Actions of Tonga's Prime Minister have been 'disgraceful and hypocritical' and it's time for him to step down with grace Featured
Barbara Dreaver 1 NEWS Pacific Correspondent and Prime Minister of Tonga 'Akilisi Pohiva
Opinion: Actions of Tonga's Prime Minister have been 'disgraceful and hypocritical' and it's time for him to step down with grace: Barbara Dreaver 1 NEWS Pacific Correspondent
When I first met Akilisi Pohiva many years ago he had the courage of a lion.
A pro-democracy activist, he bucked against the almost absolute rule in the Kingdom, doing prison time in his struggle for democracy and freedom of speech.
To many ordinary Tongans he was a hero, to the ruling royals and nobles a threat.
But there was no doubt his intentions were because he loved his country.
So skip to today and Akilisi Pohiva is the Prime Minister of a Kingdom that’s still trying to find its feet politically.
It’s a country that has serious economic and social problems.
A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT
But Mr Pohiva has so far proven to be a huge disappointment and for those of us who follow Tongan politics closely his recent actions have been bewildering to say the least.
His recent sacking of Tonga Broadcasting’s manager Nanise Fifita because he thinks the Government funded broadcaster should back Government policies and he didn’t like how they questioned him is disgraceful and hypocritical, particularly given freedom of speech is a platform he has got mileage out of over the years.
Used to being held in high regard as a pro-democracy leader, he has had trouble adjusting to being rightfully challenged as an elected leader.
Other issues are also troubling. Like wanting to amend the Constitution so top roles like Police Commissioner and Attorney General are appointed by cabinet.
Essentially the police would answer to the Minister – who happens to be his son-in-law.
The Prime Minister has been accused of making a mockery of the parliamentary system after ignoring due process. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Its clear Mr Pohiva is not a well man – in a press conference he got confused over a question and started talking about a completely different topic and only came back on topic after a whispered conversation with his advisor.
This confusion is worrying officials – both locally and internationally.
Last year he told me he would not be standing for re-election next year but has told others he is now considering it. He shouldn’t. It time to bow out gracefully before any more damage is done
-TVNZ
27 comments
-
'Oua e fiu, 'oku maumau taimi hono tala e konisitutone malu, 'okapau koe founga tataki 'oku avaava hange ha kongaholo viviku. Koe opinion 'ae faiangoongo 'oku mahu'ingaa, kae 'ikai koe fonua 'oku ha'u mei ai. 'Ikai teu poupou'i 'ae vahe lahi 'a Sevele, 'okapau ko 'ene vili ta'e'unua ke kei fkhoko 'ae Sipoti 2019, ke lava 'o taa 'ene ngaahi fu'u 'otu noo. 'Ikai teu poupou'i 'ae PM lolotonga ke kaniseli 'ae Sipoti, 'okapau tene afe'i 'ae fu'u laumiliona koia he Patiseti, kenau kemipeini tanu hala 'aki etc. mo 'ene kau Minisita kihe fili Fale Alea hoko. Koe lau 'a e faiongoongo 'oku tonu pasika ia mo 'eku vakai atu kihe ongo PM. The former is 'hypocritical' and the current is 'disgraceful'. Mou 'aa'aa mai Tonga, he'e 'iai 'ae ngaahi faihala 'oku tu'unuku mai, hili hano fkpaasi 'ae Patiseti 2017/18.
-
Ko e me'amahu'inga he taimi ni Nuanga koe patiseti. Ka fakapaasi e patiseti ku teeki to'o e konga kihe sipoti OKU TAEFAKALAO LEVA IA. Manatui nae osi iai e silini ia nae allocate kihe sipoti, ka tali e patiseti koeni e ave leva e paanga ia koiaa ki feia?
Fokotuu atu kihe kau Nopele mo Vaipulu, Hingano, Lavulavu mo Vakata oua naa mou hikinima he patiseti tae revise koena tuku atu pe mala'ia oe lohiakii e Fale Alea o Tonga ke hilifaki pe he tumu'aki e kau Kapineti mo honau ngaahi famili ki he osi a mamani. -
'E iai mau pe e fehangahangai he taimi kotoa. Oku i fe hotau vaka he taimi mahuinga ni? Ku 'a'alo e puleanga ki mu'a ka e 'a'alo e niihi ki mui pea nau toki tau 'a'alo ai koe ola e kai ia he fonua kotoa. Kapau te tau oange e faingamalie ko eni ki he puleanga lolotonga ke nau taki etau folau koe fili hoko tau fulihi he oku ikai lelei e taki. Naa tau aalo tuu mau pe he tau e 4 ko eni. Koe mea lelei e fakaanga ia kau ai e tui e finemotua muli ni ka koe ha hano aonga kuo tomui ia totonu ke hau ia he lolotonga e teu fili. Tau pelu la a o tokoni ki he langa ngaue. Tau siosio lelei ko Fale Lahi oku ikai ha longoaa mei ai he oku nau (hufanga atu) fie vakai ki he etau ngaue ikai koe favai..
ofa atu -
Tau sio pe ki he point a e faiongoongo pe oku loi pe oku mooni. Kapau oku mooni pea koe tokoni ia kihotau Taki. Koe faiongoongo Ena a e TV nz ki he Pacific pea oku ikai fili noaia. Tali e fakaanga he koe langahake ia.
-
Fakaofa tama oua e fiu toutou repeat pe me'atatau ke hoko pe kihomou palemia o toutou fakafana. Omi ha poini ke fakahalaki aki e lau ae faiongoongo ke ifo emau laukonga ko hoo taofi e lea ae faiongoongo i Tonga ni he oku taofi mai eha taha e leanoaia holo homou palemia i muli.
-
Malo kau Tangata 'ae kei aaa mai pea koe ifo 'etau fetaulaki ko ho'omou pakipaki mai he'etau kave'inga pea tau kakata pe mo laka he 'oku malimali mai 'ae Matanga he kohikohi 'oku tau fkhoko he ngaluope !!
1.Mou Fkpaheke mai he'etau kaveinga moha loto 'oku hanga malie pea tuku 'ae fokotu'u lau moe ta'aki fk-foi Tuitui koe me'a ia 'ae tevolo.
2. Koe lea fefeka oku fkhoko ? ko hai ia ke ha'u o "koto ko" hotau Fonua....lolotonga 'oku malu pe 'etau Konisitutone moe fokotu'utu'u ngaue 'ae Fonua. ki hono fknofo mo fkhifo 'ae Palemia 'oe Fonua.
3.Mou fktokanga'i, na'e 'osi malu pe ae Tukufonua o Tonga mei he Kamata'anga,pea koe me'a ia na'e 'ikai lava 'a Papalangi, ke oho mai ki hotau Fonua 'Ofa 'anga. pea tau malu hao ai mei hono colonised kitautolu he ng Fonua Hau o Mamani.pea 'oku tau polepole ai, neongo 'etau tomui he langa fklakalaka fkhoa ki hotau ng kau nga'api he Pasifiki,na'e Kolonia katoa kinautolu 'e Falanise, Siamane, Pilitania , Amelika mo NZ
4 Koe Faiongoongo muli ko'ena, 'oku Tatapa holo he funga 'oe Fonua, fai mo tukuna atu ke puna he 'oku 'ikai ke 'iai ha'ane kakakunga 'e taha ki he'etau me'a fkfonua...... (tukukehe ka 'oku toi mai ha kau faiongoongo Tonga I hono tu'a)......ka 'oku sai ia ke tau 'ilo... -
Ko Oua e Fiu ia oku kau ia he kau ka'ate 'atamai kovi a e Palemia. Nonga pe fanau ia a e Palemia nau defend holo pe enautolu enau Tamai he facebook kae hopo mai e kau ta'e fakakaukau ia koeni o ta e kakai kenau hu pilisone ai hhahhh uha kulii hifo ki he kau poupou koeni mo e fakapiko
-
Ko e kau hitmen ena na' e lau ki ai e PM. Ko ia pe ena 'oku 'i ai 'ene kau tama pehe.
-
'Oua e Fiu hange 'oku ke puke mo ko e he mahaki confuse 'oku tengetange ai 'etau motu'a Palemia. Ki'i fakamokomoko pee lau ke mahino. Ko ho'o kei tau'ataina ko ena he lotu lelei mo e poto na'e ha'u mo e papalangi 'o kei tolonga aihota fo'i Tonga. He ka ne 'ikai kuo 'osi fuoloa ha 'ahi'ahi 'atomi 'a Falanise 'i Tonga. Pee ko ha'o lea faka Lusia pee faka Siapani. Manatu ko tonga 'oku langa ia he ngaahi pule'anga muli ( Overseas Donor). Pea koia kai pee pa'anga tokoni mo takoto pe 'o fakaanga he'e a'u atu pee kautama 'o se'e ko e ki tahi. Ko e ongoongo lelei ena mo mo'oni ke toe ki'i vakavakai'i e anga e faitu'utu'u ni mo e fakalele pule'anga na'a 'oku mo'oni kuo taimi e mapumapu ki 'api sai ange ia hano toki tolongi ki 'api. .
-
Koe 'elito 'o e tui fakatemokalati 'oku fakapalofesinale ai 'a e fakahoko fatongia 'o e faiongoongo ni. Ko 'ene ma'u koe fonua temokalati 'a Tonga ni 'o fakatatau ki he tu'uaki 'ehe Palemia 'i he kuohili. Ta 'oku tau mali kitautolu moe pule fakatikitato 'o fakatatau ki he tu'utu'uni 'oku 'omai ke loka'i pea tipotaa'i etc. malie temo????.