Isn’t it sweet that the Australian Government would like everyone to realise that we hold the moral high ground.

Time to end Bush’s wretched war. (excerpt)

Yesterday, the Australian Government, via the Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, reiterated its opposition to the death penalty. "We urge countries who continue to apply capital punishment not to do so," he told the ABC, adding that Australia would co-sponsor a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly calling for a moratorium on capital punishment.

Just as we hold the moral high ground on all those other International Treatise signed on the rights of children, or the rights of asylum seekers, after which we close the doors from any critics and go ahead and literally drive people to self-harm, suicide, mental illness.

But we are white, and white is might, so it must be right.

The Pacific Solution.

Feb 2008: As promised prior to the 2007 Federal Election, the ALP on assuming government, quickly moved to shut down the Australian-run detention centre on Nauru in the remote South Pacific. However, it has not withdrawn the controversial September 2001 legislation that created the offshore detention and processing system that came to be known as the 'Pacific Solution'. Instead of transferring asylum seekers en route to Australia to Nauru, it now transfers all asylum seekers to the detention centre on Christmas Island off Australia's far North-West coast. They still have have no rights under Australian law and are processed separately.

Oh, and they didn’t get the chance to enact a new legislation with greater powers similar to what allows the above ‘solution’ because those fool citizens didn’t give the ALP a majority in the Senate.

Commenting on the announcement, James Thomson, spokesperson for the National Council of Churches’ refugee program, which coordinated the statement, said that if it were not for the sustained pressure that churches and community brought to bear in the debate, and the pivitol role played by key parliamentarians who stood their ground against the Bill, it would have been passed.

Flight from Nauru ends Pacific Solution

"The Pacific solution was a cynical, costly and ultimately unsuccessful exercise introduced on the eve of a federal election (in 2001) by the Howard government," Senator Evans said.

He said the department had spent $289 million between September 2001 and June 2007 to run the Nauru and Manus centres.

Mark Getchell, from the International Organisation for Migration, which ran the Nauru facility, said there were now no asylum seekers left on Nauru.

"It is the end of an era," Mr Getchell said.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) welcomed the end of the policy.

"Many bona fide refugees caught by the policy spent long periods of isolation, mental hardship and uncertainty - and prolonged separation from their families," UNHCR's Richard Towle said in a statement

Looks like it’s Tonga week over at Cumberland Newspapers with news through again through Glenn Mitchell.

1st Up: Royal Touch from the Mt. Druitt Standard

King George Tupou V (left) enters the church grounds in traditional style. He is accompanied by an unidentified security official. Picture: ARMEN DEUSHIAN

MORE than 2000 people turned up at Glendenning last week to witness the official opening of a new $7.3 million church by the King of Tonga.

King George Tupou V ushered in a new era for the Australian-Tongan community when he opened the King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV Memorial Church.

Head on over to see the rest of the dialogue, including finding yourself in one of those kai polas?

2nd Up: Williams to fire up for Tonga from the Manly Daily, of all places?

Tonga's Tony Williams in action against Ireland on Monday night.

TONGAN World Cup coach Jim Dymock believes Sea Eagles 2009 recruit Tony Williams could be the “X-factor” in securing a win over rivals Samoa on Friday night. Williams will be named in Dymock’s 17-man squad on Wednesday.

I guess since William’s is running on for Manly next year, it’s appropriate that the locals there want to know what’s happening with their players (and we’re all ‘locals’ when it comes to news of the Tonga boys.

Local representation, national presence. Thanks to Cumberland Newspapers, so read you local daily/dairy.

p.s. I think they need to water-mark their photos, ‘cause we know how you young un’s love to share your favourite pics …

I wonder with a title like that, what will this drivel allude to?

Who knows whether the culprit in this story supported the Public Servants Association's strikes in 2006 that led to the 60, 70, 80 % pay rise for Public Servants. It may be that this is really an endemic problem with just the blood sucking section at the Vaiola Hospital.

In the last three years, we have had cause to visit the Vaiola Hospital for them to take four samples of blood. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't know of too many people out there who find it the least enjoyable to trip over to the Hospital to get blood taken out of them. We now have a 100% success record with the Blood Sucking section at the Hospital, where they have either lost the samples or otherwise found a reason to not conjure the report for which the blood was taken.

I think some of the sample was taken before the pay rise, and the last very recent is well after the promised improvements in Public Servant attitude and ethics. Since we all find it an urgent issue (sometimes relating to serious medical conditions) when blood is taken that the lab reports be efficiently and expediently returned to the doctors, it really is inexcusable for the blood team to be losing people's samples.

What is more inexcusable is to just sit on the 'lost thing' until a doctor or patient makes an enquiry requesting updates on the lab report status.

In our most recent fiasco with the Hospital Blood Unit, they are reporting to the doctor that 'Ofa didn't take a sample. Gee, that was pretty dumb of 'Ofa to go to the hospital, pay for the blood sample and an X-Ray. Turn up for the X-ray, but not for taking your blood.

Making mistakes is part of life, incompetence is something we try to avoid, being incompetent and then also trying to hide it is just plain inexcusable.

AND which government system will resolve this incompetence? Neither democratic nor monarchic government have exclusive rights to hypocrisy nor mediocrity, they seem to be in abundant measures these days.

So, Taimi 'o Tonga reports last week that the pharmacy department employs incompetents, and last night we find out further incompetence in the blood unit.

When Ma'ake heard our story on the missing blood sample his response was: Ko Tonga 'eni.

Ko e founga foki 'oku tau ngaue'aki 'i Tonga ni ke 'iai pe hato maheni, ka e tautau tefito ki Falemahaki. Ko e 'iai pe hato maheni pea faingofua ange 'a e fakalelei'i 'o 'u me'a ni. Ko e 'ikai pe ...

Ka te feinga kita ke fai he "founga totonu" mahalo ko ha'o mate palapala ia 'a'au.

I'm on the mailing list somwhere because I got this press-release from somewhere reminding me of the gathering of Pacific Island leaders in New York and their more important (?) sideshow (?) in Washington DC where they get to meet people who can really decide the fate of this planet.

The statement and information from the Department of State on the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders currently held in Washington DC is available on the following link:

See page:  http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2007&m=May&x=20070507165352ajesrom0.7856714.

Thank you,

A few friends from NY have been telling us things are happening, and every now and then you get a glimpse on CNN that our people are actually in the USA shaking and baking, or grovelling and drooling, somewhere in there lies the truth.

Visit bTonga

An interesting day for finding out about a very interesting, uplifting publication.

The daily radio news shorts is running a story about how a bus driver has been bailed by police for not stopping to assist nor report a young passenger who fell of the bus. Even though the law emphasises that accidents must be reported, and the young passenger is still hospitalised, it didn't help the driver to see value in stopping, nor reporting the problem.

There just comes the time that we can't wait for others to fix things for us, or make our world a better place.

Meanwhile, 'Anapesi and her team are not only putting a bus back on the road, but really coming through with a nice looking, uplifting and relevant publication.

The team at PT have again come through with a really good publication that is both pleasing to read as well as entertaining to view: The Pacific Eye

And Still we rise

My hope is that every young person in our community will be able to find themselves reflected in this magazine in one way or another. I hope that you find comfort in knowing that you are not alone in your struggles. I hope that you are inspired by other community members who break down barriers and disrupt stereotypes. I hope you are motivated to speak out when reading about the challenges that others go through, I hope that as young people you will contribute your voice, your writings, and your talents to this magazine, but more importantly I hope that the contents of this magazine will inspire you to hope, to dream, to live and not merely just to survive, but to live and recognize that your very presence makes a difference in this world!

As the Online Magazine is coming out to a diverse new generation of onliner Tongans/Pasifika, they've expanded with different aspects of the Magazine including the website proper @ http://www.planet-tonga.com/pacificeye/

• Article Submissions are invited and can be given directly at PacificEye
• Interviews are categorised including: Education, Entertainment, Inspiration, Pacific Voices etc.
• MySpace Page

I'm really liking the submissions and am glad to be again educated by our own people about living in the 'other-world?'

I do hope we can get some 'answers' or improved dialogue for a lot of the questions being dug up by Pacific Eye.

Best wishes 'Anapesi and the team at PT. If you haven't been there, go and hang out with Pacific Eye, it'll open your views.

Announcing the death of His Royal Highness' Prince Tu'ipelehake and Princess Kaimana in a road accident in the United States,

Not too many generations ago, the news would await official mention or even hinting from the Government News Guardians, but today the plethora of Tongans overseas, aided by alternate instantaneous communications mediums such as the telephone, and the Internet, significant news have become much more difficult to control/manage.

The latest example of this new transition in Tonga is the news of the death, and official confirmation of the death of their Royal Highness' without any actual connection with the Tonga Government or the Tonga Palace Office.

KTVU.com http://www.ktvu.com/news/9476411/detail.html

The San Mateo County Coroner identified two of the dead as Prince Tui Pele Haka and his wife Princess Kaimana, who were in the Bay Area on a humanitarian mission. Their deaths sent shock waves through the Tongan community.

The news was first hinted to most Tongans by Matangi Tonga's news-release, which I picked up through shuggySface's post @ our forum.

Confirmation was found through a local news KTVU bulletin.

Visit bTonga

Now you can get your latest feed frills about / on Tonga @ www.tonga-now.to a new service announced by the Minister of Finance (i think he's still the PM le'ole'o?)

Supposedly it will be updated daily (hey maybe they can buy bTonga?) but that's really stretching things when government currently has a number of websites that get very INfrequent updates. Hey, maybe they can hire me???

Visit bTonga

The 21st November Taimi 'o Tonga has a thought-provoking editorial on the difference highlighted during the PINA bi-annual media organisations' meeting that was recently held in Nuku'alofa.

The editorial highlighted that of all the media organisations assembled, reflecting the nature of news and community information delivery in the Pacific, only Tonga provides its full complement of media services exclusively in the Tongan language with smaller supplements in its trade language.

Visit bTonga

If you're an advertiser and love reading the news in Tonga.

Or you just happen to be one of the lot of people who love the quality and free news on Matangi Tonga.

Please buy more of their print material and keep them viable.

To our valued Readers of the Matangi Tonga Online

11 Oct 2005, 11:49

VISITORS to our website have enjoyed the Matangi Tonga Online as a free service for the last two years, just as much as we have enjoyed providing this Free-for-Reader news, connecting Tonga with Tongan communities and Tonga's friends all over the world.

Our readership has grown enormously from the end of 2003 up to October 2005 when we are now averaging 3.5 million hits a month.

However, the demands of providing a reliable high-speed service for this busy site, with its thousands of pages of archived news material, means that we have had to upgrade our delivery. We are sure you have noticed the difference in the speed and accessibility of Matangi Tonga Online over recent months.

In order for us to continue providing this news service free of charge, we are inviting you to help make it possible by either advertising with the site, or by making a financial donation.

We hope advertisers will take advantage of this opportunity to reach out to our readers in 109 countries, not least of which is Tonga!

For our Advertising Rates please contact sales@matangitonga.to .

Or if you would like make a donation or contribution, please fill out the details on the Donation form and return by email or fax, and remember to include your email address for a receipt.

Thank you all for your support.

Yours sincerely

Pesi Fonua
Publisher
Matangi Tonga Online
Tonga's leading news website

Telephone : + (676) 25779
Facsimile: + (676) 24749
vapress@matangitonga.to

Vava'u Press Ltd., Publishers,
Room 8, Taumoepeau Bldg., Hala Fatafehi,
Nuku'alofa, Tonga, South Pacific Islands.

A few quotes from the Tonga On Strike website: www.tongaonstrike.com indicates that the wages are definitely the straw that broke the camels back for many people.

"MAF never supported protests before despite the injustices they face at the work place but now they can no longer suppress the hurt caused by these injustices as they directly affect them and their families. I believe that this salary reform was not well conducted and there were many inconsistencies within each level of the reform. The reason for why a person has a higher pay rise than others is very unclear. Not only that but the gaps between the levels of the Minister, the Director and Deputy Directors very significant. There has been an accumulation of disappointment in government injustices such as with Royal Tongan Airlines and the National Trust Fund. This strike has opened the doors for people to express their pain and disappointment in their government."

(Dr. Viliami Manu, Chief Plant Nutritionist (Level 2), Ministry of Agriculture and Food, 23 years civil service)

Seriously people, Tongans have been living in harsh monetary conditions for a long time, that's why nearly half of those who cal themselves Tongans are overseas or trying to get overseas.

"PSC has stated that the salary reform is to be conducted in phases but the Ministers have received 57% salary increase all at once. The salary reform is unfair! We are not here for the money but to fight for justice because if there is justice people would be motivated to work. Tonga High School is now handicapped as the experienced teachers and teachers for exam levels are on strike. Report is that they found a bottle of benzene under the teacher’s office building. It was a good thing that they found that bottle because grave damage would have been done to the school if they had not. They need to consider that many of the students support the strike and would not attend classes because of that. They also need to consider that classes only run half-day and the subjects taught are only compulsory subjects. Schools are better off closed down!"

(Sipola Havili, Senior Lecturer, Tonga High School, 10 years civil service)

The Ministry of Education is one big rathole of nepotism, it's just surprising that it took teacher's (who already have a serious of professional associations) took this long to decide to act together.

Unfortunately the tip of the ice-berg doesn't seem to be the real issue for teachers, and those problems are not going to be resolved with increased wages, so what are we going to do next year?

"The new model does not reward years of experience. Many of our teachers had taken Teachers Certificate Examination which is classified into Classes 1, 2 and 3 to determine their salaries. But this salary reform has bunched up all three classes into one. The PSC needs to improve their work! Thirteen out of the fourteen teachers of GPS Fanga �o Pilolevu are on strike and the one teacher who is not is on maternity leave."

(�Otolose, Principal of Fanga �o Pilolevu Government Primary School, 34 years civil service)

The new remuneration model doesn't reward experience and the previous model wasn't efficient either. Increasing wages as proposed by the PSA doesn't resolve the problems with the remuneration model

It seems my dear brother had sent me these pictures on the week-end and it got lost in my piles of 'stuff' somewhere. I don't know all the details, excepting that her name is 'Amelia, named after one of my brother's favourite (cough-cough) 'sisters' here in Tonga

GO figure that one out!!!

You can see more of the photos over at the Gallery: http://www.nomoa.com/index.php/gallery2?g2_view=core:ShowItem&g2_itemId=8957