Results for Letters

Economist Mr. Daniel K. Fale's rationalization (Tonga's land law . . . 05 Nov 2009) is a typical Tongan male excuse in denying women their "God-given rights" to own land in Tonga.-Sione A. Mokofisi

I thank all contributors and respect all commentaries express in MT Online in regards to CEDAW convention and in particular to the decision made by the House of Legislative on the issue. This debate seems spinning and moving no where. What I was thinking the major reason is our 'Attitude' towards our own interpretation on the issue and 'reaction' to the decision made by the House. - Viliami Tiseli

A city was burnt and lives lost to force a more democratic Tonga. But now the Demo-Movement leaders will not ratify the CEDAW.

The price of watermelons, or any commodity, has lots to do with everything in trade, and in international commerce. Changes in prices can send ripple effects around the world. -Sione A. Mokofisi

I hope that NZ PM Key's visit (July 8, 2009), and Minister for Foreign Affairs McCully (July 20, 2009), to Tonga were not empty promises to removing barriers in Tonga-NZ trade policies.Tongan farmers are still handicapped by more trade barriers. -Sione A. Mokofisi

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

While it is true that in the deep ocean a tsunami's wavelength is so broad that the wave's height is almost imperceptible, we all know that many small Pacific islands are barely above sea level, and many do not have the sheer drop-offs to the seafloor that would prevent a tsunami from slowing down and rearing up into a very perceptible and very dangerous wave. Both of these traits mean that tsunamis can be dangerous to many Pacific islands, whether the tsunami begins nearby or far away. -Dan Clem

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