the NCPR was a committee that the Australian and New Zealand government supported and it came at a time when it was clear that it had strong support across the Tongan community, the Royal Family, His Late Majesty King Taufa‘ahau Tupou IV and King George V.

Colin said that although he had yet to receive an English version of the NCPR report but from what they had seen, especially by way of detail in a private briefing held by Dr Sitiveni Halapua for himself and the New Zealand High Commissioner Dr Michael McBryde, “we were very impressed.”

“It was very Tongan in its construction, in its findings and in its outcomes, we think that it is very deserving of a kind of consultative processes that Dr Halapua excellently started with in the Legislative Assembly a few weeks ago.”

"Take for example we have seen government contemplating that the nobles will still elect the nobles positions in parliament, "I personally think that over time this is something that will change but at this particular time in history that is the way government is seeing it and perhaps we ought to go ahead with all of it with the understanding that it is still a working progress,” said Colin.

Govt's proposed road map

As for the Government's proposed road map that was announced on October 19 by the Prime Minister Hon Dr Feleti Sevele, Colin said that it had some very good elements, “but as I said before it is probably best to regard these things as a work in progress.”

Colin said that the fact there was a proposal to increase the number of People's Representatives presently nine to 14 was a good move in the right direction and in regards to the single member constituencies of instead having three People's Reps for Tongatapu you might have representatives for the east, west and so on.

““I think it is a good idea because it enables people to identify more specifically with a particular People’s Representative in parliament and in his own right increases accountability and responsibility of what happens in Parliament.”

Customs reforms

Colin was also very instrumental with the Customs Project. He said that before the project was implemented the reality of the Customs Department had fallen, "to a very sad state of neglect, badly staffed, poor legislative and regulatory environment. People were not following the regulations properly and there was, quite frankly, a lot of corruption and they could not change that overnight, even now. Only this week the Customs Act is being revised in Parliament, which we anticipate to be passed before Parliament closes this month.

"It has taken nearly 12 months to get to this stage where, for example, a code of conduct is in place, customs offices have been repaired, certain infrastructure and human resources are in place, which includes the separation of the customs offices from the actual floor of warehouses, which is a contrast to when I first visited and saw custom officers sitting on the dirt floor with their desk.

“Its success is very personal and emotionally close to my heart and I have seen a lot of good progress made.”

Colin said that another project that had done well was the$12 million pa'anga Solid Waste Management Project that was funded by Australia.

"It is a very high profile project and a lot of money has been spent on it and authorities have been formed but unfortunately it is not going to be formally operational before I leave."

Colin and his wife Linda will leave Tonga on November 15 for a brief holiday in New Zealand before heading back home to Australia.