Tonga's diplomats,politicians and the late Fineasi Funaki

Most of Tonga's senior diplomats have one thing in common; they are former military-men. Here they are: Tonga's ambassador to the People's Republic of China, Tonga's ambassador to the United Nations and the US, Tonga's high commissioner to Australia, the CEO of Tonga's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tonga's consul general in San Francisco. Only the high commissioners to the UK and New Zealand did not serve in the Tonga Defense Services. The prime minister who heads the government is a former secondary school teacher. The leader of the opposition in parliament is a former primary school teacher. His experience in teaching little children between the ages of 6 and 12 without a doubt stood him in good stead for he has been a member of parliament for 25 years. He however is unable to stem the deterioration in the use of the Tongan language in parliament. As members, especially the younger ones, continue to gratuitously adulterate their speech with English words; probably to impress but makes it hard to understand what actually they are barking about. Communicating in the Tongan language was one of the strengths of the late minister of tourism Fineasi Funaki, himself a former high school teacher. Gifted with a sharp mind Fineasi was often responsible for causing some of the fiercest debates in the legislature; accompanied by the inevitable rise in pitch, in temperature and in the blood pressures of his opponents. Another area in which Fineasi excelled was his defense of human rights; in particular, the rights of minorities and religious freedom. His passing last year was a huge loss to human rights, i.e. to genuine human rights, here in Tonga.

Tonga's costly civil service payrise; wet dreamers; and deputy PM behaves during NZ foreign minister's visit

Dr. Sitiveni Halapua, a member of parliament, admitted last week that the settlement he helped negotiate in 2005 between the Tongan government and striking civil servants was economically unsound. The superintendent of prisons complained to Radio Tonga News that he has not enough money to run the prisons. Of his department's T$2.1 million budget, sixty percent of which will be spent on wages and salaries. That is the net result of the 60%, 70%, 80% pay rise. But, according to Dr. Halapua, he did it for peace. What peace? One year on and a much bigger crowd assembled on the same spot and tried to hold the government to ransom. Quite a number of familiar faces from the previous year, many from the Friendly Islands Human Rights and Democracy Movement, were there. When their demands were not met, they started burning the Chinese-owned businesses. In her speech at the Tonga Broadcating Commission fiftieth anniversary, TBC chairperson Lady 'Eseta Fusitu'a said that the establishment of her organization came about because " a dreamer dreamed the right dream." More often it is the dream or dreams of the advisers to the decision-maker. The problem arises when the advisers dream wet dreams. Aside from the Cabinet members, Tonga's Prime Minister is also advised by three wise men: a former pilot, a former journalist and a town planner. Let us hope they are not whispering fantasies in the PM's ears. Last week NZ foreign minister Murray McCully visited and was seen listening attentively to Tonga deputy PM Samiu Vaipulu. This was worrying to some as there was a petition against him three months ago alleging that Vaipulu showered kava drinkers in Neiafu with expletives one evening; then went to a nearby village where he tried unsuccessfully to solicit a kiss from a girl who was serving kava.there. In front of Mr. McCully however and to everyone's relief Vaipulu behaved honourably and did not do either.  

Tonga broadcasting Commission turns fifty and the managers of state-owned enterprises

Last week the Tonga Broadcasting Commission celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. At the commemorative dinner TBC chairperson Lady 'Eseta Fusitu'a paid tribute to her predecessors then thanked Prime Minister Tu'ivakano for appointing her to this lofty position; in fact the first woman to head a state-owned enterprise. But as is the fashion here Lady 'Eseta in her moment of fame and happiness indulged herself in a Tongan dialect that consists of standard Tongan littered with English words, English phrases and even whole English sentences. In short pidgin Tongan. It seems odd that the lingua franca of the once far-flung Tu'i Tonga empire is now considered unfit to express happiness in. Thankfully TBC general manager Nanise Fifita did not forget her mother tongue throughout her brief and eloquent speech. But Nanise is a journalist through and through; just as Mr. Timote Katoanga, the managing director of the government-owned Tonga Communications Corporation, is the quintessential telecommunication engineer. How come then that the general manager of the Tonga Water Board is a geologist in a field where the expertise of a civil engineer or a chemical engineer or a public health engineer, is required. It is not unusual to find two long queues in the TWB office, one for paying bills and the other for filing complaints. That's not quite a surprise isn't it? It is not just engineers, often confused with motor mechanics and electricians, who are slighted; most models on television ads and on billboards are Fijians. What is wrong with hiring Tongan models?

Tonga's parliament picked on the country's Chinese community

Tonga's parliament turned racist on Monday 27 June 2011. 'Akilisi Pohiva, secretary of the Friendly Islands Human Rights and Democracy Movement, wanted the Minister of Labour to make the Chinese store owners hire Tongan shop assistants in place of employing Chinese labourers that they bring over. The Minister replied that he has asked the immigration department to let the Ministry of Labour decide which applicants gets a work permit. The Minister and his staff should be very busy with their own workload and they are not trained to deal with immigration matters. The potential for abuse is very much there especially in exchange for financial and sexual favours. I am not suggesting that the Minister and his CEO are eyeing this negative but profitable side of issuing visas. One member of parliament complained to the Labour Minister that Chinese shops sometimes raise the price of mutton flabs. The Minister warmed to the idea of controlling the price of this piece of fat. Another member wanted the Minister to acquaint the Chinese business owners with our customs and practices. Funnily the Tongan adherents of the Jehovah Witness faith do not even observe some of our own cultures and traditions. But Radio Australia's Bruce Hill, who appears to subscribe to this nonsense, would be delighted to interview the MP. Tonga's Minister of Finance contributed to the debate or rather the Chinese bashing exercise by telling the House that there used to be six Chinese-owned shops in his constituency of 'Eua, now there are only three. Two days after this orgy the Deputy Prime Minister warned members of the consequences of what they say in parliament; according to him, a rock was thrown the night before at a truck, used by Chinese nationals who are building roads here, breaking the windscreen.