Dirty politics in Tonga

There has so far been one case of drty politicking in the run up to Tonga's first ever democratic election on November 25. The Kele'a, a tabloid-style newspaper that is owned by the director of the Friendly Islands Human Rights and Democracy Movement, has accused one candidate of dancing one night without underpants. The paper's source is someone who dranked kava. Anyone who has been high on kava knows what the beverage can do to your senses. The candidate denies the story and claims to have more witnesses on his side. The Kele'a in its latest issue is waving the race card. It is scaremongering at its worst, "In future we will become labourers to these foreigners [Chinese]. Our descendants will be economic prisoners." Not bad for a paper that is owned by someone who is paid by the Christian World Service of New Zealand to promote human rights in Tonga!