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.