MR TINO FUNAKI'S letter of January 27, 2010 to the Matangi Tonga is well taken. First, let me thank you for saving me time with another letter and also saving space in the Matangi Tonga's web site. The "kau tama he tafa'aki 'e taha 'o e tepile" was going to be my next letter. You are congratulated on bringing them into the "those to be blamed department".
While I have your attention, please allow me to respond to some of the issues you pointed out. You may find the following thoughts interesting:
1. I picked on the PRs because as a member of the public, I feel partly responsible for electing them to the office. It is therefore within my constitutional right to speak out against their mistakes because they represent me. However, on the other hand, I have no say or any influence on who becomes a minister. Our PR made sure that you and I and the rest of their constituents have no say in this matter by voting to choose the ministers from within their ranks. I also have do not have anything to do with selection of the PM.
2. Am I incompetent indirectly as you put it because I voted for these incompetents? Yes, regrettably, I am, and I'll be the first one to say this in public, first, I wished there were better choices of candidates running for parliament, second, I should have considered my candidates competency before I voted them into parliament and third, I wished that other voters were not as incompetent as I was.
3. I hope you realize and understand that the PRs as elected officials are being hold to a higher standard of expectation than what is expected of us, the general public. So where "much is given to them, so much more is expected". Our votes confirm that we are giving them our trust to act with our welfare and best interest in mind. As a matter of fact, when the PRs are confirmed as our representatives to the parliament, they swear with their hand on the bible, before God and Tonga that they will do just that. They are therefore expected to make lesser mistakes. My mistakes relatively affect but a very few people, family members and friends; The PRs mistakes affect all the people of Tonga now and in years to come.
Military personnel who have mastered the responsibilities of their current rank are considered for promotion to the next higher rank. When promoted, they arrived at the next rank without full comprehension of their duty and competency in their new assignment and responsibilities. However, there is a given number of years to acquire the necessary experience, knowledge and level of competency in this rank. At the end of this required time in rank, one is either found qualified to assume the responsibilities of the next higher rank and is promoted or is found not fit for the next rank and he or she is processed out of the military.
Most of our PRs have been in parliament for years; more than enough time to learn and grow with their responsibilities. That does not appear to be the case.
4. I agree with your argument but could not follow your logic. There are indeed incompetency and problems on "the other side of the table" also. But this does not condone the problem. Nor does it nullify the same situation on the PRs side of the table. If you add a "1/2 meti" (the old Tongan adage for a mental retard, with all due respect) to another "1/2 meti", you'll can only come up with 2 "1/2 half meti", not a full normal person. Two incompetents won't produce one competent. Again, we have to admit that what is wrong is still wrong even if all or a lot of us are doing it.
5. You hit the nail on the head Tino. You support my contention that these PRs have not properly and honorably equipt to carry out their responsibilities as PR. What makes you think they are going to change and all of a sudden better themselves as ministers. I admit that even with the careful scrutinization of military personal, some for one reason or another slip through the crack and get promoted. I saw this in combat with senior officers making decisions on responsibilities they have little knowledge of. Some let to causalities in the battlefields.
6. I am not blaming the PRs for the economic and social ills of the country. But I am blaming them for spending more time in status hunting, power struggling, and very little time discussing these issues in the parliament. For so long, the Political Change dominates the parliament discussion. Princess Ashika follows. These are very important, don't get me wrong. What I don't hear is enough emphasis on the economy, unemployment, crimes, suicide, health care, education and so on.
I hope that whenever and whatever type of political systems Tonga adopt will come in time to make any difference to the day day lives of the common people of Tonga. This week, being part Jewish (my paternal grandmother's side of the family), I join the commemoration of the Holocaust of WWII. While the rest of the world were in political war games, over 6,000,000,000, (yes, 6 million) Jews died in the Gas Champers. While the PR's are playing their games, increasing number of Mamas and Papas are barely making ends earning enough to support their families, Form 7 graduates roam the streets because there is very little scholarship and opportunities to further their education, people are dead from utilizing "unseaworthy" forms of transportation, there is no real explanation as to why more and more of our island country bothers and sisters are committing suicide, the cost of the most basic necessities of life is getting out of reach, and so on.
7. Don't forget, PRs are asked not forced to become ministers. The PM on the other hand is forced by law introduced and passed by the PRs to extend this privilege only to the PRs. For you to say that the these assignments is a cheme used by the PM?government to break up the people's side of the table is just too ridiculously elementary thinking on your part. But then again, you may have a point there and I think you should warn the PRs about the PM/Government scheme!!
Promotion in the military means rank, money, prestige, choice of duty station, and many other privileges. It may very well means reassignment. Desert Storm gave many opportunities for Combat Field Promotion. A few of my Marines were involved but everyone of them turned their promotion down simply because they were to be reassigned to a different unit. It means breaking up the team. A family I have trained, lived with and all ready to die for each other. This is what you call character.
Unfortunately, I have not heard of any PR trying to maintain the integrity of the people's table by turning down the call to be a minister. The fact before us is that some PR has have already jump the fence and I can assure that more are anxiously waiting for their chance to follow their comrades to the other seemingly greener and brighter pasture. The icing to their already huge and deligious cake is the fact that being a minister also means no more worries about campaigning for our votes. What a deal !!! They don't have to listen to the other PRs and they don't have to kiss up to the voters anymore.
Saying soifua to you Mr. Funaki from the Rocks of AmSam, I asked that you ponder the words of our late Honorable Governor Pita Tauese Sunia, "If our elected officials are not responsible then who, and if now now, then when?" I feel your loyalty towards the PRs Mr. Funaki, but I hope you'll wake soon before it is too late to realize that your loyalty is not being fairly reciprocated.
