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Your correspondents Kik Velt, Dan Clem and Paul Kidd have all helped us understand a lot more about tsunami and their potential to wreak havoc. What I have taken from their contributions is that mother nature has already provided a perfectly good warning system for tsunamis. It's called an earthquake. We continue to ignore this at our peril.- Sefita Hao'uli

The names of the nine people who died from the Tsunami that struck Niuatoputapu on Wednesday morning, September 30 was released by the Prime Minister's Office last night.

The Princess Regent, Her Royal Highness, Princess Salote Mafile‘o Pilolevu Tuita, departed Nuka‘alofa at 10.00am this morning on a chartered flight for Niuatoputapu. She was accompanied by the Hon Acting Prime Minister, Lord Tuita, as well as the Hon Minister for Environment, Lord Ma‘afu.

Revi, a French Navy Ship is the first to arrive in Nuku‘alofa to assist in transporting much needed supplies to Niuatoputapu following the tsunami disaster that struck the island on Wednesday, September 30.

The first public hearing of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the MV Ashika ferry was held on October 1 at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre.

The recent red wave (or tidal wave) in Tonga will of course rake up the discussion again whether Tonga should spend money on an early warning system. My answer is clearly and definitely: no; as is very obvious if one considers the physical properties of red waves, which apparently are not very well known.- Firitia (Kik Velt)

Random house has finally given us two versions of a dictator. However we are still to hear from Mr Fale which definition leads his argument, because the second version is arguably applicable if for example Bainimarama did things like withholding health services and medicines to a certain region of the country that opposes him which then led to people there dying from preventable diseases. Corruption, nepotism and murder of minorities and political opponents are obvious weapons of choice that he will also not sit and twiddle his fingers on. - Sam Tupou

I have been defending the position that there have been "successful" dictators, not necessarily "good"; this is a totally different argument. I have also been stating facts that refute generalizing dictators as "failed wannabes", because in reality - as I have been arguing - even in our current world, dictators do exist and some continue to be successful. - Daniel Fale

Webster defines a dictator as a person having absolute authority and supreme governmental powers. The nature and characteristics of a dictator is not part of the definition of the word. I fail to see where Mokofisi got the idea that murder, corruption and nepotism is part of the definition. On his part, he fails to realize that the same characteristics is present in all forms of government. The news is replete with accounts of these in democratic America. Read about corruption in Israel. - Sione Lousiale Kava