Nepotism and censorship in Tongan democracy ^Featured

Additionally, last Friday, the Government sponsored newspaper, the “Tonga Weekly” published its last issue, but under the new government's censorship. However, my regular “Totofa ‘o Nuku‘alofa” column was censored off the issue, and replaced by an editorial justifying the hiring of the Prime Minister’s son as PA.

The censored column reviewed the recent elections critically of how Prime Minister Pōhiva arrived “de facto” at the Prime Minister’s Office. It criticized the seven (7) Independents who joined the PTOA minority party by calling them “The Seven Judases” who deceived their thousands of constituents that voted for them on the Independent platform.

Censorship Prevents Fair and Balanced Reporting

Another feature column under a pen name “Siu ‘a Lulu Mata-tālanga” (Media Review) critical of the “Taimi ‘o Tonga,” a pro-PTOA party weekly, was also censored off the issue. Editor/publisher Kalafi Moala ostensibly wrote a front-page, straight-news article, however, it was a pure editorial piece. No references to his source informants for the editorial article were made.

This feature article was on its second week’s of publishing. Additionally, the censors deleted photo credits for 10 photographs of mine they published in this issue without my permission. I am contemplating suing for theft of intellectual property.

However, my lead article (straight news) of the issue, written from Parliament on December 29, 2014 did survive the censorship committee’s razor blades. It’s headline declared…”Kuo Lava: “Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva, ‘Ofa ‘anga ‘o e Mītiá” did survive. Obviously, the censors did not catch the double meaning.

Nepotism is the “Appearance of Impropriety”

Unfortunately for this week, the contributors to the “Tonga Weekly” are all fired. The paper was sold to former Minister of Law, Attorney Clive Edwards in December, 2014, but the new government wants to scratch the sale.

The “appearance of impropriety” is at the heart of this issue:

1. Hiring one’s relative defeats the “equal opportunity” doctrine in a democracy. It defies public trust that the PM will hold family members to the same moral and legal standards as other members of society.

2. Prime Minister Pōhiva has slammed former governments on nepotism issues in the past. Why doesn’t it apply to himself?

3. Former Prime Minister Tu‘ivakanō ordered his former Minister of Tourism to resend the hiring of his niece as an IT technician in his office in 2011.

4. Although the PM claims he has the legal authority to hire his son as a personal assistant (PA), his son is subjected to government employment policies; and there are more qualified clerical and medical technicians to perform the PA’s duties.

5. The PA is a salaried position paid through government auspices and benefits.

6. The PM circumvented government policies to hire his son; he cannot arbitrary change government policies to suit his own family members. Anti nepotism rules are employed to prevent the “appearance of impropriety.”

7. The PM’s PA is a government employee who exposes the government to legal ramifications: injuries and deaths on the line of duty obliges the government to pay restitutions; the PM cannot guarantee that his family will not sue the government should his son is injured or died in an accident.



Sione A.
Nuku‘alofa, Tonga
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