Dear Editor:

 

A very big Mahalo from Hawaii, for publishing my two LTE, I'm not looking for favor from any media outlet, I'm just a simple humble Tongan who care very much for the livelihood of the commoners and how they are treated by the House of the King and it's Govt.  My view is my personal opinion and views of others educated Tongan in my little part of the World.

 

I'm very glad to read about US Ambassador Dingier's trip to Tonga and his comment on Democratic System is the best system of Govt in general, I would have hoped that he would have stress and explained, of why Tonga's reason for not qualifying for that certain money pots from the US. Well, I would like to enlighten you on why that is.

 

I have called my US Senator from my home State of Hawaii, Senator 'Akaka, who is a personal friend of mine and he introduced me to the person who control all US AID to third world countries including Tonga, from the US State Department office of Secretary Condoleesa Rice.  This officer explanation was that Tonga by law of the United States does not qualify, and gave me the CIA web site to answer my questions as a US TAX payer for the past forty four years.

 

I feel very sad after reading the Human Rights Report outlining how the Royalty and the Ruling class of Tonga has operated its Govt, with corruption and privileges for all this years, especially the Crown Prince, (Who is King now) and Princess Pilolevu controlling the only Govt. assets available to the Tongan Govt. Especially stated on this report of the inequality of how many elected members of the Tongan People PR/MP in this present Govt.

 

My only conclusion is that, the CIA Human Rights Report speak for itself, that is the main reason why Tonga is not qualify for that pot of money from the US assistant program. The officer from the US Secretary of State was very apologetic that Tonga was well liked by the US Govt, but they cannot help under this form of inequality in Tonga's Govt.

 

Common sense tells us that unless the House of the King and the Govt. of Tonga wanted to change its ways, no DONOR govt. will help, because of its laws forbidding helping non freely democratic elected Govt.  I pray that our leaders would see the big picture of the reality and importance of a free elected form of Govt. Tonga will never move up to the next level of western standard civilization, if it chooses to stay with the "status quo', form of governing.

 

Faka'apa'apa Lahi atu.

 

MTTuaileva

Honolulu, Hawaii USA.