You are here

Results for Editorials

Friday 11 July 2008
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
he Tongan parliament once again has found itself in a "Tower of Babel" situation, when their work toward establishing a new political system for Tonga had to stop because members either have changed their minds, don't want to understand each other or simply don't know what to do next. Editor's Comment By Pesi Fonua
Node is premium Premium content
Tuesday 3 June 2008
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
On opening Tonga's Legislative Assembly last week, the Princess Regent, HRH Princess Pilolevu, noted the historical significance of the 2008-10 parliamentary session. But while the seriousness of the reform mission is being underlined by our leaders, a more immediate concern has not been addressed - and that is the fact that the integrity of the current Tongan Parliament itself remains questionable. Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua.
Node is premium Premium content
Monday 3 March 2008
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The forced resignation of the Minister of Finance on Monday, February 25 may well be seen as a major step taken by the Tongan government in its pursuit of an economic and a political reform program for Tonga. Editor's Comment, By Pesi Fonua.
Node is premium Premium content
Wednesday 16 January 2008
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
In spite of our national eagerness to embrace the economic and political reform programs that were introduced by government during the first few years of a new century, the reality was that the strong words that were used to describe the reforms and win public support were followed by the indifference and elements of uncertainty that the reforms were implemented with. Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua
Node is premium Premium content
Friday 28 December 2007
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
As Government strengthens its control over the flow of information from its ministries to the public and exerts more influence on the editorial content of its two national media organisations, the Tonga Broadcasting Commission and the Ko e Kalonikali Tonga newspaper, it unwittingly creates confusion. Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua.
Node is premium Premium content
Thursday 29 November 2007
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The status of Tonga's political reform remains exactly where it was stuck when the members of parliament voted on it before the closure of parliament at the end of October 2007. Editor's Comment. By Pesi Fonua
1 comment
Node is premium Premium content
Monday 19 November 2007
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's 16/11 has been labelled as a 'Day of Shame' by the new Ministry of Information. But now, one year on, there has been no enthusiasm by anyone to remember what happened in Nuku'alofa on that day. Editor's Comment by Pesi Fonua.
Node is premium Premium content
Thursday 19 July 2007
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The decision by the Tonga Legislative Assembly to select three People's Representatives, Clive Edwards, 'Akilisi Pohiva and 'Uliti Uata to be members of a Tripartite Committee to vet political reform proposals for Tonga is as much a set back in our strive for political reform in Tonga in the 21st century as was the destruction in Nuku'alofa on November 16 last year. Editor's Comment by Pesi Fonua.
4 comments
Node is premium Premium content
Thursday 9 November 2006
2006

Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tension is mounting in the Tongan Parliament this week over the direction of the Political Reform that has been set in motion since the end of 2004. The drama is also a decoy by the politicians to distract public attention from the massive salary increase - backdated for two years - the Members have just taken for themselves.
16 comments
Thursday 14 September 2006
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
When Taufa'ahau Tupou IV came to the Tongan throne on July 4, 1967, for most Tongans it was the dawn of a new era. The new king, at 49, epitomised what Tongans of the 1960s perceived to be a perfect 20th century monarch. Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua.
4 comments
Node is premium Premium content
Friday 1 September 2006
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
This week's request by Shoreline Power for an electricity tariff increase to offset the rising cost of diesel fuel has brought into the limelight again the business of electricity generation and how Tonga is dealing with the complexity of a global economy where the price of a certain commodity is decided elsewhere. Editor' Comment, by Pesi Fonua.
Node is premium Premium content
Tuesday 18 July 2006
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The sudden death of Prince Tu'ipelehake was a great loss to Tonga's political reform movement. Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua.
Node is premium Premium content
Thursday 20 April 2006

Nuku'alofa, Tonga
FROM OUR ARCHIVES: At this junction of our quest for social, economic and political reform in Tonga, the one entity that is obviously missing is a credible opposition to form some sort of Shadow Government responsible for the drafting, presenting of demands and reform proposals, and the monitoring of their progress. Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua.
2 comments
Tuesday 28 March 2006
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga prides itself as the only sovereign country in the South Pacific that was never colonised, and therefore in the 21st century we should have been able to claim the title of the most politically mature, vibrant and stable country in the region. But we are far from it. So what went wrong? Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua
7 comments
Node is premium Premium content
Sunday 12 March 2006
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua. Events in Tonga over the past few weeks, have left vacuums in our midst and are reshaping the entities that had the power to influence our lives, our way of thinking, and our style of government.
3 comments
Node is premium Premium content
Monday 27 February 2006
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
With the rankling that is going on between the government and the Public Servants Association (PSA), to find a way forward there is obviously a need for both to revisit the Memorandum of Understanding they signed on September 3, ending the six-week national strike of Tonga's public servants. Editor's Comment. By Pesi Fonua.
Node is premium Premium content
Thursday 16 February 2006
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The resignation of the Prime Minister, Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata on February 11 offers myriad possibilities in popular speculation on what may be happening in government, but one thing that is certain is that it has further magnified the political reform processes that are currently taking place in Tonga. Editor’s Comment. By Pesi Fonua
Node is premium Premium content
Saturday 3 December 2005
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
What is going to happen in Tonga on December 5, 2005? The date has been earmarked by constitutional reformers as a deadline for government to make an immediate response to their demands for people to have the right to choose all members of parliament. Editor's Comment by Pesi Fonua.
Node is premium Premium content
Wednesday 12 October 2005
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The decision by Government and its Civil Servants on September 4 to end the Civil Servants' strike by giving in to the strikers demands, was a huge undertaking by a government that has few sources of revenue other than taxes, foreign aid and foreign remittances. Editor's Comment
3 comments
Tuesday 27 September 2005
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Following the success of the Public Servants strike, and the people's first taste of political power, Minority rule, which has been the tradition in Tonga's Constitutional Monarchy, is coming under great pressure to change to be in line with the aspirations of Tongans today for a more democratic form of government. Editor's Comment by Pesi Fonua
Node is premium Premium content

Pages