Govt to ensure interest of consumers protected

Samisoni Pareti
Doctor Fred Sevele, prime minister of Tonga, knows what his number one priority is: turn the economy around.

“Last Friday (Sept 22) we had our first Privy Council meeting with His Majesty, King Siaosi V, and his message was on turning the economy around. And that is our concentration.

“He virtually said you guys run the show, you turn the country around economically and give the people a high standard of living.

“Things are showing a positive sign and despite what one or two international reports have indicated, we are not doing too badly.

“It will be difficult over the next year or two, but I have no doubt things will turn around.

“We look towards tourism, agriculture, fisheries, actually three productive sectors with great growth potential.”

The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) 2006 Outlook was sounding the same warnings, proposing that policies for Tonga should “aim to build workforce skills and contribute to successful emigration, while maintaining links between the overseas workers and their families in Tonga, if standards of living are to be maintained.

“There are major risks and uncertainties associated with the medium-term outlook,” the ADB report said.

“GDP growth of 1.6% is forecast for 2006, but growth in the following two years is based on assumptions that the fiscal position can be effectively managed and substantial donor assistance will be forthcoming.

“If these assumptions prove correct, growth of around 2.5% could be recorded.”

For the medium-term, the ADB believes industry and trade policies should focus on sectors that give Tonga comparative advantages such as agriculture, fisheries and tourism.

Sevele laid to rest rumours that government was buying back some of the companies of the new King. Put simply, government has neither the money nor the interest to do so.

“As far as the government is concerned, it doesn’t have the money nor does it want to borrow to buy the electricity business (of the King) back.

“The thing now is for the government to ensure the interests of the consumers are protected, otherwise let somebody else run it.

“Somebody with resources and experience and management to do it.

“Government no longer has the ability to do such things now, we are now in the 21st century, we are not in the 18th century, so we are not interested.

“All we are interested in is to ensure services continue to be good, that the interest of the public is safeguarded.”
Critics like People’s Representatives and former police minister Clive Edwards believe the new King should return, not sell the power company, because he didn’t buy it from the government in the first place.

“There are those who are expecting him (King) to demand huge compensation and if that is so, then it will be contrary to the spirit that made him took over those businesses in the first place.

“There should only be payment for the improvements he carried out on the business,” argued Edwards. 

On political reforms, Sevele supports ‘controlled’ change. Changes, he warned, should not be too rapid as it could be disastrous for the kingdom.

“Changes which Tonga can manage properly, peacefully and with stability and I have no doubt that changes will continue.

“I have no doubt the unifying force that the monarchy has on Tonga will continue.

“I have every confidence in the new King continuing with what his father had started.”

The Prime Minister said it was wrong to say that Tonga needed the monarchy because the monarchy has always been an integral part of Tonga.

“Our culture, our tradition is based on the three pillars of Tonga; the monarchy or the royal family, nobility and the people.

“You cannot do without any of those three and the monarchy is the apex of that triangle.

“You know we are not Tongans without that and I think the funeral, the outpouring of grief and gratitude, the way Tongans not only here but overseas responded are clear indications of the central importance and significance of the monarchy in our being Tongan.”

As a commoner presiding over the funeral of the late King, Sevele said although it was a sad occasion, he was pleased with the recognition and the legacy King Taufa’ahau had left behind.

“The fact that we had high representation from throughout the world, as far as Great Britain and Japan, the 43 countries that were represented speak volumes for the esteem in which His Majesty (King Taufa’ahau) was held throughout the world.

“For the Tongans, the outpouring of grief was overwhelming, the sadness, the loss and the gratitude for what the king had done.

“He had left Tonga a better place than when he found it.”