So where is Tonga heading? In fact Tonga is quite a unique case. The country has very little natural resources to speak of, except its people whose remittances sustain the economy.
Because the Tongans are very attached to their homeland and are proud of their heritage and identity, so in some sense they are being held economic hostage by the rulers, as the only tangible influence they can exert is to withhold sending money home. But that only punishes their loved ones.
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Results for Letters
Monday 23 May 2005
Auckland, New Zealand
I must thank Sailosi Finau for his letter of 20 May about this issue of Shoreline that has been around in Tonga for so long! Let me join the good questions that you raised Sailosi and I think some of these questions remain answerable for the officials of the TEPB and the Government of Tonga (GoT) including members of Parliament. This is one of the obvious mistakes that the GoT always learns from and that is part of the unfortunate practices that Tonga needs to be awaken and start exploring remedial solutions for.- Henry Alexanda Tonga
Monday 23 May 2005
Auckland, New Zealand
Shall we say that, at this point in time, the call for political reform in Tonga has reached an extremely low point? There was a time in which the only voice that propagated political reform was the Temo (Tonga Pro-Democracy and Human Rights) movement. But what of the revelation of divisions amongst its ranks (I refer here to the media coverage of unstable relations between 'Isi Pulu and some of the party members)? -Rev. Dr. Ma'afu'atu'itonga Palu
Friday 20 May 2005
Auckland, New Zealand
I must thank 'Inoke Fotu Huakau for his letter of 2 May about this planned march. As you have put it Editor, this is a Shoreline protest march. From what I have gathered, this is largely because the power tariff is unjustifiably too high and part of this is because the Shoreline Executives are getting hefty remuneration packages. -Sailosi Finau
Thursday 19 May 2005
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
What's on TV? Politics, politics and politics. Both Tonga's local TV stations, TV Tonga (TBC) and OBN TV7 via their evening main shows are either about Democratic Parties or the Consumption Tax Cry.
Wednesday 18 May 2005
USA
Before and during the election, proposals and counter proposals were offered to solve our problems within the kingdom. It seemed everyone was optimistic about the future as they used the Crown Prince and the Shoreline as their whipping boy. Then, the Professor split with his entourage to form the People's Democratic Party. I wonder what was so hard and unpalatable at the Temo's Camp that broke Yoda's last nerve?
Saturday 14 May 2005
3 comments
Auckland, New Zealand
I have noted that in the last 10 years or so the term 'corruption' has been widely used in Tonga and in most cases, it is levelled against those in authority, particularly against the Royal family and the government. And of course, the term is mostly used in the political arena and by the media for various agendas and in most of the cases they have been right in its application.
Thursday 12 May 2005
California, USA
I have so much concern with companies that market a traditional Pacific Islands product claiming to be theirs. Firstly, I am a Pacific Islander who has been conducting proper scientific research on Noni for a very long time. - Edgar Cocker
Thursday 5 May 2005
Kyoto, Japan
According to the APALC report, 6% of Tongans in California have a Bachelor Degree. My interest is the comparison between the Tongans in New Zealand (National level) and California (one State). The latest 2001 New Zealand population census recorded 40,716 Tongans of which 23,334 are aged 15 and above. Thus the figure in the quote above, implies 9,771 (24% of Total Tongan), or 5,600 (24% of age 15 and above) Tongans in New Zealand have a Bachelor Degree. -Raelyn L. 'Esau.
Thursday 28 April 2005
Suva, Fiji
The amount of drama and diplomacy played by greedy politicians and certain members of the royal family is quite appalling. Shoreline Company is for one. I think that it is about time that the people run their own electricity company. It is evident that in the hands of the wrong people, the Shoreline Company has become a disaster to the people as well as a liability to the kingdom itself. feleti s.
Thursday 21 April 2005
1 comment
Australia
I was a government employee in Tonga for almost 10 years. I am now residing in Australia as an Australian citizen. Are they distributing any Superannuation Fund statements to it's members? I have not received a single statement since I left the Tongan public service in 2001.
Thursday 21 April 2005
USA
Leaving the comfort of my poor upbringing at Foa for a new land, I am still amazed at many things that have not changed. Juan de Mariana once said, - "Taxes are commonly a calamity for the people and a nightmare for the government. For the former they are always excessive; for the latter they are never enough, never too much." Tama Foa
Monday 18 April 2005
Auckland, New Zealand
It is rather unfortunate that we still have people like Peter P Goldstern in the kingdom or put it this way, it is only in the kingdom that we still find people like Mr Goldstern. Yes, only in the kingdom can Mr Goldstern put his strings of B.Sc and M.Sc into perfect use! Have we forgotten Dr Wong, the court jester and the like? -Sailosi Finau
Friday 15 April 2005
San Francisco, USA
Tonga is caught between a rock and a hard place. Its poor economic status and its leaders drive to re-appropriate what is left for themselves, will be definitely the death of the kingdom as we know it. No, don...t push the panic Oh My God! button just yet. I am talking about 30 to 50 years from now. This seems to be a long time, but it is not. It may be sooner if the king fails to change how the island kingdom is governed.
Tuesday 12 April 2005
USA
As I read the March 17th edition of The New Zealand Herald, I finally realized how close Tonga is getting to another "Civil War". Professor Futa Helu was quoted as saying, "The King is decrepit and the Crown Prince has no other interests but his own businesses. If the Prince continues to abuse his power, there will be a popular revolt, maybe bloodshed" These are strong predictions from Yoda, the wisest of the Jedis (masses of the Star Wars). -Tama Foa
Monday 11 April 2005
4 comments
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
You might be interested in the following issues with which I am assisting Shoreline - Peter P. Goldstern
Friday 8 April 2005
North Harbour, New Zealand
Tongan juries often bring in verdicts of manslaughter (killing by an unlawful act such as assault, without the intent to kill) rather than murder (intentional killing of another, or recklessness as to the outcome of a grievous assault) when the facts clearly support a finding of murder. -David Garrett
Monday 4 April 2005
USA
Though I vigorously believe that there is hardship poverty (but not extreme poverty) in Tonga, the important question remains why poverty exists at all on an island blessed and endowed with important assets and commercial resources like the latest technological tools, such as satellite transmissions and the internet dot to domain. These are communal resources should be shared by all, instead of being the privilege of the elite few in the country. -Dave Tonga
Friday 18 March 2005
Australia
Isn't it disappointing that none of these re-elected people's reps ever moved against such gross mismanagement of people's taxation money? It makes one wonder whether the pro-democracy conviction is really an objective that these gentlemen are living for or simply just another money-making rhetorical scheme. -Rev. Dr. Ma'afu Palu
Friday 18 February 2005
USA
It was a tsunami like wave that was felt through out the land, the islands that is, when Mr. Edwards blasted the royals with accusations of misappropriations and misgivings during the time he was basking in the limelight and among the elites and the crème de la crème of the populace.
