Concerns over the suspension of Mrs. Viola Ulakai ^Featured

Dear Editor,

I just cannot believe it! I just found out that Mrs Viola Ulakai of Tonga Broadcasting Commission has now been suspended with pay while inquiries are underway.  The decision was made by PM Pohiva and was implemented without a second thought by his Hon Minister of Public Enterprise, Poasi Tei, to be effective from Wednesday the 20th of April, 2016.

The charges named include; 1) questioning the involvement of the PM’s son Mr Siaosi Pohiva in the PM’s raw marks reform in the Dept of Education; 2) the allegation that Mrs Ulakai is personally attacking the PM putting him down and thus affecting his Government’s working relations with Overseas Corporation such as SPC; 3) that Mrs Ulakai has no such qualification to have any say in the PM’s raw mark’s reform since her expertise is on Journalism and not Education; 4) that Mrs Ulakai misled the PM in proposing for a press conference with Tonga Media Council but which she was representing herself and not the Council. (See http://www.nepituno.to/index.php/opinions/item/1166-tuku-ki-tu-a-viola-ulakai-mei-he-letio-tonga-fokotu-u-mei-he-palemia)

Now, why should we be so concerned about this issue? Well, I thought that we were having a democratically elected Government which has been fighting to uphold “good governance” in which the leaders are to be held accountable to the people for the integrity and righteousness of decisions they make. But in this particular case, it appears that what we have is indeed a democratically elected Government that operates according to anti-democratic ideas.

I mean, PM Pohiva’s Government seems to be thinking that they must not be held accountable by the people for its operation. Let us address ourselves to each of the accusation levelled against Mrs Ulakai. And by the way, in my view, Mrs Ulakai represents us concerned parents whose kids have been thrown into all kinds of confusion since the PM’s introduction of his raw marks scheme late last year.

Consider, firstly, the matter regarding PM Pohiva’s son, Mr Siaosi Pohiva, and his involvement in the so-called “raw marks reform”. Mrs Ulakai represents the majority of concerned parents in this country whose concerns are, on what basis is Mr Pohiva qualified to provide technical assistance in Education Department’s raw marks scheme? Aren’t there better, more experienced and properly qualified people – Tongan scholars for that matter; who could do this job better? Where is Dr Visesio Pongi, Dr ‘Uhila Fasi who used to do curriculum-related work here in Tonga in the most recent past?

I am told that Mr Pohiva has only 5 years of experience in this field. Any tweet should know that such a level of expertise, cannot qualify anyone for any important task at hand. We have local expertise as well, far better qualified and more experienced for the PM’s “raw marks reform” than his son. Why is the PM refusing to use them? Dr ‘Ana Koloto of USP, Dr Seu’ula Fonua, and even the former Education Minister, Dr ‘Ana Taufe’ulungaki, to name just a few experts in the field of Education, who could have provided more credibility to the PM’s “reform” than his own son. I would kindly ask the PM’s sons (not only Siaosi but also Po’oi) to please render themselves invisible from the current political radar, simply to protect their aging father.

And, secondly, what about the allegation that Mrs Ulakai is personally attacking PM Pohiva and in so doing affects his Government’s working relationship with overseas organisations? When was democracy about the dignity and reputation of the leader? Is not democracy about the dignity and satisfaction of the people and NOT the leader? Or is PM Pohiva’s Government’s main aim only to promote the dignity and honour of the PM to overseas potential donors? Would it have been far more dignified and more honourable for PM Pohiva to acknowledge the problems relating to his raw marks system?  Or is PM Pohiva so self-absorbed that he can no longer think about the people of Tonga but just himself and “his Government”?

In this particular case, nothing would seem to have been far more important for his dignity than to have put himself down to Mrs Ulakai’s level and provide answers for her queries and for all the concerned parents of this Land whom she is representing. Or is it far more important for PM Pohiva to retain good relations with overseas corporate bodies than with the local people who elected him and his Cabinet, to Parliament? Let the reader join the crowd!

Thirdly, it is somewhat embarrassing to read between the lines about how PM Pohiva thinks about Mrs Ulakai and therefore, the rest of the people of Tonga. He cannot allow Mrs Ulakai to question his Government in matters relating to the so-called “raw marks reform” simply because she’s a Journalist and not an Educator. I mean, are you kidding me? Anyone with half a brain, like me, can see that there are numerous and unprecedented problems in our education system since the imposition of the PM’s raw marks scheme in late 2015. I mean, even the Examination and Assessment Unit (EAU) has reported the failure of the raw marks system to bring about a certain kind of standardization in students’ outcomes.

Universities, at least in NZ, no longer use raw marks. Why is the PM insisting on it? Further, we are told that the computer program which was put in place to assist the program has proven to be a failure in calculating the outcomes of students’ performance. I mean, Mrs Ulakai and the rest of us, don’t have to be rocket scientists to know that! Read the media sources and the appropriate reports! PM Pohiva needs to give account to the people of Tonga about the reported problems of his raw marks system. What good reasons are there, to persist with it, again, for another year? Insanity, as we’ve all heard Einstein saying, is doing the same thing all the time, expecting different results. Mrs Ulakai and concerned parents whom she represented don’t need expertise in Education to see the complications brought about by the PM and his son’s raw marks scheme. We just need half a brain and a lot of common sense!

Fourthly, was PM Pohiva misled by Mrs Ulakai in asking for a press conference with Tonga Media Council? Well, even if PM Pohiva had suspected misleading information in this case, what would have been the problem, had he eventually called a press conference and clarify Mrs Ulakai’s concerns? Would it not have been the most democratic way? What would it have costed PM Pohiva to have done so? To be accountable to the people of the Land, even if it is simply one rugged individual asking questions in relation to the Government’s operation, is the hallmark of a democratic Government operating under the cross-of-Christ principle. But this is the story for another day.

Finally, it is simply hard to believe that Hon Poasi Tei would just deliver the PM’s decision on Mrs Ulakai without a second thought or perhaps further consultations with PM Pohiva on the issues raised. Hon Tei could have given the PM some proverbial lights and thus could have prevented him from going this far. Or does the PM no longer listen to advice? After World War II, those who thoughtlessly carried out Hitler’s order in German’s concentration camps, simply because it was their job, were found to be as much guilty as the Fuhrer himself.

I would plead with the Hon Ministers, whose educational backgrounds and spiritual upbringing were slightly different from the PM’s, to use common sense and to stand-up for the people, in order to help prevent PM Pohiva’s Government from continuing to make worst, the mess in which we have all found ourselves now.

Faka’apa’apa atu,

Rev. Dr Ma’afu Palu