New laptops for Tonga's parliament; birthday guest-list is news for Radio NZ International; and a code of ethics for Tonga's teachers

Each member of Tonga's new parliament has at his disposal a new laptop, courtesy of the People's Republic of China. The Speaker was so overjoyed at the gift that he forgot which language to express his gratitude in and ended up switching back and forth between the English and Tongan languages while talking to journalists. When the Speaker was still an ordinary member of parliament he once complained that he could not understand the then minister of health, who used to decorate his speeches with English phrases. The Speaker talked of the many advantages a laptop brings, including ease of access to the internet; but he overlooked the mere fact that these toys are also useful for watching porn, a diversion that can help MPs bear with the long and aimless speeches that dominate parliamentary debates. What will happen to the laptops in four years? We do not know yet, but in parliament this year veteran MP 'Akilisi Pohiva wanted to know the fate of 10 motorbikes, 40 desk fans. and 100 green-colored chairs that belonged to the legislature but have mysteriously disappeared. Every weekday at 8.40 am we get to hear a news bulletin in the Tongan language from Radio NZ International, relayed via FM 89.5. If the news reader had been to a wedding or birthday party, that too would often feature in the news. But Tevita Finau who read the news from Wellington took it to an absurd level on 22 February 2011 when he actually read out the guest-list at a birthday party. By the sixth minute (I timed it) Tevita started on who lit the birthday cake, but thankfully local announcer 'Anolo Manu has heard enough and turned it off. Today the Friendly Islands Teachers Association president Finau Tutone told Radio Tonga news that they are working on a code of ethics for teachers here. What I as a parent want is equal opportunity for all students. In 2005 Mr Tutone's then 12-year old grandson, a Form 2 student, sat the Maths paper in the Tonga School Certificate exams, which was and is only available to Form 5 students. This country teems with youths who unwisely left school early without any qualifications; why not not give them the same opportunity as that enjoyed by the young Tutone. Anyway Finau Tutone is a very active member of the Friendly Islands Human Rights and Democracy Movement that purports to promote human rights here in Tonga.     

Chris Kelley should stay on as Tonga's police commissioner; Tongans' penchant for writing reports

Chris Kelley can clean up the Tonga Police Force. In one of the trials relating to the riot in 2006, a key piece of evidence, a videotape, went missing. When it was finally recovered, part of it had already been deleted. Its trail through the police department was tracked down to a cadet officer and a constable. The defendants were of course acquitted but what happened to the two police officers? A member of the then small Tongan community in the UK, i.e. before rugby union turned professional, related to me in 2006 of his shock when an inspector from the Tonga Police boasted of how he had punched a prominent Nuku'alofa woman unconscious and then raped her. The inspector completed his course of study, then returned to Tonga where he spent many more fruitful years serving King and country. And write reports. Tongans have a weakness for writing reports. The editor of the Matangitonga news website write reports for Transparency International. After the submission of one such report, TI rated Tonga as one of the world's most corrupt countries. Reports were already written about the MV Princess Ashika before it sank.. Even on the day it sailed on its final voyage, the vessel was inspected by an independent marine engineer for yet another report. The director of the Friendly Islands Human Rights and Democracy Movement also write a report; unbelievably, it is on the state of human rights here in Tonga. Since the FIHRDM only pretends to be a genuine human rights organization, you would expect the director to be writing a report for Stupidity International. But no! The report is actually read, dissected, digested, filed and probably memorized by a group of idiots from Christchurch, New Zealand who call themselves the Christian World Service, They seem to specialize in giving away money to unworthy causes. This week the FIHRDM announced its displeasure that Lt. Col. Tevita Mara, who alleges serious human rights abuses in Fiji, has been given a Tongan passport. No doubt the FIHRDM director will include the Mara passport in his report to the preschoolers at the Christian World Service.

Tenth anniversary of campaign to expose the Friendly Islands Human Rights and Democracy Movement; Ngalu Fusimalohi heads Tonga's Olympic team; hero Sepp Blatter; and more advice for Radio Australia's Bruce Hill

2011is the tenth year since I came to the conclusion that the FIHRDM is an organization that devours human rights and decided to do something about this madness. In 2001 I hand-delivered a letter to the editor of the then Matangitonga magazine, outlining my reasons as to why the FIHRDM cannot qualify as a human rights organization. That letter was never published but the Tonga Chronicle and Taimi 'o Tonga newspapers accepted letters that dared to challenge the status of the FIHRDM.. There is no doubt about the cleverness of the FIHRDM in putting on a respectable front and its ability to attract funds from overseas sponsors. There is also no doubt about the failure of the Tonga Media Council to detect a monstrosity right under its nose. The Tonga Amateur Sports Association (TASA) has appointed Ngalu Fusimalohi as chef de mission of Tonga's team to the 2012 Olympics. Last year Ngalu was suspended by FIFA for three years. TASA administration manager 'Ahosivi Kaitapu told the Tasimi 'o Tonga that Ngalu has university degrees and experience in journalism and these will come in handy if there is a need for negotiations. 'Ahosivi is probably unaware that Ngalu is disciplined by FIFA because of comments he made to British reporters who had posed as American soccer officials. Ngalu is seeking to divorce his Fiji-born wife on grounds that are not recognized by the laws of Tonga. Nevertheless I trust TASA's judgment. FIFA under hero Sepp Blatter's leadership had built a multimillion dollar soccer complex here in Tonga. Ngalu, then secretary general of the Tonga Football Association, oversaw that project. As for Radio Australia's Bruce Hill. Well, poor old Bruce should first visit Atenisi University when he is in Tonga; because there, academics and students disinterestedly analyze significant events in the local scene. That should help Bruce distinguish between bread crumbs and bird droppings when he interviews Tongan politicians and political activists.