Editor,

In good conscience, it will be negligence and closer to dereliction of duty if I do not point out the hemorrhage inside the kingdom, or the enemy within. In my small mind, the Parliamentary Year 2008 should be noted as among the most wasteful in the kingdom's history. It is possible I do not see the significance of the events that took place. But in my simple world, Cabinet members are self-serving alongside an inefficient and disoriented Parliament who approved the new national tax laws and only complained after they realized the new tax code applies to them as well.

My GPS Fotua education tells me that a normal working person works 40 hours a week through out the 52 weeks of the year. At the end of the year, there are possible 2,080 working hours. Give or take a few days for illness, religious services and hangover; there are plenty of hours worked.

Parliament on the other hand, worked less than 200 hours during this parliamentary session. I do not know what they are really paid. If they received T$25,000 for the year, they got paid T$150.00 for every hour worked, whether they were present at the session or not. Being simple-minded may be the reason why I am easily confused, but this is a lot of money paid out in the kingdom. The Speaker of Parliament called this pay "pitiful". Excuse me! Who else in the kingdom receives this type of compensation? Talk about the foxes watching the henhouse!

In a time where the kingdom's economy needs stimulus, the stimulus seems to be toward the legislators. Cabinet members in parliament still receive double compensation, parliament salary in addition to their Cabinet member salary. Although the sanitation conditions in Nuku'alofa and the surrounding areas are very bad, the PRs were given T$100, 000 to give away during their national tour, as they see fit. This T$100,000 could have been wisely used to control diseases that are spread by flies and mosquitoes.

Parliament was opened a little bit late this year. Parliament also took a break for the coronation festival. A few weeks later, the ministers were going overseas (18 September to 1 October). Then it was closed for a day so the Cabinet members could go to the airport to say goodbye to the king. If I was the king on my way overseas, I would feel reassured with the competence of my Cabinet if they continued to manage the affairs of the kingdom in my absence. But if they come to the airport and say: Please do not fire me! Are you coming back? You are not moving to China, are you? Can I go with you? I would look elsewhere for a new staff and it would not be from the members of Parliament. But, that's just an idiot thinking out loud.

The school year is coming closer to the end. More and more students are ill prepared for the job market, that is, if there are jobs available. The government should know that more jobs means a bigger tax base equals revenues. More jobs spurs consumer spending and help to revive the economy. If and when the cabinet members return from their tour of duty at the airport, someone ought to remind them, the sanitation conditions in the kingdom are unacceptable and unhealthy. The Nautilus Mining expedition is still out there disturbing the ocean floor and could kill the fishes we rely on.

But, if there is a silver lining in all this madness, I will point to our overseas siblings who are still sending remittance to families and relatives. As an unintended consequence, the remittance becomes the driving force behind the kingdom's economy. As an unofficial advisor to the king, my advice to him will be: stay abroad for a while. Make this visit a "Goodwill Tour" to your former subjects who love the kingdom more than those who love themselves. Your presence amongst their midst will increased their pride and their feel of connection to the kingdom. More remittances, don't you think?

Efforts to improve villages

There are groups and individuals who are making efforts to improve the lives of their fellow villagers in the kingdom. I am sure there are active groups in Australia and New Zealand who are working toward that goal. Here in the U.S. a group of former Vaini residents are collecting donations to send back to Vaini to help the "fonua" as they did last year. Another group of former Liahona High School students, who would rather sleep with a rattle snake than be associated with their alumni association, formed the Matavaimo'ui-ki-Liahona Scholarships to provide scholarships to the current students in Tonga. And there are others through out the world who are silently working behind the scene, doing all they could to help the kinsfolk and their villages back home. That may be a good reason for a visit.

Please, do not worry about your Cabinet members. I am sure the airport is still secured.



Hold! Who goes there?

TamaFoa

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