The changes to the Constitution [clause 23] regarding the ability to continue to sit in the assembly or hold any office means that a "convicted" person who is sentenced to less than 2 years can still sit in the assembly and hold office. This does send a rather odd message to the public and the world - that the Tongan house of parliament and the Cabinet will allow a convicted person, whose character is thereby reduced, to still hold office! - John Cauchi
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Results for Opinion
Monday 11 March 2013
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Here we go again . . . tiptoeing around the sensitive issue of women's rights, and violence against women in Tonga. "Let's break the ignorance of women's God-given rights in Tonga." Women have the rights to all privileges bestowed upon men . . . by men. No government can grant or take away a human being's God-given rights. – Sione Akemeihakau Mokofisi.
Sunday 3 March 2013
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Congratulations to Tonga for pursuing one of the most lucrative employment industries, Call Center remote services. Good luck ProComm and all the young employees. – Sione Akemeihakau Mokofisi.
Thursday 21 February 2013
1 comment
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
As the Tongan government struggles to reform the Tongan Police, the events of the past months have shattered the integrity of the force and are undermining a five year reform process that had aimed to restore public confidence and turn Tonga Police into the Pacific's leading Police service by 2013. Editor's comment.
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Monday 11 February 2013
3 comments
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
When the crunch of Tonga's huge debt to China becomes critical in the new financial year 2013-14, the government, naturally, will be looking for someone to blame. ... The failure of the government and parliament to present a transparent, accountable and comprehensive report on the destruction and the reconstruction of the Nuku'alofa CBD remains the most controversial issue for the government of Lord Tu'ivakano, since he came into office on December 2010. Editor's Comment by Pesi Fonua
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Monday 21 January 2013
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Samiu Vaipulu follows the text book theory that competition will lower cost. In reality, that can be close to the truth if it is properly managed and monitored. Take for example the oil supply industry, there has been two oil suppliers to Tonga, and yet, there is no significant appearance or evidence of lower fuel cost from competition between these two companies. – Sione Lousiale Kava.
Monday 21 January 2013
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Auckland, New Zealand
I live in Auckland and my phone 027 5113568 was stolen in December. The person who now has my phone called numerous phone numbers in Tonga and the phone bill comes up to $5000 so far. The following phone numbers were called by the person who has my phone: 35031, 35133, 41957, 7512946, 7775228, 7776650, 8411895, 8417296, 8491101, 8632005, 8798732, 8882982, 8896191. I am offering a reward for information. - Jody Becerra
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Monday 21 January 2013
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The planes Samiu wants to bring in, the Chinese made MA60, does not have the best reputation. They have been refused a certificate by the American Federal Aviation Department and have been involved in several accidents, one killing all the passengers on board. – Sione Taufa.
Sunday 20 January 2013
Pagopago, American Samoa
Just wondering who is negotiating Tonga's fuel price? Are the prices reasonable? I think the public would like to know what the other islands in the region are paying for their petrol (fuel). - Sione Lousiale Kava
Tuesday 15 January 2013
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The selling of fishing licenses with little or no obligation to the resource owners is not a smart fisheries management decision. PITIA appreciates the need for an influx of income to national budgets, but the sustainability of our resources and the ability to continue to earn from our ocean is our overarching economic goal.
Friday 4 January 2013
Sacramento-California, USA
There was a call for comments on the proposed Bills, I thought it my duty to address the Legal Aid Bill. The Legal Aid Bill sounds like a good idea, but there are several aspects of it that are big problems. – Samisoni Tuloa.
Thursday 3 January 2013
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Oku ou fiefai ha tali ki he tukuaki’i hala funga ‘i he fakamahamahalo mo e loto taufehi’a ke fakangali kovi’i ‘a e ‘Eiki Minisita Fefakatau’aki, Takimamata & Ngaahi Ngaue ‘a e Kakai 'e he Paati Temokalati 'a e 'Otuanga'ofa PTO fekau’aki mo e ngaue fakaati ko Hinavakamea mo Tunavakamea 'oku teuteu'i 'aki 'a e hu'anga ki he Uafu Ko Vuna. - Dr Viliami Uasike Latu.
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Thursday 27 December 2012
3 comments
Madrid, Spain
When Aids pandemic pounced on the African continent, the "condom industry" began to use the contagion to make a maneuver of marketing and get more subsidies for the production and delivery of condoms. The business of death had come. - Clement Ferrer.
Monday 24 December 2012
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The year 2012 has been an eventful year for Tonga, and a real test of the ability of government, and the people of Tonga to get the new system of government to work properly. Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua.
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Wednesday 19 December 2012
Kanokupolu, Tonga
A 400 metre fishing net left abandoned in the Kanokupolu Lagoon last week was a recipe for disaster. What was, not so many years back, a sustaining pristine lagoon environment, live with corals and teeming with tropical marine life has been broken up, over-fished and depleted. Fishing laws and their enforcement need to be reviewed. Shane Egan.
Wednesday 19 December 2012
London, United Kingdom
Climate change financing can unlock opportunities for small island states to help stem the tide of destruction through adaptation and mitigation. The problem is not the availability of finance but the ability of small states to access that finance. How does a country with a foreign ministry of eight staff cope with the demands of a climate change fund staffed by 80 or 800? - Kamalesh Sharma.
Monday 10 December 2012
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
I understand that there is a lot of pressure on unemployed youth in Tonga and through our business we are trying to help in some small way. The three youths that attacked me on November 26 are most likely disillusioned with their current station in life but . . . I hope that they will now try to find ways to add value to the community rather than take from it. I praise the Nuku'alofa police. Their professional police work delivered a result. Ian C. Jones, President, Vava'u Business Chamber.
Thursday 29 November 2012
Nukunuku, Tonga
The people of Nukunuku can finally breathe a pit of relief as a large part of the roads was upgraded yesterday – Nov. 27 to tar-sealed with small crushed gravel topping. However, the road will be much better and last longer if there is another spray of tar on top of the small gravel topping, rounded up with a pit of compaction. At least we will welcome Christmas in a brighter note. - Witcliffe TM.
Thursday 22 November 2012
Nukunuku, Tonga
Christmas is just around the corner. But, I bet the festive spirit in Nukunuku, will be ... gloomy I think. Dust, is now the order of our days twenty-four-seven for two months running...houses, drinking water and from new born to the elderly have their dose of dust every day. When will the road work complete? It left us to wonder what went wrong? Whether there was adequate funding for the project?- Witcliffe TM.
Wednesday 14 November 2012
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Monūafe a little islands north of Tongatapu, between Makahaʻa and ʻOnevai. A photograph in 2002, showed the island was a few hundred meters in size. A 2009 photograph showed how waves were rinsing the sand and soil away, leaving dying roots exposed. By 2010 the island had become much smaller. In December 2011, smaller still. By March 2012, almost nothing was left over, and somewhere during the last month, the island has disappeared forever. Who or what did it? Hurricanes? Sea level rise? Sand mining? I think that is the one. – Firitia Velt.
