Results for Opinion

Carl Sanft in his letter forgot to include "Legality" as another pillar of good governance. We all know how slow government machinery works - but every action Must be according to the law. Lawful means cannot be ignored to expedite work - government work is not the business arena where the bottom line is the balance of an account. - Tuitokaloto Taufa

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

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

'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

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

“Air Chatham starts domestic service.” This is great news but will Air Chatham also fly to Niuatoputapu? - Peki Matheson

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

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

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