Tonga government accused of trying to grab absolute power Featured
22 May, 2017. A former justice minister in Tonga says by attempting to amend the constitution, the government is trying to grab absolute power.
'Akilisi Pohiva's government is proposing an amendment that would see top roles such as the attorney general, police commissioner and anti-corruption commissioner, appointed by the prime minister and cabinet.
Currently, such appointments are made by the privy council and the king.
A former justice minister Clive Edwards said the current system provided an important balance against the power of the prime minister in a nascent democracy.
He said while he was not entirely against the proposal, it comes in the light of recent scandals surrounding Mr Pohiva's attacks on the public broadcaster.
"They're wanting more power. They want power, they want control, and they want absolute power - that's what it is. Not democracy that they were clamouring for and that was given by the king. Having given that right they want every power that's left, all under the control of the prime minister", he said
Clive Edwards said when similar proposals were made in previous parliaments, Mr Pohiva was an ardent opponent.
-RNZI
3 comments
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Na'e 'iai hono 'uhinga hono tuku ki he'ene afio e ngaahi lakanga koia kene fili pea 'I hono mafai ke ne pule'i.. pea oku kei mahu'inga pe ke 'iai 'a 'ene Afio 'o fakataulama ki he fonuna pea 'oua foki 'e 'iai ha 'aho kuo fakaehaua ai 'ehe PM a e fonua ..
Kainga Tonga mou mamata atu pe ki he fakafotunga 'a e PM lolotonga 'oku e'a mai mei ai 'a e fu'u fiema'u mafai o hulu atu ia he mafai kuo ne ma'u he taimi ni... Kuo ta tu'o lahi ene lea o fekau'aki moe 'ikai lava hono Pule'anga o fai ha ngaue he oku kei Pule pe a Tupou 'o tautau tefito ki he Ateni Seniale pea moe Polisi Komisiona...
Oku kei tu'u pe 'etau lea Tonga koia koe ""Oua 'e tangi ke tatau na'a 'ita 'a Taufa'ahau"... koia Pule'anga Lolotonga mou fai e ngaue ke lelei he koe fu'u mafai lahi faufaua 'enau kuo mou ma'u.. te'eki sio a Tonga ha mafai pehe kuo foaki ma'a ha tu'a ..
Tokanga'i e kameli 'ene to mai ko'eni ki loto kuo hange ka fakakaukau ia kene 'aka e tauhi ki tu'a kae fakaloloa atu ia 'I loto e ..
Malie lahi ... -
The contradictions in both thinking and action of the PM (as in the observation of Mr Clive Edwards when "Mr Pohiva was an ardent opponent" of similar proposals that were made in previous governments) is true of Lord Acton's saying that "absolute power corrupts absolutely." As a matter of mere political convenience cleverly gained through lies and deceits, as well as a true opportunist and self-rightist, Mr Pohiva convincingly campaigned hard for power by using the democratic ideology of political governance (i.e., transparency, accountability, quality and justice), which has clearly been the very opposite of his ongoing unthinking but truly conflicting political conduct, Mr Pohiva seemed to have overly possessed by and obsessed with the technicality, superficiality and absurdity of political governance rather than its legality, logicality and normality.
By the contradictory way in which things have been tragically going and developing since his government came into power, especially if and only if all the necessarily required conditions are right (or made by force, lies and deception to be right), Mr Pohiva is truly on the dangerous path to being a real dictator. So, it may not be a matter of how (given that erratic and sporadic way he has been doing it anyway) but rather a matter of when (within the remaining two years of government given that his unthinking and irrational and dishonourable members of his cabinet continue to support it miles away from the common good and good of all of the whole of Tonga). -
Mokomoko koe Clive, oku fiema'u 'e he Palemia ia ke toe hili atu mo e mafai koena kiai ke hoko ia ko hono kahoa ki hetesi hehe