Results for Politics

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.

Hon. Veikune, the Speaker of the Tongan Legislative Assembly, first entered Parliament in 1975 as one of two Noble’s representatives for Vava‘u. During his 22 years in the House, Hon. Veikune has served as Chairman of the Whole House Committee, and last year was appointed by the King as the new Speaker. Recently he has taken part in a regional seminar on Parliamentary democracy, and here comments on the stability of the Tongan parliamentary system, as seen from the nobility’s viewpoint. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 15, no. 3, September 2000.

‘Eseta Fusitu‘a, a key government spokesperson on Tongan affairs denies a claim that there is no accountability in the Tongan political system. She says that Tongans must find their own way and not be herded into accepting a foreign system. ‘Eseta is Deputy Chief Secretary and Deputy Secretary to Cabinet, and heads the Government Information Unit. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 15, no. 2, June 2000.

(From our archives, March 2000). Millennium interview with Baron Vaea. When King Taufa‘ahau Tupou IV finally accepted the resignation of Tonga’s 78-year-old Prime Minister, Hon. Baron Vaea, on December 3, 1999, it ended another intriguing saga of Tongan politics. Strange as it may sound, this was the case of a Prime Minister who had wanted to retire and go home after serving five decades in the public service—but he was not allowed to. When he finally agreed to our interview, on January 11, it was obvious why this overworked man had insisted on retirement. Baron Vaea was one exhausted person.

The Tonga Pro-Democracy Movement has changed its name. In the process of changing its image from that of a political organisation to become a Non-Government Organisation, it is now called the Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 14, no. 2, May 1999.

From our archives: Matangi Tonga asks parliamentary candidates for the March 1999 General Election: How can the Tongan economy recover? How can more youth be employed? There are a diversity of views. Standing People’s Representative for Tongatapu, 'Akilisi Pohiva said to ask the Ministers who had the authority.