Kalafi Moala The outgoing Prime Minister Rev. Dr. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa gave his final speech as Prime Minister, not so much as a farewell but a “fare-bitter” rhetoric full of condemnation and blame on his political enemies. The speech was broadcast on all the major radio stations and distributed in print through social media. True to his nature in his short term as Prime Minister, he was defensive and lashed out in bitterness against those he says, betrayed him by not giving him a chance to continue as Prime Minister. According to Tu’i’onetoa, he had come to an agreement with those…
Author: Kalafi Moala
Supa Mario The Tongan language has, for the lack of a better explanation, linguistically evolved through time. At the arrival of cars, vans and other vehicles, aircrafts, etc we did not have Tongan words for it for we did not have them at all to begin with. So imagine the struggle they must have had in translating these English words into Tongan. We have words that would describe them in the most simplest form. For instance, vehicles were translated as “me’alele” which literally translates as “something that moves.” Another translation for vehicle is the phrase “saliote mīsini” which literally translates…
Supa Mario (‘Oku taupotu ki lalo ‘a e fakamatala fakaTonga) It was not surprising that Hon Hu’akavameiliku (a.k.a Siaosi Sovaleni) would be running for Prime Minister against Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa. However, supporters of Prime Minister Tu’i’onetoa are furious that the likes of Siaosi Sovaleni have lost trust in his leadership. But the thing is, trust can truly be lost if it genuinely existed in the first place to begin with. The PAK-led Government was more like a “marriage of convenience” engineered by the notorious Lavulavu to achieve various objectives. These include, obviously the removal of PTOA from steering the Cabinet. A…
Supa Mario There is no official record of the names of the first settlers to the islands we now call and love, Tonga. But we do know that people did not just grow from trees. It is very likely that they arrive by ships. It is uncertain when these settlers populate the Islands , how order was maintained and how things developed. By looking at our very own culture and tradition, we are given indications that our ancestors were somehow grouped into tribes. There is a common question being asked these days when enquiring about a person: “Ko ‘ene ha’u…
Supa Mario During the first two years of Prime Minister Tu’i’onetoa, houses that were ruined by Cyclone Gita were successfully built. Amongst these houses was a house in his constituency, Tongatapu-10. A celebration was held and the Prime Minister was presented with gifts such as mats, tapa cloths and other traditional handicrafts. Most of the houses built were followed with such celebrations. Not to mention the gifts the Prime Minister had when he conducted the National Fastings. The monetary value of these gifts combined could be sold more than a hundred thousand pa’anga in the appropriate market. One cannot help…
Supa Mario We have had our 2021 General Election and now, as dictated by the constitution, it is up to our elected representatives to vote for the Prime Minister. The new Prime Minister would then select his Deputy and the rest of the Cabinet Ministers. While we patiently wait for these processes to take place, there have been public concerns raised on social media, among them decade-long discussed issue of “horse-trading”. Many have expressed their strong distaste with regards to “horse-trading”, and understandably so. We have seen previous Administrations with Ministers who neither have the qualification or experience to be…
Supa Mario Christmas and its holidays are drawing near and everyone seems to look forward to. It is a season of “love and hope” as they would say, bringing loved ones together with gifts and presents. But at the end of the day, families would be spending and businesses would be thriving. It has been the case for centuries all around the globe making the rich richer and the poor poorer. The delusion that we’re doing this for Jesus has mentally enslaved the Island nation into adopting a foreign tradition, “Tonganize” it as Kilisimasi and made it our own. Yes,…
Kalafi Moala The people have spoken! It is time for change. On 18 November, nine new people’s representatives were elected and three new nobles’ representatives. Eight incumbents retained their seats, plus six nobles returning to the House, in an election that will probably go down as the most significant of the decade. Significant because the political party or group that has influenced and led the development of the political landscape in Tonga for 34 years was all but got eliminated from Parliament. The big winners are the independent candidates who will command a majority in the House to select a…
Kalafi Moala All election campaigning will cease 24 hours before voting begins on Thursday 18th November. This means that no more banners and other campaign materials are to be displayed; no more broadcast programs by candidates, no more gatherings or meetings for the purpose of campaigning. This was in an announcement from the Office of the Supervisor of Elections, Pita Vuki. Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 are the remaining two days for any active campaigning. But it seems however that all campaigning throughout the kingdom is winding down anyway. The big news of the week has shifted from the threat…
(Published on February 9, 2021) Politics: Nine months later has there been any change? A dead man is still the biggest influence in Tonga’s politics. He is the centre of the political dialogue in this politically super-charged island kingdom. Even though dead for almost a year and a half, ‘Akilisi Pohiva for better or for worse, is still the biggest influence in the political affairs of a country divided either against him or for him. The current government led by Rev. Dr. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa can hardly issue a statement or make a public interview without reference to him. In the…