Planet Tonga Exclusive Interview with Lopeti Senituli (Press Secretary/Political Advisor to the Hon. Prime Minster Feleti Sevele)
PT: Please explain what your current employment position is and what it entails. Mr. Senituli: I am the Press Secretary/Political Adviser to the Hon Prime Minister. My main responsibilities are: to prepare briefings for the Hon Prime Minister on national political issues and reform, and on regional and international issues: to assist the Hon Prime Minister in preparing speeches, statements, articles for publication, submissions to Cabinet and Privy Council: to liaise between the Hon Prime Minister and the People’s and Noble’s Representatives and civil society organizations, community leaders and Church leaders; and to liaise with the media.
PT: In recent years, served as the Director of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement in Tonga and now you currently work for the Prime Minister’s Office. Has your change of employment affected your political affiliations? Please explain. Mr. Senituli: I am still a full member of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement so as far as I am concerned I have not changed my political affiliation.
PT: Some people believe that you no longer subscribe to the same democratic principles since you took up your new post in the Prime Minister’s office? How do you respond to these claims? Mr. Senituli: That is not true. I still subscribe to the same democratic principles. However some members of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement have violated the very principles of human rights and democratic governance that are in the Movement’s constitution.
PT: What are your opinions regarding the riots that took place on Thursday Nov. 16, 2006 (otherwise referred to by the media as Black Thursday)? Mr. Senituli: I do not like the “Black Thursday” label because of its racist undertones. I would much prefer “Tonga’s Day of Shame” for it better reflects the predominant national opinion about that day of violence and despondency, irrespective of whether one condones or condemns what happened.
PT: Who do you feel is responsible for the riots on 11/16/06 and explain why? Mr. Senituli: The People’s Representatives are primarily responsible for the riots. They were supported by the Tonga National Business Association.
The Tonga National Business Association actively campaigned against the Government’s clampdown on corruption in the Customs Department and two weeks before the violence had presented a Petition to His Majesty to dismiss the Hon Prime Minister. They also campaigned against the Chinese-owned stores, Indian-owned stores and Palangi-owned stores which is why these were specifically targeted during the riots.
The People’s Reps are on record from as far back as October 5th, as deliberately lying to the people in their village meetings, that the Government will not vote in favor of the Tu’ipelehake Committee’s recommendations therefore they should come to Pangai Si’i on the day of the vote so as to intimidate the Legislative Assembly into voting in favor of the Tu’ipelehake Committee’s recommendations.
The Legislative Assembly had only started listening to Dr. Sitiveni Halapua present the NCPR Report on October 3rd and his presentation did not finish until October 12th and the Assembly continued discussion on it until October 19th.
Although it disagreed with some of NCPR’s recommendations, the Government’s opinion was that the Report’s recommendations should not be voted on in the Assembly, given the disparity in numbers between the three tables in the House. Instead the Government proposed that a Tripartite Committee of the Assembly be set up (with 3 reps from the People’s Reps table, 3 from the Noble’s Reps table and 3 from His Majesty’s Cabinet’s table) to continue the Talatalanoa so as to seek a consensus on the best formula for a restructured Legislative Assembly and reformed Constitution. The Government also proposed that this Tripartite Committee should do its work from the end of November 2006 until the end of May 2007 (when the Assembly is not in session) and to report back to the House at the beginning of the 2007 sessions of the Assembly in June 2007.
Despite this the People’s Reps and the Tonga Business Association continued lying to the people about Government’s opinion of the NCPR Report and insisting that a ballot on the NCPR recommendations be taken in the full knowledge they did not have the numbers to see its passage.
So quite clearly their plan was to call for a ballot anyway which they knew they would lose which would then provide the people in Pangai Si’i with the excuse to storm the Legislative Assembly and inflict injury, if not death, on the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Ministers which would then be the justification for their Petition to His Majesty on the day after to appoint a new Prime Minister and Cabinet. (This Petition was prepared on Wednesday, Nov 15th by ‘Akilisi Pohiva, ‘Uliti Uata and Lepolo Taunisila and was presented to the Palace Office the day after the riots.)
As it turned out the Speaker of the House refused to convene the Assembly on 16 November, on the advice of the Assembly Sub-Committee with equal representation from all the three tables, unless and until the People’s Reps ordered the people in Pangai Si’i to return to their homes. With no Assembly in session and no ballot taken the People’s Reps and the Tonga Business Association’s plans were foiled but they gave the go ahead for the violence anyway. That is why I am saying that they are responsible for the riots, and the deaths and the destruction.
PT: Do you feel that the Prime Minister and the HM King Tupou V could have prevented the riots that took place on Thursday (11/16/06)? Please explain. Mr. Senituli: The Prime Minister did his best to try to prevent what happened. The Legislative Assembly resumed its sessions on 6 November after a 2 weeks break from the 20th of October to allow for the annual Parliamentary Visits to the outer islands, Government departments and statutory bodies. On November 7th, the People’s Reps complained bitterly to the Speaker that the Government was trying to delay a decision on the NCPR Report by placing it at #8 of the Assembly’s agenda for the last 3 weeks of the Assembly’s 2006 session.
Government’s response was to say that the Draft Bills that preceded the NCPR Report on the agenda were Bills that must be passed at this year’s session or else some of the Government’s agencies will cease to function. Government also said that the Assembly had already spent 3 weeks discussing the NCPR Report immediately prior to the Parliamentary Visits.
The People’s Reps were not satisfied and they called for a ballot on their motion to move the NCPR Report from #8 further up the agenda. Just prior to the ballot being taken, the Prime Minister pleaded with the Speaker to defer the ballot until he had a chance to consult in private with some of the People’s Reps and then report back to the Assembly on Thursday, November 9th.
The Prime Minister met with ‘Akilisi Pohiva and ‘Uliti Uata on the afternoon of November 8th at the Prime Minister’s Office. (November 8th was a Wednesday, and Wednesdays are rest days for the Assembly whilst the Cabinet holds its weekly sessions). Amongst the things they agreed to in this consultation were: a) That the NCPR Report will be moved to #1 Assembly agenda on Thursday, November 9th. b) That the Prime Minister will move, and the two People’s Reps will second, a motion on the morning of November 9th for the Assembly to adopt the NCPR Report “in principle” on the understanding that there remains issues in the Report on which there is disagreement between the various tables in the House and that they commit themselves to further dialogue. c) That an opportunity will be provided during November 9th for the people from Pangai Si’i to present their Petition to the Speaker to the Assembly which includes the People’s model for an alternative structure of Government. d) That the People’s Reps will be given an opportunity on November 9th and the following days to explain their model to the Assembly. e) That after the People’s Reps had completed explaining their model to the Assembly, the Assembly will discuss and vote on the Government’s proposal for a Tripartite Committee to continue the Talatalanoa to seek a consensus on the most appropriate formula for a restructured Assembly and a reformed Constitution.
On Thursday November 9th, the first four actions agreed to above were carried out and the People’s Reps explanation of their model carried on into Monday, November 13th sessions. However the People’s Reps did not deliver on the last action on the list above.
Instead the People’s Reps insisted on a ballot on the size of the Assembly. According to their Petition presented to the Assembly on November 9th, the Assembly should be made of 6 Noble’s Reps elected by the Nobles and 17 People’s Reps elected by the People. By November 13th they changed their figures to 9 Nobles Reps elected by the Nobles and 21 People’s Reps elected by the People, after realizing that the public did not support their plans to reduce the number of Noble’s Reps. (The Governments proposal was for 14 People’s Reps and 9 Nobles Reps. The NCPR’S proposal was for 17 People’s Reps and 9 Noble’s Reps.) The Government position was still the same i.e. that these figures should be given to the Tripartite Committee to consider together with other figures that had been tabled.
Meetings between the Hon Prime Minister and ‘Akilisi Pohiva and ‘Uliti Uata were regularly events in order to try to smoothen the work of the Legislative Assembly.
PT: How do you respond to those who say that the Tongan government (mainly the Prime Minister and the HM King Tupou V) have no respect for the voices and the needs of the Tongan people? Mr. Senituli: One of the first decisions by the Hon Prime Minister after he was appointed at the end of March 2006 was to dismantle the “one internal airline” policy of the previous administration which gave Peau Vava’u airline a monopoly on internal air travel. HRH Crown Prince Tupouto’a complied with the Prime Minister’s decision as being in the national interest.
Whilst Dr. Feleti Sevele was still Acting Prime Minister in December 2005 he agreed in a meeting with the People’s Representatives that the electricity utility should be returned to Government hands from Shoreline. Again HRH Crown Prince Tupouto’a complied with that decision as being in the national interest.
His Majesty King George Tupou V on October 20th approved the Governments road map for political reform, which the Hon Prime Minister had revealed to the Assembly on 19 October. His Majesty therefore approved of the idea of resolving the differences between the various models of a reformed Assembly through continuing dialogue in the Tripartite Committee.
These are just some of the clear examples where His Majesty, The King and the Hon Prime Minister have respected the voices of the people.
PT: How do you respond to the claims that Tongan government leaders (especially the royal family) are ordained of God and as such there is no need to amend the constitution or the change the current form of Government? Mr. Senituli: It is an Old Testament claim drawn from the anointing of King David and King Solomon and the likes. It is also applied to the anointing of His Majesty, King George Tupou I. King George Tupou I however went on to write a Constitution which severely limited His own powers as King whilst entrenching all the basic human rights and fundamental freedoms which we have enjoyed as Tongans since 1862. In other words, King George Tupou I recognized his own moral frailties as a human being so he created a Constitution to guard against His own weaknesses and those of His Successors. So I personally believe there is such a thing as Divine Ordination but at the same time I also believe that a “living” Constitution is necessary to guard against our human tendencies to stray from the straight and narrow when given half-a-chance.
PT: What was the agreement that was finally reached at the end of the day on Thursday (11/16/06)? Mr. Senituli: As mentioned above the Speaker of the Assembly did not convene the Assembly on Nov 16th on the advice of the Assembly Sub-Committee. After the Prime Minister’s Office was stoned and trashed just after 3.00pm that afternoon I was instructed by the Hon Prime Minister to go to Pangai Si’I to get ‘Akilisi and ‘Uliti to come to the Prime minister’s Office for negotiations. ‘Akilisi and ‘Uliti, followed by Clive Edwards and Lepolo Taunisila, came to the Prime Minister’s Office. Later on Vili Kaufusi Helu, ‘Osai Latu and ‘Isileli Pulu also joined the negotiations though ‘Vili Helu and ‘Osai Latu did not say a word throughout. The Hon Prime Minister was accompanied by several other Cabinet Ministers. Also present were three Noble’s Representatives. The negotiations was a tortuous affair with the People’s Reps making clear from the outset that if the Prime Minister did not accede to their demands then the People will destroy the whole of Nuku’alofa. To cut a long story short, (I hope to provide more details in the future) the Prime Minister agreed to their demands for a 30 member Assembly with 21 People’s Reps elected by the people and 9 Noble’s Reps elected by the Nobles in the elections in 2008, on the understanding that the People’s Reps will then ask the people at Pangai Si’i to disperse and to stop the destruction.
PT: Some recent media reports are claiming that the Tongan government refuses to respond to peaceful political demonstrations and will only respond to the kinds of violent demonstrations that we saw on 11/16/06? How do you respond to this? Mr. Senituli: The Tongan Government has always acceded to peaceful political demonstrations that make reasonable, achievable and sustainable demands of it. Violence only begets violence and it has no place in the political reform process in contemporary Tonga.
PT: In recent interviews with both Akilisi Pohiva and Dr. Tu’i Uata they have mentioned that they have been trying to reach the Tongan government official to have a dialogue about what happened on 11/16/06, but no one is responding to them. Are these claims true? Has the Prime Minister or any member from the Tongan government tried to reach out to the Pro-democracy leaders after the tragic events that took place on 11/16/06? Mr. Senituli: ‘Akilisi Pohiva and Tu’i Uata are amongst the main instigators of the violence of November 16th. Their aim was to create chaos so that peaceful dialogue would no longer be possible. How can we take their request for dialogue seriously when they themselves had already rejected the Government’s proposal for a Tripartite Committee within which the Talatalanoa/dialogue was to continue? In any case, a day after the violence we received a copy of their Petition to dismiss the Hon Prime Minister and most of the Cabinet Ministers. Is that the type of issues they want to dialogue about? Give us a break!
In any case, in his Speech from the Throne whilst officially closing the 2006 Assembly sessions His Majesty, King George Tupou V stated, “All the proposals that are now in the public arena have the same ultimate aim - a more democratic form of Parliament and government but appropriate for Tonga. The differences among these various proposals are not irreconcilable, and can be resolved through dialogue.” So there will be dialogue in the future. Right now the Government prefers to let the Police and the Judiciary do their work first.
PT: Do you see anything positive that can come out of the tragic events of 11/16/06? Mr. Senituli: I believe the people’s faith in God’s amazing grace was made stronger by the death and destruction of “Tonga’s Day of Shame”. PT: What is the next step for the Tongan government? Mr. Senituli: The Government’s immediate priority now is to restore peace and stability and the rule of law so that the people can once again feel safe and secure in their own homes and neighborhoods and our children can go to sleep when they are tired and dream happy dreams again.
PT: What are your hopes for the future of the Kingdom of Tonga? Mr. Senituli: As the stores and falekoloas in the central business district of Nuku’alofa and Fasi-moe-Afi were being trashed and looted and burnt, groups of youth in Kolomotu’a, Kolofo’ou, Fanga, Havelu and Tofoa and other villages organized protective shields around the Chinese-stores in their neighborhoods. This was done on their own initiative and before the rioters reached those areas. There were some running battles throughout the night but overall they provided security and solace for those distressed Chinese families. Therein lie my hopes for the future of the Kingdom of Tonga. A country whose citizens will not hesitate to put their own lives at risk, in order to protect that of others who are more vulnerable!
Lopeti Senituli,
Neongo ‘a e ‘ikai keta maheni’ pea ‘ikai ha fehokotaki toto’ ‘oku mafana e loto ‘i he fanongo ki ho le’o ‘i ho’o ‘uluaki tali pe ‘a e fehu’i mei he Palanite Tonga.
Malo mu’a e ‘ofa fonua pea ‘oku mahino mai pe ‘ihe tali kotoa kuo ke vahevahe mai he ngalu’ea ke mau ‘inasi ai, ‘a e mo’oni haohaoa ‘oe ngaahi me’a kotoa pe kuo ke vahevahe’.
Kuo toki mahino ki he motu’a ni taa na’e fili pe koe ki he fatongia’ mei ‘olunga. Ko ho’o talanoa’ ‘oku ‘ikai ha mai ha palahi pe faka-puhopuha’a pe fielahi pe tuli tonuhia, koe me’a pe ‘oku mau fanongo atu ki ai koe mo’oni.
Malo e ngaue pea ‘ofa ke taapuekina koe ‘ehe ‘Otua ko ‘etau Tamai ‘oku ‘i Hevani pea faka-tokamalie e me’a kotoa lolotonga e fua e fatongia mamafa mo kaafakafa, kuo hili ki ho uma’ he fu’u taimi faingata’a kuo huki tonu ‘i he ki’i fonua ‘oku tau ‘ofa kotoa ai.
Malo e fai fatongia poto pea kuo mau nonga mo fiemalie he ‘oku fili pe ‘e he ‘Otua e kakai ki he fatongia ‘i hono taimi totonu.
“KOE KAMATA’ANGA ‘OE POTO’ KOE MANAVAHE KIA SIHOVA, KA KOE ‘ILO’ KOE AFE MEI HE KOVI.”
‘Ofa atu mei he vahaope’, tumutumu ‘oe Kolope, State of Alaska, USA.
Siosaia Moimoiangaha
Fakamalo lahi atu ki he PT ‘i he faingamalie ko ‘eni. ‘Oku ou tui kuo taimi ke mahino ki he kakai ‘a e luo faka-temokalati ‘oku tau feinga ke taki ki ai ‘a e Fonua na’a tau malu mo tau’ataina ai. ‘Oku ou fiefia lahi ‘i he mahino ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e kakai tokolahi ‘i Tonga ni ‘oku nau ma’u ‘a e mahino fe’unga ki ha fonua mo ha pule’anga ‘oku fe’unga mo hotau vaivai mo hotau masiva, ‘o hange ko Lopeti Senituli pea mo Siosaia Moimoiangaha. Ko e ki’i tanaki atu pe ‘eni ia ki he lau ‘a Senituli, ‘a ia ko e tafa’aki faka-polofesinale ‘ena kuo ne ‘ai mai. ‘Oku ou faka’amu ke mahino, ‘o tatau ki he Pule’anga pea mo e kau Temo ‘a e ‘ikai lava ‘e hotau ki’i vaka (’a ia na’e fakalele pea ‘oku fakalele ‘aki pe ‘a e fo’i misini faka-Tonga ko e “ongo’i” pe “‘ofa” ‘o e nofo-’a-kainga - ‘a ia kuo fakamakalohi ‘e he lotu lelei na’e ha’u mo Kalaisi. Na’e ‘ikai malu hotau fonua ni ‘o kitautolu ‘i he ta’u ‘e 125 kuohili koe’uhi ko ha pa’anga pe mafai pe koloa. Ko hotau hao’anga ko e fepoupouaki lelei ‘a e Lotu faka-Kalisitiane mo ‘etau ‘ulungaanga fakafonua. Ko e fu’u misini muli ko ‘ena ko e temokalati te ne folo ‘etau koloa fakataha mo kitautolu ‘a e kakai - ‘o hange ko ia kuo hoko ‘i he September 16. Lopeti, ‘oku ou faka’amu ke ‘oua na’a tau ma’u hala mo hotau fatongia faka-politikale mo faka’ekonomika. ‘Oku taau ke mou uki ‘a e fonua ke foki kia Sihova he ko ia ‘e malu ai ‘a e faka’apa’apa mo e veitapui mo e fe’ofa’aki. ‘Oku ki’i masiva ho’o fakamatala ‘i he mahu’inga fakalotu ‘o e pule’anga ‘oku tau kau ki ai ‘i he taimi ni. Pea ko e mahu’inga ko ia, ‘e melino mo malu fuoloa ai hotua ki’i fonua masiva ni.
‘Ou ou faka’amu pe ke mahino ki Tonga ‘a e matu’aki fepaki hotau anga fakafonua pea mo e fu’u misini temokalati ko ‘ena ‘oku fakahakehake mai ‘e kau Temo pea kau ai mo e ni’ihi ‘i he Pule’anga. Ka ‘ikai kauhala tatau ‘etau anga fakafonua mo e fa’unga pule’anga, he’ikai te tau toe kehe kitautolu mei Congo, Nigeria, Latin ‘America, mo e ngaahi fonua ‘oku nau tau ‘i he ‘aho ki he ‘aho. ‘Oku ou poupou lahi atu ke tu’u ma’u ‘a e Pule’anga ‘i he fa’unga lolotonga, he ko ia pe ‘oku fenapasi mo hotau anga fakafonua.
‘ofa lahi atu ki he langa fonua ‘oku fai.
Sioeli Vaipulu
‘Oku fakafiemalie ‘aupito ho’o ngaahi fakamatala. ‘Oku mau faka’amu koe mo’oni taha pe ia, pea ‘oku ‘ikai koe polau pe. ‘Ofa pe ke mahino ‘emau faka’amu ke ‘ilonga ha ki’i laka atu ki mu’a, ‘i hono solova ‘oe liliu fakapolitikale.
Kitenoa Christian
KOE FAKA’AMU NOA PE! ************************
Ko ‘emau kole, ki hono fokotu’utu’u fo’ou ‘oe Pule’anga Tonga. ‘Oku mahino pe homau tu’unga tu’a, ka ‘oku ‘iai pe homau loto fiekau ‘i he ngaahi talanoa ‘aonga ki hotau tupu’anga (mei he kainga Tonga nofo Utah ‘i ‘Amelika). Ko ha ngaahi tefito’i fakakaukau pe ‘e tolu: (‘Uluaki)
I. ‘Oku mau loto mo poupou’i ‘a hono hoko atu ‘oe founga pule’anga fakatu’i (Monarchy) ‘i Tonga ‘i he ‘uhinga mafatukutuki ko ‘eni. Ko ‘etau ke i “Tonga” pe ‘a kitautolu ‘o ka ‘iai ha Tu’i ‘o Tonga (not a ceremonial figure).
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, ‘Oku mau loto mo poupou’i ‘ae Fale ‘o Tupou ke hokohoko atu aipe ‘a ‘enau pule ki he Pule’anga Tonga ‘o ta’engata (Executive Branch of Government). Pea ke hikitohi pau ia ki he Konisitutone ‘o Tonga pea ‘oua na’a toe liliu ia ‘i he kaha’u na.
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, Kuo pau ke fakamo’oni tohinima ‘ae Tu’i ki he fokotu’u lao kotoa pe kuo paasi mai ‘e he Falealea ka e toki hoko ia koe lao ‘oe Puleanga Tonga. ‘Oku mafai ‘ae Tu’i ke tamate’i (veto) ha fokotu’u lao kuo paasi mai mei he Falealea ‘o Tonga.
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, ‘E me’angaue’aki ‘e he Tu’i ‘ae Palemia ki hono fakahoko ‘oe ngaahi lao ‘oe Pule’anga Tonga ki he fonua mo hono kakai.
II. ‘Oku mau tui ke fakakakato ‘ae loto ‘oe kakai, ke fili ‘e he kakai ‘ae fakafofonga ‘oe kakai ‘e toko 21, pea moe fakafofonga ‘oe Hou’eiki ‘e toko 9 ki he Falealea ‘o Tonga. Pea ngata pe ‘a hono tokolahi ‘oe Falealea ‘i he toko 30, ‘ikai toe lahi ange.
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, Koe fokotu’u lao kotoa ‘oe Pule’anga Tonga kuo pau pe ke paasi ia mei he ngaue ‘ae Falealea, ‘aki ha paloti (vote) ‘e 16 pe lahi ange.
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, ‘E ma’u ‘e he Falealea ha mafai (to override a veto by the King) ke fakahoko ha fokotu’u lao koe lao ki he Pule’anga Tonga ‘aki ha paloti (vote) ‘e 21 mei he Falealea. Fakakatoa, kuopau koe paloti ‘e taha (pe lahi ange) mei he fakafofonga ‘oe Hou’eiki, pea ko hono toenga ‘oe ngaahi paloti mei he fakafofonga ‘oe kakai.
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, ‘E fokotu’u mai ‘e he Tu’i ha kanititeti ‘e toko taha mei hono kakai ‘o Tonga ki he fili ‘oe Palemia. (Primary election)
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, ‘E fokotu’u mai ‘e he kau fakafofonga ‘oe Hou’eiki ha kanititeti ‘e toko taha mei he Falealea ke fai mei ai ha no fili ‘oe Palemia. (Primary election)
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, ‘E fokotu’u mai ‘e he kau fakafofonga ‘oe kakai ha kanititeti ‘e toko ua mei he Falealea ke fai mei ai ha no fili ‘oe Palemia. (Primary election)
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, Koe “fili ‘uluaki” (primary election) ‘o ha toko ua mei he toko fa (‘o kapau ‘e a’u ‘o sino ‘e fa) ‘aia kuo fokotu’u mai. Koe fili koe fatongia ngaue ia ‘oe kau memipa ‘oe Falealea, pea koe ongo kanititeti malohi ‘aia ‘e paloti ma’olunga taha moe fika ua.
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, Koe “fili lahi” (general election) ‘o ha toko taha mei he ongo kanititeti malohi ‘oe “fili ‘uluaki” (‘o kapau na’e sino ‘e ua). Koe fili ni koe fatongia ngaue ia ‘oe kau memipa ‘oe Falealea. ‘Oku malohi ‘ae kanititeti koia ‘oku paloti ‘e 16 pe lahi ange, ke hoko ia koe Palemia ‘oe Pule’anga Tonga ‘i he ta’u ‘e fa.
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, Ka ‘iai ha mahanga ‘i he “fili lahi” ‘o tatau ‘ae ongo fika ‘oe paloti (vote), koe fili faka’osi ‘oe Palemia ‘e fakahoko ia ‘e he Tu’i.
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, Koe fili ‘oe kapineti moe kau minisita ‘oe Pule’anga Tonga ‘e fai ia ‘e he Palemia.
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, Ko hono fakaava moe tapuni ‘oe Fale alea ‘o fakatatau ki he lao ‘o Tonga, ‘e fakahoko ia ‘e he Tu’i.
III. Fakamaau’anga (Court System). Ke mou hokohoko atu aipe ‘i hono tauhi malu ‘ae Konisitutone ‘o Tonga mo hono ngaahi tu’utu’uni fakalao.
Pea ‘i he ‘ene pehe, Mou malu’i ‘ae totonu ‘ae kakai moe Pule’anga ‘o fakatatau moe lao ‘o Tonga.
****************
‘E kainga ko hono mo’oni, mou toki hanga a ‘e kimoutolu ‘i Tonga na ‘o fakaiikiiki mo fakalelei’i ‘a ‘emau ngaahi faka’amu. ‘Ofa ketau kau moe ‘Otua ‘i he ‘Ene ngaahi fakamaau totonu.
Our Leaders need to communicate better than this. Really listen to each other AND the People more now then they have been. Stop wasting your time pointing at each other. It’s a different Tonga now. It’s not the Tonga we’re used to anymore. People have been overseas and have lived in different communities where they’ve been heard to by their Leaders. If our Leaders will listen and try to put each other’s shoes on sometimes, they will get along. Try to see things from a different point of view for a change. That’s why you’re Leaders. We know you all can do the job and we all have faith in your abilities to see this through. Stop putting up shields to defend. Instead, listen, brainstorm and come up with the best solution that will better serve the People and Tonga. You Are where you Are to serve the People of Tonga and the Country. You’re their servants. Royalties are Royalties because of the ‘People’ and we seem to forget that often.
This is the exact same culture we used to run our families back then…Our fathers or elders will say jump and we say how high. This is not the case anymore. It’s a different century now where we need to check out what our children want to say…they might have something better than what we have. That’s why some of our children are taken from our families overseas…we seem to think that they’re wrong most of the time. It doesn’t hurt to be wrong sometimes, or try to hear them out…that’s when you learn most.
I would love to see the changes…with any changes, it will take a while but I hope this will be of benefits to the poor (very little income) disabilities, and elderly. I would like to see the elderly (62 years of age and older) and the disabled get some kind of assistance from the government for a change.
Instead of pointing at each other, try to work together and come to a consensus on what is best for the People of Tonga and her future.
Seta Tanaki
What happened to the defence forces? Why did they not respond? There is no doubt that the rioters were not intending to be violent against people. In fact there are interviews with 2 young girls that defended their liquor store from looters. And there are other instances of people banding together to protect local fale koloa’s.
So why didn’t the defence forces step in an close down the CBD?
Why were the rioters left to rule for over 24 hours?
Many businesses would have been saved if the defence forces were enganged straight away.
There was no threat of violence, there were no weapons, if young girls and unarmed civilians can stand up to the roiters, why couldn’t the defence forces?
Who stopped the defence forces from acting, and why? There was no danger of the rioters using weapons, none have been found.
The drunken youths were easily outclassed by the 2 young girls protecting their liquor store. And they did not resort to the use of violence to protect their store.
Tonga has a defence for specifically for this purpose. Why was it not used? Why were peoples shops sacrificed?
Who’s responsible for calling in the defence forces?
PT could you please interview Mr Senituli again and ask him these questions.
Most shops would have been saved otherwise and Tonga would not be in this mess.
Moli
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