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Saturday 3 October 2009 12:06pm
Nuku'alofa,Tonga : The Princess Regent, Her Royal Highness, Princess Salote Mafile‘o Pilolevu Tuita, departed Nuka‘alofa at 10.00am this morning on a chartered flight for Niuatoputapu. She was accompanied by the Hon Acting Prime Minister, Lord Tuita, as well as the Hon Minister for Environment, Lord Ma‘afu.
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Saturday 3 October 2009 10:30am
USA : While it is true that in the deep ocean a tsunami's wavelength is so broad that the wave's height is almost imperceptible, we all know that many small Pacific islands are barely above sea level, and many do not have the sheer drop-offs to the seafloor that would prevent a tsunami from slowing down and rearing up into a very perceptible and very dangerous wave. Both of these traits mean that tsunamis can be dangerous to many Pacific islands, whether the tsunami begins nearby or far away. -Dan Clem Premium content -
Friday 2 October 2009 7:41pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Revi, a French Navy Ship is the first to arrive in Nuku‘alofa to assist in transporting much needed supplies to Niuatoputapu following the tsunami disaster that struck the island on Wednesday, September 30. Premium content -
Friday 2 October 2009 7:35pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Nine people have been confirmed dead at Niuatoputapu tsunami disaster which struck the island early on Wednesday morning, September 30 Lt Commander Solomone Savelio announced in a media briefing this morning, Oct 2 at Sene, the Tonga Defence Service headquarter. -
Friday 2 October 2009 7:19pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The first public hearing of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the MV Ashika ferry was held on October 1 at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre. Premium content -
Friday 2 October 2009 12:15pm
San Diego-California, USA : Si'i fakaa'u atu mu'a 'a e lotu hufia 'o kinautolu Tonga pehe ki hotau kainga Ha'amoa ne si'i ma'ungatamaki 'e he Sunami, ki he Mafi 'o Pangopango pehe ki he Tonga kotoa 'i Ha'amoa 'oku 'iai 'a e faka'amu ne mou hao 'i he fakatamaki ne hoko. 'Oku tau 'ilo'i kotoa pe kapau ne hoko 'a me'a ni 'i Tonga 'e toe fakamamahiange.-Lou 'Uhila -
Friday 2 October 2009 11:45am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The recent red wave (or tidal wave) in Tonga will of course rake up the discussion again whether Tonga should spend money on an early warning system. My answer is clearly and definitely: no; as is very obvious if one considers the physical properties of red waves, which apparently are not very well known.- Firitia (Kik Velt) Premium content -
Thursday 1 October 2009 3:36am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The island of Niuatoputapu in northern Tonga was severely damaged by tsunami waves early yesterday morning, September 30, 2009, following an 8.1 earthquake between northern Tonga and Samoa. Photos by Pesi Fonua. -
Thursday 24 September 2009 6:23pm
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea : Random house has finally given us two versions of a dictator. However we are still to hear from Mr Fale which definition leads his argument, because the second version is arguably applicable if for example Bainimarama did things like withholding health services and medicines to a certain region of the country that opposes him which then led to people there dying from preventable diseases. Corruption, nepotism and murder of minorities and political opponents are obvious weapons of choice that he will also not sit and twiddle his fingers on. - Sam Tupou -
Thursday 24 September 2009 5:42am
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA : Mr Kava claims some dictators are suitable for some countries (Democracy...23 Sep 2009), and would Mr. Kava like to be forced to live in one of those countries ruled by a dictator? - Sione Mokofisi -
Thursday 24 September 2009 5:25am
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : I have been defending the position that there have been "successful" dictators, not necessarily "good"; this is a totally different argument. I have also been stating facts that refute generalizing dictators as "failed wannabes", because in reality - as I have been arguing - even in our current world, dictators do exist and some continue to be successful. - Daniel Fale -
Wednesday 23 September 2009 1:30pm
Mata ki 'Eua,Tonga : How disappointing to see electricity prices increasing again. Even more disappointing is to hear of the plan to install 1mW of solar power which is probably an expense of around $20 million pa'anga to produce on average around 3% of total power and therefore no effect on the electricity price. For close to same sum of money one could build a plant using biomass to produce on average 15 times as much electricity and end up with a retail power price of around TOP 0.65/ kWh at current oil prices. -Peter Goldstern Premium content -
Wednesday 23 September 2009 12:55pm
Pago Pago, American Samoa : Webster defines a dictator as a person having absolute authority and supreme governmental powers. The nature and characteristics of a dictator is not part of the definition of the word. I fail to see where Mokofisi got the idea that murder, corruption and nepotism is part of the definition. On his part, he fails to realize that the same characteristics is present in all forms of government. The news is replete with accounts of these in democratic America. Read about corruption in Israel. - Sione Lousiale Kava -
Wednesday 23 September 2009 5:46am
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA : Most dictators share certain things in common that a dictionary definition does not mention: They murder people indiscriminately (especially minorities and political enemies), and they enact their own laws to keep themselves in power. - Sione A. Mokofisi -
Wednesday 23 September 2009 5:18am
Manila, Philippines : Economic growth in the Pacific will slow sharply in 2009, with five economies in the region expected to contract as the global economic slump continues to erode incomes from tourism and remittances, says a major new report from the ADB. Premium content -
Tuesday 22 September 2009 11:46pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Tonga Police yesterday seized a large shipment of illicit drugs at a residential home in Halaleva, Nuku'alofa, arresting one male suspect who will be charged with illicit drug offences. Premium content -
Tuesday 22 September 2009 11:31pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : Tonga's electricity tariff will go up by 20.35 seniti per kWh, effective from the meter reading at the end of October, Peter McGill, the CEO of the Tonga Power Ltd. announced this afternoon. Premium content -
Tuesday 22 September 2009 10:42pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : A Fatai man was arrested and charged with grievous bodily harm last week after hitting a 42-year-old man with an axe over the head in a drunken brawl at Fatai, report the Tonga Police. Premium content -
Tuesday 22 September 2009 9:44pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Preliminary Inquiry of a father charged with the murder of his four-year-old son at Popua earlier this month, will begin on October 7 at Fasi Magistrate's Court. Premium content -
Tuesday 22 September 2009 3:12pm
Nuku'alofa, Tonga : The Random House Dictionary defines dictator as, "a person who exercises absolute power, especially a ruler with absolute, unrestricted control of government". There is also a broader meaning of the word dictator used by political scientists that is given to leaders of one-party states or similar set-ups in which a dictatorship does exist in practice like Cuba, and yes, Singapore, and yes, Dubai. You do not have to kill thousands of people or do any other atrocity to be considered a dictator, as it seems Mr. Mokofisi believes this to be a requirement for a person to be a dictator. - Daniel K. Fale
