"What is most important to be done right now is for the chiefs, the government and the people of Tonga to be united in our search for the ultimate solution to the problem..."

There is an urgent need to improve the current status of the Tongan government, Prince Tu'ipelehake said in Tonga, on Friday 13th, referring to what he called black clouds over the community.

"What is most important to be done right now is for the chiefs, the government and the people of Tonga to be united in our search for the ultimate solution to the problem, which is beginning to come over us like a band of black cloud. It is urgently needed for us to decide on ways to improve the current status of our government," he said.

Prince Tu'ipelehake was officially opening a workshop of the Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement on to discuss the working strategy of the THRDM for the coming year.

The Prince who is, the Chairman of the Whole House Committee in the Tongan parliament, stressed the importance of a dialogue between the people of Tonga, the churches, and government, "if we want to secure our future and that of our country."

He went on to say that the problems facing the country were getting bigger and it was very important for all Tongans to come together and ...“be united in our search for a solution to our problems...”. He was not specific on the problems.

Prince Tu'ipelehake reminded people who attended the gathering of the old Tongan proverb ...“Ta e lango kei Mama'o ...—cut the slips still at a distance....” This proverb stressed the importance of preparing well ahead, and refers to the launching to sea of a Kalia, whereby the logs for the Kalia to roll on are made ready, so that the launching of the Kalia is not delayed while the workmen are running around looking for logs.