Dr Sitiveni Halapua, is the vice chairman of the newly formed National Committee for Political Reform (NCPR), a parliamentary committee which is taking the first steps to map out a direction for political reform. Interview by Pesi Fonua.
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Thursday 22 December 2005
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Thursday 22 December 2005
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
It has to be the best Christmas present that the people of Niuafo‘ou and Niuatoputapu have ever hoped for - the resumption of commercial air services to their islands yesterday, December 21.

Thursday 22 December 2005
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Suva, Fiji
I have been reading heaps of writings, suggestions, comments and opinions of academics, commoners, government and fellow Tongans abroad. What I can't seem to figure is the crux of the problem. Is it the government or the people or perhaps both? - Feleti S.

Thursday 22 December 2005
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tongan squash growers hoping for some Christmas cash will be disappointed as the payments for this year' sqaush exports will not be made by the exporters to the growers until next year.

Thursday 22 December 2005
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Australia
The family of a Tongan man who plunged to his death at Melbourne's Maribyrnong Detention Centre has started legal action against the Federal Government of Australia.

Tuesday 20 December 2005
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
THE King of Tonga left Tonga to go to New Zealand yesterday for medical reasons in what appeared to be a hasty departure, since the 87-year-old king had only just returned to Tonga from New Zealand on December 5 and was expected to be at home in Tonga over Christmas and the New Year.

Monday 19 December 2005
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Criticisms of Tonga's accession to WTO made by Oxfam last week, have been called "outrageous", "nasty" and "erroneous", by the Tongan delegation to Hong Kong, led by Tonga's Minister of Labour, Commerce and Industries Hon. Dr Fred Sevele, in a statement today.

Monday 19 December 2005
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Visiting Tonga for Christmas is His Grace Bishop Suriel of the Egyptian Orthodox Church, who arrived on December 14 on a 14-days visit.

Sunday 18 December 2005
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California, USA
Please give Kaveinga e Folau, (Journey and Purpose), thanks on the great piece of writing, King wanted people to achieve economic freedom . I can only say Brilliant, outstanding, distinguished, first-rate. - Siosaia Moimoiangaha

Sunday 18 December 2005
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U.K.
It seems like the people of Tonga are divided in whether or not to change the system of rule. The old ailing monarchy system is the only system that Tongans have known for nearly four generations of Tupou's. - William Mariner

Friday 16 December 2005
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Cafe Reef, a new coffee and snacks place was opened yesterday in the Nuku‘alofa harbour area, by the guest of honour, Hon Alaileula Tuku‘aho.

Friday 16 December 2005
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Hong Kong, (Oxfam/IFEX/Pacific Media Watch)
The Pacific Island Kingdom of Tonga is about to make history. Tonga is due today to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on what are arguably the worst terms ever offered to any country, according to an analysis of leaked documents released today by international agency Oxfam.

Friday 16 December 2005
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The development of the Tonga media during the past four weeks has been unprecedented, particularly in broadcasting, with a new international television broadcaster launching a Tonga service.

Thursday 15 December 2005
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Maxi Priest delighted young Tongans last evening at his Nuku‘alofa concert, filling up half of the Queen Salote Memorial Hall with hundreds of fans. By Linny Folau

Wednesday 14 December 2005
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
If you are thinking about traveling to Tonga during this year's Christmas and New Year holidays you are in luck because there are flights practically every day provided by one or other of the four airlines serving Tonga: Air New Zealand, Pacific Blue, Air Pacific and Polynesian Airlines.

Wednesday 14 December 2005
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Just over a half of the 3/186 primary school students who sat this year's High School Entrance Examination passed, confirmed the Examination Unit of the Tonga Ministry of Education today.

Wednesday 14 December 2005
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Auckland, New Zealand
I wish to extend my gratitude to the Hon. Minister of Finance for his courageous sharing with the public the economic outlook for Tonga and the serious situation that the government is facing, especially in rectifying the budget hole for the next financial year, more tendency to higher inflation and fighting the trade balance to ensure acceptable level of foreign reserve and local money supply. - Henry Alexanda Tonga

Tuesday 13 December 2005
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Reggae superstar singer Maxi Priest arrived in Nuku'alofa on December 12 with his eight-members band gearing up for a one-night concert at Queen Salote Memorial Hall on the evening of December 14.

Tuesday 13 December 2005
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Auckland, New Zealand
I enjoyed Kaveinga e Folau's dissertation and his assessement of the current state of the world economy and Tonga's place in it. He posed a number of questions which have been left unanswered. My take from KeF's contribution is that those of us who are not yet digital natives in India or fabricating in China are left to dine on the more sumptious table of innovation and creativity. Agreed. But this is also the take of every trading bloc and developed country outside of these two industrial giants - and so we're going to be up against it in that respect.

Monday 12 December 2005
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Sydney, Australia
In 1977 I was having a drink at Club Tonga one afternoon when the doorman attempted to block this man...s entry into the club by informing him that he could not come in as he was not a member. This man I later learnt to be the one and only ... 'Akilisi Pohiva. Standing defiantly in front of the doorman, and making sure that everybody in the club would hear him, declared, "I have already put-in my membership application and that makes it legal for me to enter this here premises."
