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
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Results for Opinion
Monday 15 January 2007
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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
Friday 5 January 2007
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Kolofo'ou,Tongatapu
If it was not for seeds of hatred and anger that these people had planted in the minds, hearts and life of these people during the rallies and meetings at their villages and Pangai Si'i, the young people would not have had the courage to do what they did on 16/11. It is important that we follow closely and carefully analyse what 'Akilisi and the gang are doing and saying for they represent the iceberg that lurks below the evil actions of the young people on 16/11. -Taasi Holiday

Friday 5 January 2007
San Francisco, USA
On Jan 2007, Lopeti Senituli wrote you a letter stating that his Press Statement publicized on the Internet by you on December 28, 2006 are his "opinions and conclusions.....and not that of the Government of Tonga." I am disagreeing with Lopeti Senituli that his Press Statement was his "opinions and conclusions........and not that of the Government of Tonga." Here are my reasons for disagreeing with Lopeti Senituli: - Sosaia Fatani
Friday 5 January 2007
USA
Many Tongans like me see Akilisi Pohiva as a dangerous man. "He's a fiery populist," they say. "He'll destroy the country," they argue. "He's a fascist and a dictator in the making," they insist. But the efforts to portray the pro-Democracy leader as the Tongan version of Cuba...s Fidel Castro totally miss the point. Akilisi Pohiva and the pro-democracy group is a symptom of deep problems that Tonga must continue to address. As the new king had promised a new chapter for the kingdom is forthcoming, we must all be vigilance in our posts to make sure change come as promised. It is unfortunate the pro-democracy group did not have patience. - Tama Foa
Thursday 4 January 2007
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Honolulu, Hawaii
here are no words to described and express the sadness and feelings of the unfortunate incident on 16th/11, reading so many emotional point of views from so many very passionate LTE and understandably seeing from both sides of this debate. I pray that through "TalaTalanoa" between the people and it's Govt., could bring meaningful changes for the future of our children and families.- MT Tuaileva

Thursday 4 January 2007
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Pacific
I have one word for the "Kau Demo" - it's not DEMOCRACY (that they are supposedly preaching) it's "DEMOLITION". - Saimone Tupou

Thursday 4 January 2007
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Canberra, Australia
It is so disappointing to read some of the personal and professional comments made by the political advisor, or is it the press secretary of the Tongan Prime Minister. In fact, Mr Senituli accuses every one who has formed an opinion or reported on the events of Nov 16 riot of distorting the truth. -Sera Taufa.

Wednesday 3 January 2007
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Wellington, New Zealand
What an extraordinary woman Queen Victoria was. According to Venisi Uata (1 January 2007) the grand old lady gave a speech in India on November 24, 1930. emarkable. She had been dead for 29 years by then. Oh, and she never in her life went to India. -Michael J Field

Tuesday 2 January 2007
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Thank you for giving my article, "The Attempted Coup of 16 November 2006," extensive coverage on your site under the title "Tonga government blames PCPR for deaths and destruction in Nuku'alofa." Lopeti Senituli, Press Secretary / Political Adviser to the Prime Minister

Monday 1 January 2007
USA
I feel I can speak for all Tongans that we do not condone the actions that devastated our island home on Black Thursday. Our heart goes out to the 153 business owners and their families who are directly affected by the aftermath of Black Thursday. Our hearts also go out to our fellow men and women, who depend on these businesses to fulfill their family and personal responsibilities. Those who are responsible for the destruction of our capital should be punished to the full extend of the law. - Venisi Uata
Friday 29 December 2006
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Suva, Fiji
We will be soon crossing over to a new year, I wonder if the PRs still have a few stunts left to entertain the crowd. If the answer is no then they should gracefully bow and make way for new talented actors to run the show. If the audience still prefer the PRs then they should askew themselves whether it would be worthwhile keeping them in the the long term.- Freddy Kavaha'apai

Thursday 28 December 2006
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
On the 1st day of Christmas, the Demos gave to me, a burned down CITY. ...On the 12th day of Christmas, the Demos gave to me, 12 Chinese shops, 11 scared tourists, 10 Crowded beaches, 9 traffic jams, 8 palm trees, 7 noisy roosters, 6 ta'ovalas, 5 dumb pigs, 4 skinny dogs, 3 coconuts, 2 hectic fairs, and a Burned Down CITY! - Locky Aiono
