Results for Politics

Democratic reform will help to preserve the dignity of the King, and his links with his people, says Taimi 'o Tonga publisher, Kalafi Moala. - Matangi Tonga, Vol. 18, No. 3

The Vava‘u no. 2 People’s Representative to the Tongan Legislative Assembly, ‘Etuate Lavulavu, filed a motion for a writ, with the Tongan Legislative Assembly on June 25, calling for the impeachment of the Chief Justice, Hon. Mr Justice Ward. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 18, no. 2, August 2003.

The government’s current Economic and Public Sector Reform program, is a futile exercise, believes Dr Feleti Sevele, the Tongatapu no. 2 People’s Representative, in the Tongan Legislature. He says it won’t work until government learns to interact with the productive members of the community. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 3, November 2002.

Tongans responded with shock and outrage after the New Zealand Foreign Ministry publicly accused the Tongan government of corruption, expressing concern about the state of democracy in the country and saying that the Tongan government appeared reluctant to introduce constitutional changes. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

The Tongan 2002 triennial Parliamentary General Election has set a landmark in the development of Tongan politics for the 21st century, with some unprecedented events. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

Tonga’s Prime Minister announced on February 14 that there was a serious turn in Tonga’s relationship with New Zealand in the wake of unsubstantiated accusations made by New Zealand’s foreign ministry. The Prime Minister Prince ‘Ulukalala Lavaka Ata believed that a New Zealand Ministerial attack which ridiculed the Tongan government and Tonga’s Royal family was an attempt to influence Tonga’s March General Election, and “to take the moral high ground, to say they are holier than us, and to dictate to other countries what New Zealand wants”. Prince ‘Ulukalala Lavaka Ata was responding to the accusations at a press conference he called in Nuku‘alofa. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

While the new Kotoa Movement, formed last year, sees itself as a non-political charity organisation, they also say their movement is working toward thwarting any uprising which could disrupt development. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

Lopeti Senituli, the former Director of the Pacific Concerns Resource Centre, took over as the new Director of the Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement in July. - Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 15, no. 3, September 2000.

It was success at last for Koliniasi Afuha’amango (72), the newly elected Vava’u People’s Representative to the Tongan Legislative Assembly, taking over from William Harris, the Vava’u No. One People’s Representative who died last year. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 15, no. 2, June 2000.