Tongans choose to respect and love their monarchy not because they are just royal but they represent what God himself has put in place it is the reason we respect them Tonga's democracy is built on sacrifice and loyalty, Tongans have always cherished their rights has a free people. - Andrew Fifita
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Saturday 27 January 2007
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Suva, Fiji
I've just seen the senior examination results for Tonga - the pass rate was less than 50%, and the Prime Minister of Tonga in a press conference yesterday (Jan 25th) concedes that there is rising unemployment in Tonga and the solution is to give the children technical training. - Tupou Taiamoni Finau

Friday 26 January 2007
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Salt Lake City-Utah, USA
As Mr. Fifita describes there are many significant past achievements that have been accomplished by Queen Salote III and King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV. Even King George Tupou V has done much to improve Tonga's telecommunication infrastructure. The King has a very loyal following. Democratic leaders around the world would give their right arms to have loyal subjects who can't even pay their water bills, get down on their hands and knees to crawl up to them with an envelope full of money. - Joe Smith

Sunday 21 January 2007
Australia
As Tongans we are all responsible for the Kingdom of Tonga's future United we stand but divided we shall all fall those whom ignore history will always be doomed to repeat it again, Tonga's existence was build on sacrifice, blood, sweat and sometimes tears and vision without sacrifice we become our only worst enemy as was shown on the 16 November 2006. - Andrew Fifita
Sunday 21 January 2007
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Looking now at what he said, I realize that this man is too old to be facing the much younger, stronger, faster, braver, ‘matapoto’ (and better-looking of course) guy like me in a fair match, because if he grew up back then in Kolomotu’a with my uncles, and was at the peak of his youth in the 70’s, then he must be in his 50’s by now. - Joseph PT Holani
Friday 19 January 2007
Personally speaking, I suppose the time for mud-slinging and finger pointing should be over and done with as the authorities are dealing with bringing justice to the situation. A silver lining is definitely looming over the horizon that clouded the tragic events of 16/11, because now probably a better and larger city will be built to accommodate the rapid growth and expansion the business industry had experienced in the past decade. - Tavake Tohi
Friday 19 January 2007
Alaska, USA
Ko e fo'i lea "Faka-ma'opo'opo" 'oku 'uhinga ia ki hano taataanaki 'o 'ete ki'i veve (taunga) 'o fakataha'i pea kapau ko e 'ai ke tauhi pea 'oku kofukofu leva ia 'o nono'o pea hili kihe "Fata" ke toki to'o hifo 'oka fiema'u he taimi faingata'a'ia'. - Siosaia Moimoiangaha
Friday 19 January 2007
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Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Not too long ago the Pro-demos were basking in the sun when their voices were trumpeted by Mr. Moala's "Taimi 'o Tonga." It was OK then to Viliami that Mr. Moala "regurgitated" Pro-demos news releases. - Sione Ake Mokofisi

Wednesday 17 January 2007
New South Wales,Australia
From a man who was persecuted by the Government for being a government watchdog; to regurgitating government press releases on his newspaper website in the place of independent journalism (Kalafi, if I want to find out the Government of Tonga's opinion on an issue, such as the .'Black List', or the abuse of prisoners then I'll go to the PMO or Tonga-Now website - can't you write your own articles on these issues?), to now working for the government? - Viliami
Tuesday 16 January 2007
Canberra, Australia
Since the 16/11/06 event, when the mob of anarchists looted and burned down our beloved Capital, with political counter-allegations of countless kinds afterwards as an excuse for their failure to keep themselves at bay with the democratic principles of wisdom, temperance, courage and justice, certain matters are being virtually emerged as actual attributes that seem to have caused this catastrophe, together with some continuing effects of highly disputable and unresolved nature. - Siosiua Tofua‘ipangai
Tuesday 16 January 2007
Pago Pago, American Samoa
First, let me say this. After the terrorist act of September 11 in the United States, life has never been the same anymore, anywhere especially the security aspect of it. I would like to think that after 16/11 in Tonga, life is never going to return to what it was before 16/11. For those in Tonga, they should tell themselves to get used to the 'boys in green' with road blocks and roving patrol as a way of life from now on. A necessary inconvenience and we can all thank the Demos and their supporters for their contribution. - Sione Lousiale Kava
Monday 15 January 2007
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
We keep hearing about how the Tongan Government is financially broke. With so many PhDs per capita, how can this be? Can...t any of you come up with a good idea and execute it successfully? Here are three major reform suggestions from a slow country palangi to get the ball moving with a fresh start when parliament reopens. - Joe Smith
Saturday 13 January 2007
Pago Pago, American Samoa
First, Joe, please, do not insult my intelligence and my honor by apologizing for me and what I said. I meant every word I say. I did not need to be "mafana" as you put it. You and your Demos, have to be drunk "mafana" to be able to do what you did at Nuku'alofa. - Sione Lousiale Kava
Saturday 13 January 2007
San Mateo, California, USA
It seems the continuing bantering and rhetoric by the pro-Temo leaders knows no boundaries. The article published by Mr. Akilisi Pohiva in response to a previous article by Mr. Senituli, exhibits a political ...tethering... mentality ... a war of words to see who can lay claim as the real playground bully. - ‘Alipate Sanft
Friday 12 January 2007
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Kolomotu'a, Nuku'alofa
However, Mr. Kava went on to accuse the Pangai Si'i faifekaus of, in his own words, "encouraging disobedience to the mob". He called on the faifekaus to, "take themselves and their god to hell, for that is where they belong". And that's when I thought that Mr. Kava stepped out of line.

Wednesday 10 January 2007
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UK
Your article published on 04/01/07 "Vava'u Festival starts on January 26" shows a lovely photo of a Yellow Fin proudly displayed by Jeffrey Le Strange who is the organiser of this event.

Wednesday 10 January 2007
New South Wales,Australia
I wish to thank Sione Lousiale Kava for the expression of honesty in dealing with the Faifekau (whichever denomination he might have come from) who once appeared in Pangai Si‘i on the events leading up to 16/11. I am also glad that the opportunity for Mr. Kava to commit murder thankfully did not come his way while he was in Tonga. To do so would only exacerbate the already deteriorating situation in the country. However, in my capacity as a church minister (which by God's grace I wholeheartedly embrace), I partly support his course of action relating to this particular church minister who in some way was involved (perhaps merely by his presence at Pangai Si‘i) in inciting the violence of 16/11. - Rev. Ma‘afu Palu
Tuesday 9 January 2007
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Pago Pago, American Samoa
Borrowing from Shakepeare, "I went, I saw, I am very sad." I was not bothered by the extent of the damages, I saw worse in Lebanon back in 1983 and caused much of the same and more damage in Iraqi Desert Storm. But I was sad at the loss of history and the damage to a place we all call home. Nuku'alofa reminds me of loved ones no longer with us. -Sione Lousiale Kava

Sunday 7 January 2007
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London, United Kingdom
Having read "The attempted coup of 16th November 2006" by Lopeti Senituli, I would like to ask the Matangi Tonga if it is possible to publish Dr Taufe'ulungaki's report in full so that the readers can have the full benefit of what she is writing about without prejudice. -Senolita Swan

Sunday 7 January 2007
New South Wales,Australia
It is now almost two months after those dreadful events of 16/11 that resulted in most (if not all) of us Tongans being ashamed to regard ourselves as Tongans anymore. I join Dr. Taufe‘ulungaki and the many voices both from Tonga and abroad who put the blame for the events of that fateful day on the pro-democracy movement and their agenda which has long since hijacked all kind of dialogues about the political future of our country. - Rev. Ma‘afu Palu