Dear Editor

I take my hat off to the PDP and congratulate them for a 'landslide' victory over the THRDM. I say landslide since they have existed for only 22 days but they have gained 1 seat in the people's 11 places in Parliament (9 PR and 2 Cabinet ministers). Compare that with the 8 seats by the THRDM who have been in existence for more than 10 years. And in a matter of about 50 days between March 17 and May 5, the PDP (through Clive Edwards) has gained 1840 votes whereas the THRDM lost at least 2850 votes (compare Hon. Sevele 's and Finau's results but should be much more if compared with Akilisi's).

The THRDM has not only been defeated but also defeated very badly. With both eyes closed, it is very easy to know the reasons. First and foremost, the THRDM candidate, and my full respect for him, was not selected through a democratic process, the very principle they are making noises about. Ko e me...‚a 'oku kamata hala 'e iku hala. Isn't this the very reason for the breakaway by those at the PDP? Just when someone at the THRDM thinks he can dictate matters for the movement since he got the most numbers at the general election, the people (and with the Divine intervention of the rain too) give him a flick in the ear and pointed to the drawing board for a re-look at what the THRDM preaches and what it is doing in practice. I would not be surprised if the planned protest march will be a flop too and I know 'Isileli Pulu will agree with me since he was undemocratically pushed aside on this.

So we have teams / camps in the field now and let's get it on! We have 8 THRDM, 1 PDP and 2 Independents. They all want democratic reform but have slight differences in the planned execution of the reform. We have seen (and a bit fed up too) with the THRDM's strategy for the last 10-15 years. What have the PDP and the Independents got to offer? And let us not forget that democratic reform, like tourism, is everyone's business. It is not a business of the THRDM executives only and neither of the PDP only, it is everyone's.

It will obviously be an interesting parliamentary session as Tonga enters a new chapter in its political evolution. And who is the architect behind this? FUTA. I do look forward to the 2008 general election when we'll have THRDM, PDP and the Independent candidates against each other. Then Tonga will get closer to selecting the best politicians to the House.

Democracy originated from 'Atenisi and in Tonga it still is. Someone from THRDM told Radio Australia that he predicted the PDP will dissolve after the by-election. And who dared question Futa's credibility as Tonga's only philosopher and the real founder of Tonga's democratic movement. As the man himself once said "Don't bite the hands that feed you." Shame!!!

'Ofa atu

Sailosi Finau

Auckland, NZ

sailosifinau [at] yahoo [dot] com [dot] au