The willingness of the government to put the nation at great risk without any legitimate documentation to substantiate the deal is just plain stupid. A quick calculation of this $60M loan equates to $500 per man, woman and child to pay off the loan. This is in addition to what is already too high a price for electricity. Why are the people tolerating such contemptible practice? - Mele Payne Lynch
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Tuesday 2 May 2006
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Auckland, New Zealand
When the dust settles spare a thought for the crushed dreams and ambition of the connections and staff of Fly Niu Ltd., (FNL) ... a little start-up airline forced into voluntary liquidation due to a patently flawed monopoly policy.- Wayne Madden

Tuesday 2 May 2006
Suva, Fiji
For "politicians" (and decision makers) to espouse putting HIV positive people on an island ."where we can show them love and compassion..." is an indictment on the "awareness" programmes that have been conducted over the years by the UN, the SPC and at the national level, the Ministries of Health and all those working on HIV. Where have we gone wrong? - Steven Vete
Monday 1 May 2006
I would point out to him however, that my very point was that the result of a referendum should be the guide as to what should be done in terms of political reform in Tonga. - James Tapueluelu
Monday 1 May 2006
Kihei Maui, Hawaii, U.S.A
Kuo tau a'u foki 'eni ki ha ngahi tu'unga 'o e fakalakalaka 'o e fefakatau'aki mo e ngahi pule'anga muli, pea lava foki ke tau ala atu ke tau no ha ngahi pa'anga 'e laui miliona mei he ngahi fonua muli ke lava ke tokoni ki he ngahi langa fakalakalaka hotau ki'i pule'anga, pehe foki ki hotau ngaahi uafu, hotele, mala'evakapuna mo e ha fua 'o 'etau fiema'u ke langa ke lato 'a e ngaahi fiema'u 'a e pule'anga, pea pehe foki ki he kakai 'o Tonga. - Sione Tupola
Sunday 30 April 2006
Auckland, New Zealand
James Tapueluelu from Broome, Australia has made the point that a referendum would be a better indicator of whether Tongans are indeed seeking political change and I agree but great care must be taken to ensure that the referendum clearly asks questions that will not only reflect the wishes of the nation but in a logical order. - Sefita Hao‘uli
Saturday 29 April 2006
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Sydney, Australia
It is enlightening to hear the expressed views of overseas Tongans as highlighted in Mangisi's article, (Education for export, a new perspective, 26/4). Mangisi is expressing a very real concern against the plight of Tonga and the unpredictability in its current economic and political stagnation. Let me therefore offer a different perspective to what Mangisi have already stated. - Jason Faletau

Friday 28 April 2006
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
It appears that in order to buy back the power generation at an outrageous asking price, the state is about to commit many future generations of Tongans to an unparalleled debt burden in order to repay a loan that will go straight into the pockets of an unscrupulous few. - Trebla Tonga
Thursday 27 April 2006
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Moss Beach, CA, USA
With the wretched economic climate in Tonga, the people can ill afford to ignore the malfeasance and graft typically exercised by those in power to potentially manipulate the terms of acquisition of Shoreline. Both Government and Shoreline should not exercise complete autonomy in this venture because the interest of the consumers is at stake. Therefore, the process and result need to exist in symbiosis with the community. Shoreline has not provided much financial, operational & maintenance details to suggest a compelling economic proposition thus this creates ample opportunity for critical errors exacerbated by various factors. - Mele Payne Lynch

Wednesday 26 April 2006
Melbourne, Australia
The government should rethink its education and migration policy with a view to opening up and encouraging, even helping those with higher tertiary qualificatoins to migrate to places like NZ, Australia and the US. - Sione Tapani Mangisi
Wednesday 26 April 2006
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Auckland, New Zealand
The call for the return of the power generation from Shoreline to government or the private sector should focus on the anticipation that Tonga will have a fairer, more transparent and just power industry. Perhaps service deliveries may improve too. Cheaper electricity is something else and I am afraid it won...t help to mislead people now that the electricity will be cheaper only by taking it away from Shoreline. - Sailosi Finau

Wednesday 26 April 2006
Stanford,California, USA
'Oku ou poupou lahi ta'eveiveiua kia 'Isileli 'Ilangana Kaufusi 'i he'ene tohi fekau'aki mo e mole 'a e 'apasia 'i Tonga. 'Oku mahino mai 'i he lahi e ngaahi vaalau 'i he tu'unga fakapolitikale 'o e fonua 'oku ne uesia lahi e ngaahi tapa kehekehe 'o e fonau 'o kau atu ki ai mo hatau 'ulungaanga fakatonga. - Lusia Mateialona-‘Olive
Thursday 20 April 2006
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
FROM OUR ARCHIVES: At this junction of our quest for social, economic and political reform in Tonga, the one entity that is obviously missing is a credible opposition to form some sort of Shadow Government responsible for the drafting, presenting of demands and reform proposals, and the monitoring of their progress. Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua.
Thursday 20 April 2006
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Executive Members of the Tonga Small Business Association (TSBA) are not happy with your article dated 8th April, 2006 titled: ...Tonga Chamber of Commerce stalls challenge by TSBA.... The Executive Members of TSBA have ordered me to inform you the fact that Mr. Tu...i Uata is not the president of TSBA. Mr. Uata and his followers are not members of TSBA. May be Mr. Tu'i Uata has his own organization, of which we highly respect, but we are sure it is not the TSBA. - Saia Moehau
Wednesday 19 April 2006
If we choose to say that Tonga belongs to the People of Tonga including the monarchy and the nobility, then why the devil is the Royal family and especially Tupouto'a is allowed to just do as they please with the nation, assets and all, Shoreline, Tonfon, Airlines, Tongasat, Passports etc.
So what do we do ? - Sione Tapani Mangisi
Wednesday 19 April 2006
Auckland, New Zealand
There is a Latin tag cui prodest? meaning “who stands to gain?” When it is not immediately apparent which political or social groups, forces or alignments advocate certain proposals, measures, etc., one should always ask: “Who stands to gain?”. - March Pulu
Tuesday 18 April 2006
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Sydney, Australia
The fiasco concerning Shoreline and its operation is a dilemma created by the government themselves. From your article of the same (8 April), it is clear that both the government and Shoreline operatives have collided with their various public statements, and in turn raises many questions. Shoreline is now returning the favor, giving the government the first option to buy back the electricity business. -Jason Faletau

Sunday 16 April 2006
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Moss Beach-California, USA
Shoreline's recent announcement for sale is one of the intense climacterics of the moral, economic and political hardships and factions in the Kingdom. There is scuttlebutt that Shoreline's undisclosed multi-million dollar sales price is approximately T$60 Million and prior to Prince Lavaka's resignation as Prime Minister, Crown Prince Tupouto'a and members of the royal family were in favor of a T$100 Million loan from China to facilitate the purchase of Shoreline resulting in a royal dispute and subsequently Lavaka's resignation. = Mele Payne Lynch

Sunday 16 April 2006
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Provo, Utah,USA
Na'aku fiefia lahi he mamata atu ki he fonua 'o hoku tupu'anga. Kae me'apango na'e 'ikai lava ha 'alu holo koeuhi ko e fu'u ke lahi 'i he vaha'a 'o e ngaahi ako ma'olunga Vava'u. Ne nau fahi e ngaahi 'api ako pea iku 'o nofo falemahaki ai mo e Tokolahi. - ‘Isileli ‘Ilangana Kaufusi

Saturday 15 April 2006
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Veitongo,Tongatapu
Kuo kamata ke failaa e vaka 'o e liliu 'i Tonga he kuo kamata ke 'asi mai hono ngaahi fua. Ko e me'a 'oku ou fakatokanga'i ko e kau teke liliu pe eni 'oku nau toe fakafe'atungia'i e nga'unu 'a e vakaa. Talu hono fili 'o Dr. Feleti Sevele ke ne minista mo e tafoki hake hono kaunga fakafofonga 'o fakaanga'i 'ene ngaue. - Pola Loiti
