Editor,

I can think of a few things in my dealing with the Government of Tonga over the years that has been recorded into my Most Ridiculous Stupid List. The recent Government of Tonga's dealing with the Pacific Island's Mission Work (PIMW) donation to the tsunami victims of Niuatoputapu tops that list.



A few months ago, Reverend Pierce of PIMW contacted me and the Fofo'anga Club of American Samoa with an intention to send donation to the victims of Niuatoputapu 2009 tsunami. I helped Reverend Pierce with recommendations on what I think would be needed in Niuatoputapu at this time.

As a result, PIMW bought thousands of dollars worth of brand new tools and food items and filled two 40 foot containers ready to be shipped to Tonga. PIMW is paying for the freight.

In the past couple of months Reverend Pierce has been to Tonga at least three 3 times to arrange for shipping of containers from Nuku'alofa to Niuatoputapu.

I can understand the problem and delay on shipping given the problem that the Government is having with local shipping after the Ashika disaster. But I couldn't for the life of me understand that the Government of Tonga would not give PIMW a tax exempt status for its donation. Reverend Pierce apologized that he cannot afford the customs tax and fees.

In shame, I apologized to Reverend Pierce and agreed on his plan to send one of the containers to the Solomon Islands. I think he felt sorry for me saying he will wait a couple of weeks on the second container just in case Tonga changed their mid on the custom fees and tax. Any saving on a tax exemption means extra cash to buy more needed items for Niuatoputapu.

Just in case Reverend Pierce's intentions were too complicated for the officials in the Government of Tonga to understand, let me see if I can simplify things further.

Out of the kindest of his heart and in the spirit of helping, someone is using his own money to buy much needed tools and food items for the tsunami victims of Niuatoputapu. He has filled two 40 foot containers with thousands dollars worth of donations. This same person is also paying to ship these containers from Pago Pago, American Samoa to Nuku'alofa and then to Niuatoputapu, Kingdom of Tonga. If you have not got it by now, it is thousands of dollars of much needed tools and food items for free and delivered at no cost to the Government of Tonga to the Niuatoputapu 2009 tsunami victims.

Unfortunately, the victims of the Niuatoputapu 2009 tsunami will not enjoy these gifts because the donor cannot afford the Government of Tonga's Customs fees and taxes. I just can't believe that the Government of Tonga is charging customs tax and fees for gift that is delivered to its doorstep for free.

I hope the honorable noble of Niua and its people's representative to the Parliament read this.

I am wondering why should we, or anyone for that matter, bother to help.

Mafi 'o Amerika Samoa.

slkava [at] hotmail [dot] com