Candidates are the most interesting in the time of elections; they will tell us anything that will likely lead them to great victory. They will lie, deceive, and guarantee the impossible, sing and dance, cry and laugh, and all that in order to win. In that campaign, they will give us so many promises, that if we ask them just a few hours later about them, they will not remember them, and will give us new ones in order to deceive us further. Later, if they are elected for formal office, then they will start giving us excuses for the lost promises in order to maintain political power. - Ivan Simic
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Friday 25 July 2008
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Sene, 'Aositelelia
Kuo 'i ai eni ha to'utupu mo ha fa'ahinga tokolahi kuo nau 'i pilisone, he lolotonga ni, pea mahalo na'a hokohoko atu aipe 'enau nofo 'i pilisone, koe'uhi ko e hia ki hono tutu hotau Kolo. Ka 'oku ou fakame'apango'ia 'i he 'ikai to'a fe'unga hotau kau fakafofonga Fale Alea ne nau fekau'aki tonu mo e me'a ni, ke nau tu'u hake 'o tali 'enau kaunga 'i he me'a ni. - Rev Dr Ma‘afu Palu

Wednesday 23 July 2008
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Pago Pago, American Samoa
Dealing with "deportees" is as old as the world written history and definitely not just a "national" Tongan issue. However, it is the Tongan approach that makes one wonder where have all the ones with common sense gone. - Mafi ‘o Amerika Samoa

Friday 11 July 2008
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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

Sunday 29 June 2008
USA
In the scheme of things, this is insignificant. The military regime is still in charge, and the chiefs who favored secession will be prosecuted for treason and removed. What is most notable, the son of Ratu Mara, Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba, is in the middle of it. Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba is a lieutenant-colonel in Fiji's army, now the Lau Group Provincial Chairman. This is a strange twist of fate. The group who booted Ratu Mara out of power now has Mara's son as one of their own. - Tama Foa
Sunday 29 June 2008
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Nuku‘alofa, Tonga
Kou tui 'oku 'ikai ko ha ngaue faingofua ka 'oku ou fakatauange ki he 'Eiki ke kei fakaivia kimoutolu he ngaue 'oku fai kae ongo'i 'e he kakai e fonua 'oku nau malu mo hao. - Pola Loiti

Thursday 26 June 2008
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Ko e fakakaukau lelei 'aupito 'eni, ka kuo pau ke effective pea masila e kau taki potungaue he fakapapau'i 'oku fualelei pea productive e kaungaaue. Tuku pee ngaahi 'apiako mo e ngaahi potungaue kehe kuo pau ke nau lele pee he anga maheni. - Tu‘uta Sekeni
Wednesday 25 June 2008
Nu'usila
Ko e ta'u eni e fiha e longoa'a 'a e kau fakafofonga 'o e kakai he laka mo e tohi tangi pea hopo i he 'uhinga pea kuo nau toe tafoki hake nautolu ia 'o tala ke tuku. Ko ena kuo mei maau e ngaue pea nau toe tafoki hake 'o tala ke tuku. 'Ikai ke toe kehe eni mei he'enau tali he Falelea e komiti 'a e Tu'ipelehake pea ha? ne nau tafoki hake 'o tolo maka'i, pea ha? pea fai e tipeiti he ta'u ke fai ai e liliu pea nau kaila ke tali e lipooti 'a e Tu'ipelehake. Me'a tatau ne hoko he komiti tapatolu. Ko eni koe 'uhila? - Pola Loiti
Sunday 22 June 2008
Melipoane, 'Aositelelia
'Oku ou fie fakamatala atu ki he 'aho mahu'inga taha ki he fa'ahinga kakai pe kalasi 'oku 'iloa he Kingdom of Tonga ko e Ha'a Me'avale pe ko e Kainanga e fonua. Tokua 'oku pehe 'e he ni'ihi na'a nau fuofua tohi hotau hisitolia na'e kamata mei he 950 T.S 'a hono nofo'i 'e hotau matakali 'a e ngaahi 'otu motu 'o Tonga. Pea ko e fuofua Tu'i leva ko 'Aho'eitu, 'a ia ko e 'alo ia e taha hotau ngaahi 'otua mu'a 'oku pehe tokua na'e 'afio 'i langi, ko Tangaloa 'Etumatupu'a. Kaikehe talu mei he 950 T.S ki he 'aho 27 'o June 1826 mo e 'ikai ke 'i ai ha laumalie ia 'o Ha'a Me'avale pe Kainanga e fonua. - Manu vakai e Kolosi Saute
Wednesday 11 June 2008
USA
'Oku hange kiate au 'oku kamata pe ta'emahino' te'eki ke fakafolau e tu'unga matu'a ko'eni ki NZ. 'Oku hange 'a e fakamatala ko'eni' 'oku 'ikai ha fekau'aki e pule'anga Tonga mo e alea ko'eni' 'oku fai ai e hoha'a'. Kapau ko e fokotu'utu'u 'eni 'a e pule'anga' ko e toonounou eni 'a e kau 'ofisa na'a nau fokotu'utu'u e aleapau'. Kapau ko e alea 'i tu'a fakataautaha pea ko e tangata koia ko Sefita Haouli 'oku ha mai he fakamatala 'oku totonu ke 'omai mei ai e fakaikiiki 'o e palopalema ko'eni. 'I he fakamatala kuo tuku mai mei he kau mamahi ne folau' 'oku hange ia na'e fai ha tohi aleapau ki he founga ngaue' mo e totongi faka'aho' 'o tatau ai pe 'ae 'osi vave pe tuai e ngaue'. - Siosiua Moimoiangaha
Tuesday 10 June 2008
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USA
Today, despite our political differences, our conducts are still somewhat controlled by our rich traditions of respect and considerations of others (ngaahi 'ulungaanga faka'apa'apa moe toka'i). Those traditions sometimes force us to put aside our personal feelings and recognize the importance of living in harmony. Are they all good? For heaven's sake, no. There is plenty of room for improvement. - Tevita Langi

Monday 9 June 2008
Sydney, Australia
There is no way the proposed reform 2010 will nurture a dictatorial power, or foster a dictatorial leadership in Tonga in the future. - Tevita Malu Ha‘apai Fifita
Sunday 8 June 2008
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New Zealand
With reference to your above article on the Matangitonga Online (June 6, update), may I correct the information published and your records on the Rugby Test matches results between these two great team, the New Zealand Maori Rugby team and Tonga National Rugby team ('Ikale Tahi Rugby team). - Viliami Tiseli

Thursday 5 June 2008
USA
'Oku malie 'aupito e veteki 'e Kristi Seymour, LPC, MBA e ngaahi 'uhinga mo e ngaahi founga 'e solova 'aki e ngaahi nunu'a kuo tofanga ai hotau ki'i fonua'. 'Oku 'ikai toe 'omai 'e he tokotaha ia ko'eni' ha me'a fo'ou he na'a tau tupu hake pe kitautolu 'i he tu'unga fakasivilaise ma'olunga taha 'i he fo'i kolope. - Joshua Nehasi
Tuesday 3 June 2008
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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.

Wednesday 28 May 2008
Sydney, Australia
The legality of the four ministers, appointed by the King after the 2005 election, remaining in office, has been raised by the People's Representatives again. Langafonua Tu'uloa Party have added to the discussion, but it seems that both have missed the point. Maybe this would help. - ‘Inoke Fotu Hu‘akau
Sunday 25 May 2008
USA
'Oku fu'u faka'ofa 'aupito 'a e 'ata mai 'o e ngaahi tala'a ko'eni' he 'oku 'ikai ko ha'ane toki hoko eni. Ne lahi 'ene 'asi mai mo hono fehu'ia he kuohili' ka na'e pehe'i hifo pe pea hange kuo molia ai pe 'o 'ikai 'ilo pe ko e ha koa' e mo'oni. Ko e ngaahi palopalema pehe ni 'oku ne hoha'asi e ngaahi loto pe 'oku kei lele totonu nai e ngaahi hako 'ea totonu' he ngaahi hingoa Nopele pe 'ikai. - Joshua Nehasi
Saturday 24 May 2008
Hofoa,Tongatapu
Fefe nai e konga koeni: Ne 'ikai maumau, pea 'oku 'ikai maumau, ha kupu he Konisitutone he ko e mafai pe ia 'o e Tu'i ki hono fakanofo minisita ha taha, ne ngaue'aki ke fakanofo Minisita e kau tama ni. 'E ala kalo nai e kau tama ki he tafa'aki ko ia? - Kaniseli Tupou
Saturday 24 May 2008
Melipoane, 'Aositelelia
Ka 'oku totonu ke fai mo fakamahino ki he kakai, kapau 'e temokalati kakato 'a e fonua, 'oku 'ikai ko e 'osi ia 'a e palopolema. He ko e taha e palopolema 'e malava ke hoko ko e fe'au'auhi fakakulupu (Party) pe kofe kulupu tene taki e fonua. He ko e kamata 'eni ia ke mahu'inga 'ia e kakai 'i he hu ki Falealea, fakatatau ki he fu'u kau kanititeiti 'o e ta'u ni. - Manuvakai e Kolosi Saute
Friday 23 May 2008
Pago Pago, American Samoa
Only 38% (less than half) of the registered voters of Tongatapu cast votes in this past election. The country is going to be guided by the minority, a democracy by the few and for the fewer. - Mafi ‘o Amerika Samoa