Results for Letters

Tourism is the ultimate answer to the Kingdom's economic problems, and I propose a simple strategy. - Viliami Makasiale Naulu

I hope the Government do realize that your actions only benefits and further fertilize the anti-government sentiment in Tonga. No news is good news to some people. To a lot people, the worse that could happens is anticipated when there is no news. To most reasonable human beings, when information is deliberately withheld, something negative and serious is wrong. - Mafi ‘o Amerika Samoa

I owe a debt of gratitude to Nautilus Minerals' Corporate Headquarters for taking time from their busy schedule to respond to my concerns regarding their planned operations off the coast of the kingdom. I am impressed. I wish them all the luck in the world in this endeavor. I also wish they will find the mother lode of all minerals and exceed the quality of the 90 kilogram sample displayed by their CEO and President (David Heydon) in San Francisco last year. - Tama Foa

Carl Sanft in his letter forgot to include "Legality" as another pillar of good governance. We all know how slow government machinery works - but every action Must be according to the law. Lawful means cannot be ignored to expedite work - government work is not the business arena where the bottom line is the balance of an account. - Tuitokaloto Taufa

Although Nautilus Minerals front man, Mr. Paula Taumoepeau, tried to make a case for his employer, I am not convinced the kingdom's best interest had been taken into account. - Tevita Langi

“Air Chatham starts domestic service.” This is great news but will Air Chatham also fly to Niuatoputapu? - Peki Matheson

I am the Chief Scientist onboard the Research Vessel (R/V) Kilo Moana. I am writing to correct a misrepresentation in your piece "First phase of Tonga mineral exploration begins" which appeared in the 26 March 2008 issue of Matangi Tonga. - Fernando Martinez

Now that the PM has decided to retain the Minister of Tourism in Cabinet, the government's spin doctors have their work cut out for them when international good governance watchdogs issue their reports on Tonga towards the end of this year and early next year. I imagine Tonga will continue to retain its ranking, or worse, on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index - in 2007 it ranked 175 out of 180 countries. It will reflect how the government is viewed from outside - in this case, very corrupt. If the government insists that this is unfounded, let it be more transparent in its decisions and see if the TICPI will improve. I can also imagine the the US State Department's Tonga 2008 Human Rights Report saying . . . "public officials were usually corrupt and get away with it" and this would be an accurate statement, as we have witnessed in this case of the Prime Minister exonerating the Minister of Tourism from any wrongdoing. - Tupou Finau

I am proud to say that the Hon. Minister of Tourism Fineasi Funaki is my tokoua since our late paternal grandmothers were sisters. I wish I had the opportunity to give him a brotherly advise that could have prevented the issues at hand. My advice would have been to deposit the check in the department's account and loan the department the amount they needed from his own personal account to expedite the availability of the petty cash funds. - ‘Aisea Tu‘ikolovatu