Ko e fakamole ki ha Komisoni fakatotolo ‘e lahi pea ko e ha hano ‘aonga kapau he’ikai ke lava ‘omai ‘akinautolu na’a nau fakahoko tu’utu’uni kenau taliui (accountable) ki he’enau ngaue. Mahalo ko e ‘aonga fakapolitikale pe. He’ikai ha’ane tokoni ‘a’ana ki he tu’utu’uni (pending decision) ‘oku hangaatu ki ai ‘a e Poate Lolotonga ‘oe Lulutai pea mo e Pule’anga – ke ma’u ha kautaha vakapuna ke hoangaue mo e Lulutai pea mo e kautaha Retirement Fund ‘a e kaungaue fakapule’anga ke hokohokoatu e fepuna’aki fakalotofonua. ... ‘Oku ‘ikai teu tui ko ha koloa fakalukufua ‘a e sosaieti (common public good) ‘a e fefolau’aki vakapuna fakalotofonua ke kei hokohokoatu pe hono fakalele mole ‘e he Pule’anga. - Samiuela T. Tukuafu.
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Results for Opinion
Thursday 20 March 2025
Suva, Fiji
I do not believe that domestic air travel is a common public good that benefits the whole of society for the Government to continue to run it at a loss.
The cost of a Commission of Inquiry will be high...It will not contribute to the pending decision – to identify an airline to work with Lulutai and the public servants' Retirement Fund to provide domestic flights. If this is possible, then the Government should gradually sell its share in the Lulutai Airlines and focus on regulating the safety and reliability of domestic aviation. - Samiuela T. Tukuafu.
Monday 6 January 2025
Cambridge-MA, USA
Five years ago, a novel coronavirus was quietly spreading, already well on its way to causing a global pandemic that would expose deep vulnerabilities in the prevailing global economic model. Yet most of the lessons from that period have already been forgotten, leaving the world woefully unprepared for the next crisis. After two years of negotiations, the draft of a global pandemic treaty remains unsigned, and the seven million people killed directly by the virus have become mere statistics.
Sunday 5 January 2025
2 comments
Utah, USA
Those who advocate for reducing the monarchy's power should recognize that every nation carries a unique political history and corresponding political theology, shaping its governance and societal values.... For democracy to succeed in Tonga, its proponents must address the foundational issue of unity. Efforts to replace the monarchy must consider the cultural, religious, and historical fabric that holds the nation together. Democracy cannot thrive in a fractured environment...Tonga’s unique context demands a governance model that respects its traditions while accommodating aspirations for representation and reform. - Peni Senituli.
Friday 20 December 2024
Utah, USA
As the Tongan Parliament prepares to elect a new Prime Minister, our nation stands at a critical juncture. The political climate within the House is fraught with division, animosity, and mistrust — challenges that threaten not only the effectiveness of governance but also the hope of a united future for Tonga. In such turbulent times, what Tonga urgently needs is a leader with a clear and compelling vision — one that transcends individual differences and inspires collaboration. - Seni Penitani
Friday 11 August 2023
Suva, Fiji
The Pacific Islands are now at a cliff edge. As a region, as countries and as peoples, we face some of the hardest and cruellest choices. Business as usual, more of the same and incremental improvements will be the surest way to disaster for the whole of our region. As our communities, our region struggles, this is a time to ask some hard questions...Do we have what it takes to implement policies and decisions at the pace and speed at which this is needed? By Professor Biman Prasad (article from a public speech during this week's Forum Economic Ministers Meeting in Suva, Fiji).
Thursday 8 September 2022
Poulsbo-WA, USA
I read with interest Pesi's recent editorial on the dysfunction of government; the system does not work for a variety of reasons. I wonder how much of this is related to traditional socio-cultural issues. Also interesting was the recent article on Tongans educated in China. But from my foreign perspective, there appear to be immensely larger issues. - Richard Stoll.
Thursday 28 July 2022
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Today, over 5000 competitors from nations as far afield as Malaysia to Jamaica converge on Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games. The Games is perhaps the most visible aspect of the Commonwealth for many of our 2.5 billion citizens. Less visible, and appreciated, is the potential of the Commonwealth to bolster trade, business and investment between our 56 members. Tonga could win every year through the Commonwealth advantage. We must also work collectively to overcome perceived investment risks within some of our developing countries. - Lord Jonathan Marland of Odstock, Chair of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.
Friday 7 January 2022
Princeton, USA
Although there is much more to be learned about the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol, the motives of the participants can be gleaned from their own statements. Like far-right movements everywhere today, the insurrectionists were driven by resentment of others’ emancipation. Social transformation has been sufficient to generate the rage and resentment over phantom possessions that characterize far-right movements everywhere. An act of destruction can be used to prove that something is one’s own. For example, this psychological dynamic becomes horrendously clear when men decide to kill or disfigure the women they claim to love rather than tolerate their emancipation. By Jan-Werner Mueller.
Thursday 28 October 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Ko e mataamama ‘o e Fakafofonga Fale Alea tokolahi, ko e sio faasi’i (pe siokita nai) ki he lakanga ‘o hange ha ngaue ke ma’u ai ha mo’ui mo e mafai he fo’i ta’u e 4 mo ha toe fo’i ta’u e 4 fo’ou pea hokohoko pehe ai ha toe ta’u ‘e 4 kehe . . . . - 'Amelia Kinahoi-Siamomua.
Monday 25 October 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Fakatapu ki he Hau ó Tonga mo e Fale ó Haámoheofo. Houéiki ó e fonua, Fale Alea mo e Puleánga kae úmaá á e Tonga kotoa. Fakamolemole kae fakaaú atu á e kií fietokoni koéni naá áonga ki he kakai pea mo e kau fakafofonga Falealea temou fili mai í Novema 2021 ki hono langa hotau fonua. - Samiuela T. Tukuafu.
Saturday 9 October 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
While candidates are campaigning for the November General Election, it is worth considering that to date, only three of the 22 legislations that were passed by the House during its 2021 session, have been enacted and assented by the King. Those three legislations included the appropriation acts, which are essential to keep government services running. The rest of the legislation, it has been pointed out, requires further work. By Pesi Fonua.
Sunday 26 September 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The call for Tongans to be sensible and to select parliamentary representatives who will use their money wisely, is a message that we have heard repeatedly since the first election under our new system of government that was introduced in 2010. Campaigning is underway for the upcoming General Election on November 18, 2021, which will be the fourth General Election under our so-called “More Democratic System of Government”. But most interestingly, after 11 years, we find ourselves still living in Disneyland, with politicians promoting many different interpretations of the system of government and encouraging everyone to go along for the ride. By Pesi Fonua
Saturday 28 August 2021
New York, USA
The magnitude of the United States’ failure in Afghanistan is breathtaking. It is not a failure of Democrats or Republicans, but an abiding failure of American political culture, reflected in US policymakers’ lack of interest in understanding different societies. And it is all too typical. Almost every modern US military intervention in the developing world has come to rot. It’s hard to think of an exception since the Korean War. By Jeffrey D. Sachs
Tuesday 13 July 2021
Rome, Italy
Humanity is drifting into increasing danger. Climate change is accelerating; biodiversity is plummeting; hunger and extreme poverty are rising; and the gap between rich and poor is widening. These trends threaten not only human health and livelihoods, but also global peace and stability. Reversing them will require a shared effort to rebuild, and even upgrade, the systems on which we all depend – beginning with the global food system. By Gilbert F. Houngbo
Sunday 13 June 2021
1 comment
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Lavulavus’ court cases do not enhance the government’s reputation and the way the political elite in the Kingdom operate. Sad to say Prime Minister, that in your attempt to make light of the Lavulavus’ guilty verdict, you cunningly brought to the attention of the public and the world, that other schools were involved in these criminal activities. It is now your duty as the PM of Tonga to get a full investigation going. You owe it to all foreign aid donors, to explain what Tonga has done with the funds; and you owe it to every school that you have now accused, by giving them a chance to clear their names and set the record straight. - Senolita Swan
Monday 3 May 2021
Cambridge-MA, USA
The world’s current vaccination plan is very much “broke,” and nobody seems to be fixing it, despite the disastrous consequences for lives, livelihoods, and the global economy. This was supposed to be the year of recovery. But, from an epidemiological standpoint, it is shaping up to be worse than 2020, and current dynamics suggest that 2022 will be no better. It does not have to be this way. But getting onto a better path will require strong global leadership. The world has multiple effective vaccines available. But it is not moving nearly fast enough to administer them. - By Ricardo Hausmann.
Thursday 18 March 2021
London, United Kingdom
It is curious that presidents possess such unaccountable power at all. America’s founders rejected absolute monarchy and its trappings (such as noble titles), and yet the pardon power is descended from just such a monarchical power, the royal prerogative of mercy. Trump’s blatant violation of the original intent of the presidential pardon was just one of many challenges he posed to the political system established by the US Constitution. Johnson displays similarly worrying traits. Faced with such threats, courts and legislatures need to recall their true purpose: preventing the unchecked exercise of executive power. By Nicholas Reed Langen.
Tuesday 16 March 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Personally, I place big question marks at the choice of some of the businesses mentioned in this article. I do not have the experience with them myself that they seriously try to avoid or reduce using plastic bags. But aside from that, those who are really serious have my full support. If used wisely plastic has enough advantages in order not to want to do away with it. It is de laziness of people which is the problem. -Firitia.
Monday 1 March 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The debate over whether or not to turn to the deep sea to secure the resources we need for a low-carbon future has generated much public interest, but it is critical that this debate is founded upon sound science and the best data currently available. As such, I would like to correct a number of misrepresentations in the letter of Feb. 25 from the Civil Society Forum of Tonga. - Christina Pome'e, Tonga Offshore Mining Ltd.
