I disagree with the Temos whole-heartedly on the fundamentals and agree with them in some of the peripherals, and on behalf of traditions, the simples, and the blinds, may I declare, "We want to retain monarchy, but have a democratic monarchy." A king without an absolute power is not a king, but a king who rules democratically is humanly divine. Any discontent with the government has to be legally expressed, and should resistance be needed, "Non-violent Patient Resistance" would be our peaceful war cry. Here is my starting point and our dividing line. - Senituli Penitani
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Results for Opinion
Tuesday 7 April 2009
Auckland, New Zealand
Senituli argues for a "democratic monarchy" ... this is, in fact, what most believers in democratic reform want at the moment, i.e. King is still head of state, he has the right to pick the ministers, but he has to pick them from an elected pool. (For the demo. movement, they wanted 17 chosen by the people, 9 by the nobles). - Josephine Latu
Monday 6 April 2009
New York, USA
Her first point - "there is no such thing as an 'absolute democracy'" contradicts both reality and history of political philosophy. Plato believed there are five forms of government: one just (aristocracy) and four unjust (democracy, timocracy, oligarchy, tyranny). Democracy, according to Plato, is a "rule by the masses." Surprisingly, Plato did not like democracy because he believed it is "a rule by all the desires." Plato's definition and 16/11 prove that "absolute democracy" exists. - Senituli Penitani
Monday 6 April 2009
Auckland, New Zealand
Firstly, there is no such thing as an "absolute democracy". Neither the Greek, American, nor the Tongan version is "absolute" and perhaps the closest you can come to such an idea is socialism or communism (classless population equal under the state). - Josephine Latu
Thursday 2 April 2009
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NSW, Australia
As a qualified and experienced volcanologist who has worked in Tonga for almost 30 years I have had experiences and heard of many more, that indicated getting too close to erupting volcanoes is extremely dangerous and on many occasions life threatening. - Paul Taylor
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Sunday 29 March 2009
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Alaska, USA
Ko e fehu'i ko 'eni 'oku ha 'i lalo' 'oku ne 'omai 'a e fo'i malie hange tofu pe ko e fakakaukau ki he fakamatala 'a e 'Etita ki he liliu ta'e fakalao koia 'o e fakalea 'o e tu'utu'uni 'a e Falealea 'a ia na'e 'osi kasete'i. Ko e fekumi 'a e fakafofonga (Sue) NZ 'oku 'ikai ke ne maumau'i 'e ia ha Lao he ko 'ene feinga kiha solova'anga 'o 'ene palopalema'. Kapau ko au 'a e fakafofonga NZ ko 'eni' te u fakahko pe 'a e fehu'i tatau ki he PM neongo 'oku 'osi 'i ai 'a e lao 'o e fonua.
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Wednesday 18 March 2009
1 comment
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Following the posting of my Editorial, "Fresh new parliament needs fresh new members" on February 23, there has been some aggressive flak from a People's Representative and reactions from political observers that attempt to distract from the points that were made. I have consistently pointed out that if Tonga sets up a new parliament with such a composition of 26 members...it is clear to see we will put a dictator in power. The great challenge before Tonga now is to put a democratic government into place as soon as possible and to avoid allowing vested interests to create a dictatorship. Editor's Comment.
Friday 13 March 2009
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Nu'usila
Kou lau hifo ho'o ongoongo ki he kau fakafoki atu ki Tonga 'oku kau ai e kau faihia fakapo (convicted murderers). 'Oku ki'i taka fakalilifu hono tukuange atu e fa'ahinga pehe ni ki Tonga. Kapau 'oku nau lava 'o fai he fonua lahi pea huanoa hake ki'i Tonga. - Pola Loiti
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Wednesday 4 March 2009
2 comments
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Salt Lake City-Utah, USA
Before anthropologists investigate the ancient past, they might want to consider a little history of recent past. -Sione A. Mokofisi
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Saturday 28 February 2009
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San Mateo-California, USA
I believe most Americans are quite comfortable of where we live in the world, how we live, and who we are among. America is the best example of the melting pot of humanity; of countrymen from all around the world, unequivocal in our migration to the land of opportunity, coming together to live together in undoubtedly the greatest civilization and society ever in the history of the world. - ‘Alipate Sanft
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Saturday 28 February 2009
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Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Perhaps Mr. Ivan Simic of Belgrade, Serbia (The Americans, 26 February, 2009) could have used Google to search under the topic "Ugly Americans" and saved us from his boring American History lessons. - Sione A. Mokofisi
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Thursday 26 February 2009
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
'Oku 'i ai 'a e fakakaukau ia 'i he tokolahi, 'oku 'ikai malava ke hu mai 'a e loi 'i he ngaahi pepa ongoongo 'i Tonga ni, ka 'oku ou 'ilo 'e au ia 'oku malava noa pe ia ke hoko pea kuo 'osi hoko pe ia. Kuo ta tu'olahi 'a e mo'ua 'a e kau 'etita 'i he ngaahi pepa 'e ni'ihi ko e 'uhingaa pe ko 'enau pulusi 'a e ngaahi me'a 'oku 'ikai mo'oni pea si'i maumau ai 'a e ongoongo 'o e kakai kehekehe pe 'i Tonga ni. 'Oku ou tui pe, ka 'ikai ke hiki 'a e tautea pa'anga ki hono pulusi 'a e loi 'i he ngaahi pepa ongoongo te tau fe'ao ai pe mo e loi mo e fakaongoongo kovi'i, ka ko'ene fakatu'utamaki ko hono to'o 'e he kakai tokolahi 'a e ngaahi fo'i loi ko e mo'oni, pea nau kau ai pe kinautolu 'i he 'avanga 'ita ki he ma'u mafai. - Daniel K. Fale
Thursday 26 February 2009
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Belgrade, Serbia
There is a strong believe in the United States that the American Revolutionary War was a good war which brought freedom to the people and gave birth to the US. Yes, it was, but only for the new American nation. Many of these Americans forgot the other side of this war, like the fact that the war started as the war between Kingdom of Great Britain and British rebels in the North America and extended out to Europe and the European colonies, ending as a global war between Britain, France, Spain and the Netherlands (Dutch Republic). - Ivan Simic
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Tuesday 24 February 2009
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Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Tonga's sacrifices in the U.S. Iraq War are paying off. A tiny Kingdom but we showed our grits and true friendship when the late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV answered America's plea to help spread democracy in the world. - Sione A. Mokofisi
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Monday 23 February 2009
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
As we are rushing to gather ideas to structure a new system of government, it is only wise for us to stop and have another critical look at what the Tongan parliament has forced on us to determine over a ridiculously short period of time. Editor's Comment.
Friday 20 February 2009
'Aositelelia
Kapau te tau ki'i 'analaiso e lao 'oku fokotu'u ke fakafoki e kotoa e kelekele ki he pule'angaa ko e fo'i 'ohokui fakapolitikale 'eni 'oku 'ikai ha'a ne fu'u mahu'inga fau. Kapau ko e argument 'a e kau temo ko e feinga ke fair e vahe kelekelee, ko e fo'i loi ia. Ko hono 'uhinga he 'oku kei mo'ui lelei 'i Tonga 'a e 'Umu po'uli kae 'i ai ho 'ota. Ko e corrupt 'e hiki mai ki he kau ngaue saveaa. Ko koe pee 'oku ke famili, kaungaa ako mo e kaungaue Saveaa, pea lahi mo ho'o silinii, ko koe ia 'e vave ho'o ma'u ho'o kelekele. - Uili Tu‘ifua Finau
Wednesday 18 February 2009
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Ko e 'uhinga na'e ui 'a e pepa, "Ko e Po'opo'oi", he ko e pepa ni na'e 'ikai ke 'i ai hono kaveinga pau ka na'e kanokato 'aki 'a e me'a kehekehe ma'u pe, pea o'io'i ai 'a e me'a kotoa ke moluu lelei 'a e fo'i mafuu 'i hono tuki fakamatoato'i. 'A ia ko e hingoa 'o e pepa ni ko hono heliaki'i ia 'a hono 'oatu 'e he pepa 'a Misa Peika 'a e katoa 'a e ngaahi fakamatala ki ngaahi 'u me'a na'e fai ki ai hono talanga'i fakapolitikale 'i he 'aho koia, ka 'ikai ko e ngaahi fakamatala fakapalataha pe fakatafa'aki taha 'o e ngaahi me'a 'oku talanga'i. - Daniel K. Fale
Wednesday 18 February 2009
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Belgrade, Serbia
These days diplomacy is "my way or no way" there are no negotiations, only the stronger wins. Every country is led by interests; bigger countries have bigger interests, whilst smaller countries have little influence and do not stand any chance of survival. In short, modern diplomacy has been used by bigger States to gain strategic advantage over other smaller States in the international system. - Ivan Simic
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Tuesday 10 February 2009
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Please correct me if I'm in error here, Mafi 'o American Samoa: Aren't out looking at a glass "half-empty" while Meteliko Tuaileva may have been looking at it as "half-full?" You gave me the impression that Dr. Sevele does not belong on the same stage as Mr. Obama, despite the fact he is the first black U.S. President, and Sevele is the first commoner to occupy the PM office. - Sione A. Mokofisi
Saturday 7 February 2009
'Aosiltelelia
'Uluaki, ne fakatemokalatiange 'a e fokotu'u pule'anga 'a Tupou I 'i he fokotu'u temokalati 'a e founding fathers 'o 'Amelika. Ko e lau eni 'a John Adams ko e taha e founding fathers moe Palesiteni hono ua 'o Amelika(1797-1801), "There are but only two sorts of men in the world, free man and slaves." Pea ko e taha ia e ngaahi 'uhinga ne 'osi fakatonuhia'i ai pee ai e nofo popula e kau 'uli'uli 'i Amelika. Kehe 'a Tonga--ko e kakai mo honau tu'i (free men and their king). Talu e nofo popula e kau 'uli'uli mei hono fatu e temo Amelika he senituli 18 'o a'u ki he 1960 tupu. Ne corrupt e temo 'amelika, corrupt e lotuu, corrupt moe fakamaau'anga 'o laulaui senituli 'i he nofo popula moe fakamavahe'i e kau 'uli'ulii kae tautautefito ki he ngaahi siteiti he fakatonga 'o Amelikaa. - Uili Finau
