Editor

 I am writing to call on 'Akilisi Pohiva, Dr Sitiveni Halapua and the 'Otuanga'ofa Democratic Party to:

1) withdraw their motion of 'vote of no confidence' submitted to parliament last month.

 2) push through parliament a motion to revise the constitution.

 I am making this call because it has now become very clear after days of meetings between the people's representatives and their constituents that this party uses the weak constitution to abuse not only the fragile parliamentary system but also to mock and patronize the Tongan people who elected them.

 Example:  One question we all want answered by members of this party is "what is the reason for the vote of no confidence?".

'Akilisi Pohiva answered - quote "We have a constitutional right to put forward this motion, whether the motion is strong enough or relevant, that's a different issue altogether."

Now that is what I call 'a direct abuse of the constitution' – by telling the Tongan people that – "it does not really matter whether the reason they put forward is strong enough or relevant, that's a different issue altogether".  If there was anything in the world that one needed a very strong reason for, this is it.  It is an astonishing thing to say under the circumstances.  The only constitutional right these people have is that after 18 months of the PM in power they can depose of him – no reason needed?

Example: The abuse does not stop there, it goes further and this time it is aimed directly at the people who elected him - quote "If I were to explain why we are pushing for this vote of no confidence, that would be time consuming and it may confuse people as they may not understand it as well as we do. I, however, know this fully well as it's my responsibility." 

Oh dear, he has completely lost the plot.  Politicians can be forgiven for being manipulative and telling porkies from time to time but when they purposely patronize us Tongan folks in this manner, the line of respectability is being breached and 'Akilisi Pohiva is playing a dirty political game.

The truth of the matter of course is that it is not that the Tongan Voters don't understand politics, but that the political people like 'Akilisi Pohiva and the Demo Party are out of their depth.  Not only that, but they have not got anything to charge Prime Minister Tu'ivakano with, other than – well, they don't know!!!  

The reform of the Tonga constitution needs to be looked at again with a view to revising the parliamentary system.  Failing to do so will encourage this type of abuse to be repeated every 18 months – not good for the stability of the country.  I also advocate the idea of a parliamentary system where all the members are elected by the people, nobles and commoners alike.  This system will save Tonga a hell of a lot of bother now and in the future.

Regards

Senolita Swan