I am dismayed to hear recent reports that the Tongan people have yet to receive a response from the King regarding the status of the reform process. I understand the process of reforming the Constitution can be lengthy, and maybe the People's deadline was a little too early, (although some say the King has had decades to make this change), or maybe the King's medical condition has made progress slow. However, that is no excuse to not let the Tongan people know the status of the process in plain terms. - John Maloney
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Sunday 29 January 2006
California, USA
I came across your website for the first time approximately 3-4 years ago, and since then, it has been very educational and entertaining. As such, it has been a tremendous pleasure for me to utilize the same to learn more about our Kingdom Island. ... I hope that the on-going political changes in the Kingdom Island will bring hope, fairness, and chance for the poor people of Tonga to live comfortably- just like their superiors. How can the government and its high officials sleep well at night, knowing their people are suffering?. - Joe
Sunday 29 January 2006
Auckland, New Zealand
The recent threat by teachers to go on strike is understandable and fully justified to me. If the claim is true that teachers who took part in the strike are treated unfairly (and I have evidence to believe that this is the case) then I'll only have to say "Let us heal the psychological and spiritual wounds of the 2005 strike first. Further, it's about time for some heads to roll, particularly those in Education who intentionally stirred up this unnecessary commotion." - Sailosi Finau
Sunday 22 January 2006
Auckland, New Zealand
Government teachers' threat to go on strike in response to the Ministry of Education's staffing and transfer exercise has come as no surprise at all. Teachers have, in the past, tended not to question the staffing exercise in general but the effect of the strike last year seems to have created an atmospere of suspicion regarding the motives of the education department.
Saturday 21 January 2006
Auckland, New Zealand
It is always a blessing to be in Tonga for the Po Le'o and the Uike Lotu. I cannot describe the warmth in my heart to walk up once again to the front of my village church and fe'iloaki with the kau Malanga Pole'o as well as everyone else in the village church. - Sailosi Finau
Saturday 21 January 2006
Long Beach, California, USA
Na‘e fuofua hu ki he Fale Alea Tonga ‘a Samiuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva ‘i he to‘u Fale Alea ‘o e 1984-1986 ‘a ia koe lava eni ‘a e ta‘u ‘e 21 ‘ene fai fatongia ma‘ae kakai. Ko kinautolu ne kaunga Fakafofonga mai mo ia `i he 1980 tupú kuo nau mavahe hono kotoa, pea lolotonga `a e 1990 tupú ki he 2000 na`e fetomokosi holo pe. - ‘Ofa ki Tonga
Wednesday 18 January 2006
Sydney, Australia
It comes at no surprise that the government is now trying to stifle the promotion and transfer system of teachers who are qualified and based on established rules. What the Education Dept is attempting to do is to frustrate PSA efforts to return Tonga's public service to pre-strike normality. Effectively, the government is now resorting to extra-ordinary bullying tactics by re-arranging the transfer/promotion system in a way that they hope will catch teachers out. - Jason Faletau
Wednesday 18 January 2006
Barrow, Alaska,USA
We are the chosen people of our Heavenly Father. We have a destiny to fulfill, a life to live, a contribution to make, a goal to achieve. The future of our country in these rapidly changing times awaits our mark of influence. - Siosaia Moimoiangaha
Wednesday 18 January 2006
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Salt Lake City-Utah, USA
'Oku ou kole pe ke fakahu atu mu'a 'a e ki'i tohi ni 'i ho'o pepa. Na'a ku fa'a kau he ngaahi talanga lahi he nusipepa "Kalonikali" he ngaahi ta'u hivangofulu tupu, pea ko e lahi taha e ngaahi me'a na'a ku fa'a fakahoha'a ki ai ko hono ngaue 'aki ko ia e laka fakahaha mo e fakahaha loto ke liliu 'aki ha fa'ahinga tu'utu'uni fakapolitikale.
Ko e me'a pe na'a ne fakatupu ko e toe kovi ange 'o e va 'o e hou'eki mo e kakai pea toe va mama'o ai 'a e Fale 'o e Hau 'o Tonga mo hono kakai. - Vakataha Mila

Wednesday 18 January 2006
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Maui, Hawaii, U.S.A.
Fakatauange ke tau ke tau toe talanoa mu'a ke tau toe femahino'aki pea toki hoko 'a e felafo'aki mo e felotomamahi'aki. 'Oku ou tui foki 'oku 'ikai ke totonu ke tau fu'u loto mamahi 'o fu'u to ki tu'a ke tautea 'e tau kau faiako, 'oku ou fokotu'u atu tau toe ki'i vakavakai lelei ange 'o toe kumi ha fakakaukau 'e lava ke tau ngaue fakataha ai mo si'i kakai ngaue 'aonga ko'eni ke teu'i e kaha'u 'o Tonga. 'Oku fele 'a e ngahi founga 'a e kakai 'oku ngaue he potungaue ako ke nau fakalele'ii 'a e ki'i palopalema ko'eni. He ko hono 'uhinga ia na'e fili ai 'e he pule'anga ke nau fakalele 'a e Potungaue Ako. - S. Tupola

Wednesday 18 January 2006
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Long Beach, California, USA
Ko e kau Ngaue fakapule`angá ko e huitu`a mo`oni ia `o e Pule`angá he ko kinautolu `oku nau fakahoko ngaue mo fakalele `a e fonuá. Ko e ngaahi nima ia mo e va`e `o e Va`a Pule `o e Pule`angá `i hono fakahoko `a e ngaahi lao kuo paasi `e he Fale Aleá pea `osi fakamo`oni huafa ki ai `Ene `Afió. - ‘Ofa ki Tonga

Monday 16 January 2006
Australia
I am sorry to say I find these so called educators (and I use the term loosely) who are threatening to strike yet again just because they are not getting the post they want. I thought the utmost want for them was a fair day's pay for supposedly a fair day's work. And for the benefit of the country they got it and at the cost of 95% of Tongans who don't work for the government, but that is another story as I digress. - A Very Annoyed Parent
Sunday 15 January 2006
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Neiafu, Vava'u
Ko e ki'i fakahoha'a ko 'eni 'oku tu'unga pe he hanga hifo ki he fakamatala moe fakamanamana 'a e kau faiako 'o e ngaahi 'apiako 'a e Fonua. 'Oku ou ngaue atu 'aki 'a e 'apiako 'a e fonua he neongo hono ngaue'aki e 'apiako 'a e Pule'anga ka ko e fakakatoa pe ia 'o Tonga katoa. - Siosaia Moimoiangaha

Friday 13 January 2006
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
My daughter has been in Tonga High School for the past two years, during that time we have had endless problems with teachers not turning up for classes. I had approached the Principal, the Deputy Principal and also the Ministry of Education, at that time to no avail. Some teachers had legitimate reasons for being away but at this time the Education Department does not have a relief teaching system in place. I spoke with students right from the lower forms up to Form 7 and it seemed to be a common occurrence that some teachers at their own will skipped their classes. - Donna Taumoepeau
Friday 13 January 2006
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Maui, Hawaii,USA
'Oku ou tui foki Ko Tonga 'oku 'ikai koha fu'u fonua lahi ke faingata'a hono liliu, kuo mou 'osi 'ilo 'a e palopalema 'oku hoko ki Tonga, ko e fehalaaki moe ta'efakalao 'a e ngaue 'a e kau taki tokolahi, ko e ki'i liliu si'i pe ia 'oku tonu ke fai. KO HONO TUKU KI TU'A 'A E KAKAI KOIA, KAE KUMI HANAU FETONGI 'OKU SAIANGE, 'o fakatatau ki he lao 'a Tonga. - Sione Tupola

Thursday 12 January 2006
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‘Oku ou poupou.‘i hono fili ‘ehe kakai 'a honau kau fakafofonga ke nau fai hono pule...i mo fakalele 'a e Pule...anga, 'o hange ko e kau Minisita mo e Palemia.... ...Oku totonu ko e tokotaha kotoa pe ...oku kanititeiti ke kau hono fili 'e he kakai ke hu mai ki he falealea 'o kau ai mo kinautolu 'e to'o mei he fa'ahinga 'e fili mai 'ehe kakai... ke fakanofo ki he ngaahi lakanga faka-Minisita mo e Palemia, ...oku totonu ke i ai 'enau taukei (work experiences/extensive leadership) he ngaahi mala...e... te nau... pule'i, ... pea toe 'i ai mo 'enau... tu'unga fakaako (academic qualifications) 'i he tafa‘aki 'o e ngaahi potungaue ko ia. ‘Oku totonu foki ke .‘I ai ha‘anau taukei pea mo ‘ilo ki he ngaahi ‘ulunganga fakafonua (ethical). - Benedict M. Lemeki

Tuesday 10 January 2006
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Canberra, Australia
'I he'etau tu'u he 'aho ni kuo mahino 'eni 'oku faitatau 'a e ngaahi Kupu lalahi mahu'inga fakakatoa 'i muli mo Tonga, 'o a'u ki he 'Ene 'Afio Taufa'ahau Tupou IV mo hono Fale, ke fakahoko ha fakalelei pe kapikapi fakapolitikale (sosiale, 'ekonomika, etc.), fakalao mo fakakonisitutone ki he'etau Fa'unga Mafai Pule, ko ia ai te u feinga ke tuku kongokonga atu ha ngaahi fakakaukau me he puipuitu'a 'a e founga mo e filosofia (tefito'i tui) "Fakalelei Tufunga Fonua 'a Lo'au" talu mei Toloa mo Heketa, he 'oku ai 'a e tui 'e tokoni 'eni ki he ngaue mahu'inga 'oku tau fonongoa. - Siosiua F. Pouvalu Tofua‘ipangai

Monday 9 January 2006
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Long Beach, California, USA
Kuo nga`uta `a e `Otu Felenitee pea hange kuo pakia fo`ou tokua `a e kakai `o e fonuá `o takua kuo tau tu`uta `i ha kuonga fo`ou he kuo fongofongaola `a e maa`imoa akó pea maama `a e fonuá. - ‘Ofa ki Tonga

Friday 6 January 2006
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Long Beach, California, USA
Ko e fa`unga `o e Fale Alea lolotongá `oku toko 30, `a ia ko e kau Minisita mo e ongo Kovana `e toko 12, Hou`eiki Nopele `e toko 9 pea mo e kau Fakafofonga `o e Kakaí `e toko 9, `o fakakatoa ia ki he toko 30. - ‘Ofa ki Tonga

Wednesday 4 January 2006
Sydney, Australia
Disappointment in the so-called political reformists (those who have submitted proposed changes to the political system) in Tonga, for want of details in their proposed reforms, has been voiced in this forum and I must say that those who share the sentiment have a valid point. The reformists talk about constitutional changes and appointments of Ministers but, as far as I am aware, are silent on the nature of the political system they want to replace the present one with. - Lisiate Ikaafu