From the various letters in your column referring to the allegation of misuse by the Minister of Tourism, T$3000.00 of Government fund, it is hard to give value and express worthiness, to the insinuation by its proponents, that the Government lacked transparency, justice and integrity in its decision. The facts and information that correlates with this issue, as expounded by the local media and which is public knowledge, prompts my conclusion, that the resolution by Government, was, right, fair and just. - Carl Sanft
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Sunday 6 April 2008
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Sunday 6 April 2008
Kataki fakamolemole mu'a, kae hao atu ki'i fakakaukau tu'a ko'eni. Ko e mamahi'i fonua 'ata'ata pe eni ia, 'oku tupunga ai 'a e fakakaukau ko'eni, hei'ilo na'a fanongo mai ongo minisita. Kuo mei senituli ko 'ene 'uha pe 'a Tonga kuo tafea 'a loto Nuku'alofa, pea 'osi koia pea nofo ai pe 'a e vai 'o fanau ai 'a e namu, ko e tupunga ia 'a e ma'u 'a e mofi tengi 'o puke ai, hotau kakai. - Ika Helani
Sunday 6 April 2008
USA
Na'e fai ha fakamaama mei he Chief Scientist onboard the Rearch Vessel (R/V) Kilo Moana. Ko e me'a leva 'oku fai ki ai e hoha'a he 'oku mo'oni 'a e vivili 'a e Tama Foa' 'oku mahino nai ki he kakai 'o e fonua' 'a e nunu'a kapau 'e fehalaaki e ma'u' 'o hange koia kuo tuku mai a Paula 'i he paenga ni. - Siosiua Moimoiangaha
Friday 4 April 2008
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USA
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

Friday 4 April 2008
Pago Pago, American Samoa
'Oku ongo pehe foki ki he toko lahi 'o hotau kakai mo e kau muli folau ki Tonga 'a e me'a ko'ena 'oku ke lau kiai, Ika Helani. Kau toki nofo hifo 'ou fakakaukau lahi pea 'oku mahino mai e me'a ko'eni kia au. - Sione Lousiale Kava
Thursday 3 April 2008
'Oku kei pukupuku pe 'ilo 'a e kakai' ki he ngaahi fokotu'utu'u' ko e 'ikai fakama'ala'ala mai mei he tafa'aki fakamaama lao 'a e pule'anga 'a e tu'unga 'o ha ngaahi fokotu'utu'u fo'ou mo e 'uhinga 'o e fakaangaanga fo'ou'. - Siosiua Moimoiangaha
Thursday 3 April 2008
Central Coast-Sydney, Australia
Ko e me'a mahu'inga taha pe ki he kakai mo e fonua ke tau faaitaha, fakakaukau taha, pea ngaue fakataha. He 'ikai pe ke lava ke tau fai ha me'a 'okapau 'oku 'ikai ke tau lototaha, fakakaukau taha, pea mo ngaue fakataha. Ko e founga pe eni 'e taha te tau toki lava ai 'o fakalakalaka pea langa hake ai hotau ki'i fonua. - Viliami Naulu
Thursday 3 April 2008
Pago Pago, American Samoa
Let me extend my congratulation to Lt .Colonel Siamelie Latu for a job well done. Hope this is going to be of some help to you in your responsibilities in Tonga. - Sione Lousiale Kava
Wednesday 2 April 2008
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Oslo, Norway
“Air Chatham starts domestic service.” This is great news but will Air Chatham also fly to Niuatoputapu? - Peki Matheson

Wednesday 2 April 2008
'Aositelelia
Fefe 'a e ngaahi matatahi? ne u 'alu atu ki Hihifo ki he matatahi ai ,'oku mahalo ko e kau kaime'akai ai he 'aho koia ne lahi hake he toko 300 tupu. Ko e fale malolo pe 'e taha ka na'e maumau ia. Ko e fehu'i ne 'alu kife toko 300 ko'eni he taimi ne fiema'u ai ke nau 'alu ki falemalolo. 'Oku te'eki nai ke fakakaukau 'a e Minisita Ngaue ia ki he palopalema ko'eni? Fefe nai 'a e Minisita ki he Takimamata? - Ika Helani
Monday 31 March 2008
Pago Pago, American Samoa
Ko e loto totonu 'o e tangata ia ke ma'u ha totongi lahi taha, kae 'ikai ke fai ha hela hono ngaue'i. Pea ko e ta'u 'e tolu 'eku hoko ko e tokoni pule ki he Custom Division 'a e Pule'anga Amerika Ha'amoa ne u ako ai e ngaahi tefito'i 'ulungaanga ko'eni mei a kinautolu 'oklu hu koloa mei Tu'apule'anga ki Pago Pago. Ko e tefito'i fakakaukau mo e faka'amu 'oku fakafekiki'i, tatau pe 'ehe kau Pisinisi mo e taautaha, ko e feinga lahi ke humai 'enau koloa kae 'oua totongi ha ha tute ia ki he Pule'anga. - Sione Lousiale Kava
Sunday 30 March 2008
USA
Ko e talanoa malie 'a e Tama Foa' 'o felave'i mo e 'ikai 'ilo 'o e fiema'u (need) mo e manako, sai'ia' (want) 'oku ki'i lahilahi 'a e fokotu'u me'a ka 'i he taimi tatau pe 'oku havala holo e pule'anga he kumi ha pa'anga ke fakatoli'a 'aki e holi'. Ko e fu'u fo'i palopalema fakalukufua he 'oku hange ha mahaki faka-Tonga' 'a e sio pe ki he nounou kae feinga pe ke kumi e me'a 'e fai ai e masiva'. 'Oku 'asi lahi eni 'i he ngaahi fungavaka lotu 'a e sio atu pe ki he pikoua 'a e kainga' kae fokotu'utu'u atu pe kavenga, malie! - Siosiua Moimoiangaha
Sunday 30 March 2008
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Lau Basin,Tonga
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

Friday 28 March 2008
USA
I am grieving the loss of common sense in the Government and the contributions by those who are suppose to be the advisors, Cabinet members and company, to our king. The announcement of establishing consular offices in Canberra and Wellington is a good example. It seems the Government's "wants" has priority over the true needs" of the kingdom. The "wants" are things that are nice to have but we can live without. The "needs" are those things we must have to survive as a kingdom. - Tama Foa
Friday 28 March 2008
Pangai, Ha'apai
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
Wednesday 26 March 2008
USA
With the gavel being dropped and the decision to have the Minister of Tourism work without pay for three months, one can only wonder whether this whole process was "just", and if there was real justice in the process. - Tama Foa
Tuesday 25 March 2008
New Zealand
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
Tuesday 25 March 2008
Australia
I always support the US system of Government's 'separation of power and restricted over lapse', despite the fact that there are still some fragments lying around to collect. That system cannot be healthy or work in all forms of government but it can test any governing body's competency; prevent maladministration and provide fair ruling procedure. - Sam ‘Anamanu
Monday 24 March 2008
USA
Ko e me'a malie foki ko e felafoaki he 'oku ma'u ai 'a e ngaahi fakakaukau fo'ou mo e ngaahi faka'uhinga kehe kehe 'o hange koia kuo fai ki ai e lave' 'a ia ko e fakaanga'i mo poupu'i 'a e fakamaau kuo fai 'e he PM. 'Oku ou poupou 100% ki he tu'utu'uni kuo fakahoko' he 'oku 'osi 'i ai pe 'a e konisenisi 'o e tangata takitaha ke ne 'ilo pe na'e faihala pe 'ikai pea 'oku tau'ataaina pe 'a e tangata koia ke fakafisi pe 'ikai kapau 'oku tukuange ki ai ke fili pe 'e fakafisi. - Siosaia Moimoiangaha
Monday 24 March 2008
UK
The Prime Minister of Tonga explained to us all the meaning of "One rule for the rich and one rule for the poor" when he was interviewed by Katalina Tohi regarding the Auditor General's Final Report re: Corruption allegation against the Minister of Tourism. - Senolita Swan