NZ media 'misses point' in visa scam, says Tongan group

By Josephine Latu: Pacific Media Watch

Tongan Advisory Council chairman Melino Maka (pictured) has criticised New Zealand’s mainstream media for “missing the point” in coverage of an alleged visa scam on Pacific Islanders.

Manukau-based immigration consultant, Gerrard Otimi, appeared in court yesterday and entered no pleas on three charges of deception.

The charges against Otimi involve the alleged stamping of passports with visas for overstaying Pacific Island immigrants at a cost of $500 and adoption by his hapu.

The New Zealand Herald reported that $40,000 had been uncovered by police yesterday in the Manukau area as well as 5000 blank “hapu certificates”.

The police and immigration departments have since called for duped Pacific Islanders to come forward, although there is no guarantee of amnesty.

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples said he sympathised with the islanders involved in the alleged scam, while Pacific Island Affairs Minister Georgina te Heuheu called the deceit “deplorable”, especially with “some of the most vulnerable people in our country” as victims.

Maka told Pacific Media Watch he planned to arrange a lawyer to look into the Tongan cases involved in the alleged scam.

He also added that the spotlight should be on the perpetrators and not the victims.

“The mainstream [media] is not sympathetic. They don’t know how it is, and perhaps they don’t want to know. But they tend to sensationalise the issue,” he said.

A news release from the council stated that most media fail to recognise two major issues “driving people to take such extreme steps”.

This includes a “very mixed history” in NZ Immigration Department’s dealings with Pacific Island issues, including a “high level of poor decisions”.

Also, the council claimed that complaints from Pacific Islanders about misinformation and mishandling on the part of immigration consultants were “not treated as high a priority as removing the overstayers themselves”.

Maka said the Tonga Advisory Council would organise “free advice workshops” for immigrants next month to deal with these issues.

Courts 'have no right to judge tikanga Māori'

Tributes farewell the 'father' of Pacific studies

By Pippa Brown: Pacific Media Centre

Tributes flowed as families, friends and colleagues gathered in Auckland to say goodbye to the man they called “Papa Ron”, before his final journey home to the Cook Islands today.

About 150 people gathered at a memorial service yesterday at the Pacific Islands Presbyterian Church in Newton to remember professor emeritus Dr Ron Crocombe, known as the father figure of Pacific studies.

Family and friends were joined by ex-students, politicians, learned colleagues and academics who spoke of this great - but humble - man, a leading academic in the Pacific and founding professor of the University of the Pacific’s Institute of Pacific Studies.

Professor Ron Crocombe died suddenly in Auckland on Friday while on his way home to Rarotonga, where he will be buried today.

Born in Auckland and brought up in the King Country, he lived his life as a passionate advocate for the Pacific Islands and the people.

A great traveller, during his time in the Pacific he mentored many Pacific Islanders, a lot of them becoming outstanding leaders in governments and organisations throughout the region.

His family spoke of his love of people, how their home would fill with young people who would return years later as judges, prime ministers and leading academics.

Tata Crocombe, the eldest of Dr Crocombe’s four children, honoured his father at the service and spoke about his strong sense of duty and inclusiveness.

“It was a hand up not a hand out,” he said.

He said his father had tremendous respect for everyone and went beyond the barriers people created and had a natural ability to connect with all people.

Bridge builder
He treated everyone with the same respect and his trademark was to stick out his hand, to anybody and everybody and introduce himself, said Tata Crocombe.

He was an educator, social scientist and bridge builder and believed in the University of the South Pacific whole heartedly.

Tata Crocombe said the memorial service was a “celebration of a good man who left a good legacy”.

Passionate about the Pacific he would argue with anybody in order to get them to understand the Pacific better.

Dr Crocombe also had a strong connection with New Zealand Māori. He spoke many of the Pacific languages including Cook Islands Māori, New Zealand Māori, French and Tok Pisin.

He wanted the Pacific Island people to find their own confidence and ways to go forward. “All he wanted was for people to find their own conscience, wisdom, truth and have the willingness to listen and be open to others opinion,” said Tata Crocombe.

He was a true educator and always helping someone out. He wanted to bring the best out in people. He believed people should be “the best you can be”, and would try to get everyone to achieve that goal, said Tata Crocombe.

Dr Crocombe was the author of many books and an energetic writer. One of his recent volumes Asia in the Pacific Islands: Replacing the West, points to the decline in influence of New Zealand, Australia and European countries within the Pacific, and the rapid acceleration of Asian migration and power into the Pacific Islands.

Tata Crocombe spoke about his father’s ability to see through the political and social structure and understand how the country was going to change.

“He predicted 20 to 30 years ago the rise of Asia, not only in the Pacific but in the world,” said Tata Crocombe.

Definitive book
Younger son, Kevin Crocombe spoke of a lost chance as Dr Crocombe had really wanted to write a definitive book on the Cook Islands that he had started drafting.

“It is a tragedy that it was not finished,” said Kevin. “Reading Dad’s books are like having a chat with him. They are such an easy read.”

He was a cheerful academic said Kevin Crocombe.

“He was always wisecracking, joking and had a different point of view on everything.”

Dr Robert Woonton, former Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 2002 to 2004, spoke of his deep respect for Dr Crocombe and the standards he set in education and for the people of the Pacific Islands.

He said Dr Crocombe was not just a Kiwi but a Cook Islander over and over again. He covered the Pacific from Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.

Dr Mary Salisbury, lecturer in linguistics at Massey University said she spoke on behalf of Kiwi academics and the mark he had left on academia. He had such breadth of knowledge, not just in one area but the whole of the Pacific.

“No one could fill his shoes,” she said.

Dr Salisbury told of his generosity and open heart, the time he always had to give, the time he gave because he loved people so much. She thought it a great legacy if his dream, his final word and book on the Cook Islands could be written by a Cook Islander.

International fellows
Dr David Robie, associate professor in communication studies at AUT University and director of the Pacific Media Centre, had been with Dr Crocombe in Tonga last week when, together, they and four other international academics were inducted as international fellows of ‘Atenisi University in a special ceremony.

Dr Robie paid homage to Dr Crocombe as an exceptional man who was an inspiration all over the Pacific.

“He was an extraordinary mentor to Pacific Islanders and wherever he went he took books,” said Dr Robie.

He quoted from a tribute from Professor Rajesh Chandra, vice-chancellor of the University of the South Pacific, emphasising that Dr Crocombe would be remembered as a humble man, disdainful of hypocrisy and of self-proclaimed experts, who devoted his professional life to explaining the Pacific to those from elsewhere.

He will be remembered with enormous respect by all those with whom he worked and those he taught.

“A scholar and a gentleman, Ron Crocombe is sadly missed by his numerous friends and admirers at the University of the South Pacific,” said Dr Robie.

Just four months short of turning 80, Dr Crocombe is survived by his wife, Marjorie, four children Tata, Ngaire, Kevin and Sam, and many grandchildren.

Top photograph: Ron and Marjorie Crocombe (The Fiji Times); other photos - the pallbearers, Tata Crocombe and PMC's David Robie (Photos: Pippa Brown).

Pippa Brown is an AUT Graduate Diploma in Journalism student on internship with the Pacific Media Centre.

David Robie's tribute
Brij Lal's tribute
Croz Walsh's tribute
Pacific Minister Te Heuheu says Crocombe will be sadly missed

Two Pacific nations criticised in human trafficking report

By Josephine Latu: Pacific Media Centre

Two Pacific Island nations – Fiji and Papua New Guinea – have been ranked among the least active countries in combating human trafficking abuses such as forced labour, bonded labour, sexual exploitation and child labour.

Both countries were cited in the “least active” tier 3 group of countries in the ninth annual Trafficking in Persons Report released by the US State Department this week, focussing on international governments’ efforts to eliminate human trafficking.

The report ranked 173 countries.

The 17 tier 3 nations – also including Cuba, Iran and North Korea - purportedly do not comply fully with the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) and “are not making any significant efforts to do so”.

Only two other Pacific Island Forum countries were cited – Palau and Micronesia (both on the tier 2 “watch list”).

From the region, Timor-Leste was also ranked tier 2, while Australia and New Zealand were both grouped in tier 1, indicating full compliance with TVPA.

In the report, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on all governments to “build consensus and leverage resources” to eliminate human trafficking.

Findings were based on information gathered from US embassies overseas, government officials, NGOs and international organisations, published reports, and other research.

Forced labour
The TIP review described Fiji and PNG as both “source” and “destination” countries for commercial sexual exploitation, forced labour, as well as the trafficking of children.

Individual country reviews said: “Fiji is a source country for children trafficked for the purposes of labour and commercial sexual exploitation, and a destination country for women from China, Thailand, and India trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation.”

It also said family members, other Fijian citizens as well as foreign tourists continue to exploit boys and girls for commercial sex.

In Papua New Guinea, women and children are reportedly trafficked for sexual exploitation and domestic servitude, while men were trafficked to logging and mining camps and forced to work. These include victims trafficked from Malaysia, Thailand, China as well as the Philippines.

The report also claimed that “unique and enduring cultural practices” in PNG reinforce the perception of females and children as commodities, such as trading females for guns or to settle debt.

The island governments were recommended to make stronger efforts to prosecute human trafficking offenders, protect the victims, and prevent further abuse.

At the same time, the report said the rankings were “based more on the extent of government action to combat trafficking than on the size of the problem”.

Trafficking in Persons 2009 Report - full text

'Atenisi University inducts six fellows in honour of Futa Helu

'Atenisi fellows: Dr David Robie (from left), Dr Ian Campbell, Professor Futa Helu, Dr 'Opeti Taliai, Dr Wendy Cowling, Prime Minister Dr Feleti Sevele and Dr Ron Crocombe. - Pacific Media Centre. Dr Niko Besnier was also inducted but is not in this picture.

Pacific Media Centre

NUKU’ALOFA: Six international academics have been inducted as fellows of Tonga’s ‘Atenisi University, the only leading tertiary institute in the South Pacific independent of both government and religious influence, in a four-day celebration honouring the life and achievements of founder and philosopher Professor Futa Helu.

The event, including a recital, documentary excerpts, testimonial lectures by staff and birthday feasts at the Halaano campus, paid homage to Dr Helu’s 75th birthday and more than four decades of publication, critical thought teaching and intellectual leadership at ‘Atenisi.

The fellowship induction ceremony was attended by the Hon Lupepau’u Tuita, Prime Minister Dr Feleti Sevele, New Zealand High Commissioner Christine Bogle, Japanese Ambassador Yasuo Takese, faculty members, students and many international guests.

AUT University’s Associate Professor David Robie, director of the Pacific Media Centre who was awarded his media doctorate in history/politics at the University of the South Pacific, and two other New Zealanders were among the fellows.

Dr Robie also had talks with director Niulala Helu, 'Asena Helu and leading Tongan publisher and broadcaster Kalafi Moala about a planned communication studies major for the university next year. The university is also planning a new Pacific studies major.

Other academics inducted were Professor Niko Besnier of the University of Amsterdam’s Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences; Professor Ian Campbell, head of history at the University of the South Pacific and author of seminal historical works on Tonga; Dr Wendy Cowling, senior lecturer in anthropology at the Waikato University; Professor emeritus Ron Crocombe, of the Cook Islands and founding director of USP’s Institute of Pacific Studies; and Tonga’s Dr ‘Opeti Taliai, of Massey University, who is joining the ‘Atenisi faculty.

Dr Taliai is also a founding member and ongoing contributor to the Tongan Research Association.

Prime Minister Dr Sevele spoke of ‘Atenisi’s contribution to Tongan intellectual life and critical thinking in national and Pacific education.

He also acknowledged Professor Helu’s leadership as a philosopher and historian to education and learning in the Pacific. He praised the academic’s intellectual contribution underpinning the early years of Tonga’s pro-democracy movement.

Dr Sevele said differences between ‘Atenisi and the government were an issue of the past and he highlighted a P100,000 grant awarded to ‘Atenisi’s Foundation for Performing Arts.

The festivities included a recital by ‘Atolomake Helu, one of the Pacific’s leading opera singers, and other performers, and a preview of Lose Miller-Helu’s documentary in progress, and The Helu Hat, and other film excerpts on Professor Helu’s life.

Dean Dr Michael Horowitz led staff and colleagues in a series of testimonial lectures and discussions exploring aspects of Professor Helu's philosophy and perspectives and examining the future of the institution.

Futa Helu, who was born in Foa, Ha'apai, studied at Newington College and the University of Sydney in Australia in the disciplines of philosophy, English literature, mathematics and physics between 1953-61.

Upon returning to Tonga, he became a tutor to students who were having trouble keeping up with school; and in 1963 initiated ‘Atenisi Institute, or "Athens", named in honour of the early Greek philosophers and thinkers, notably Socrates.

The institute began as a downtown night school providing education for civil servants. It became a high school in 1964 and the university was added in 1976.

Marking his 70th birthday, the book Polynesia Paradox: Essays in Honour of Futa Helu was later published in 2005.

A further publication is expected to mark this week’s festivities amid efforts to revive the university with a new lease of life.

Photos: Top quartet - Dr David Robie, Dr Ian Campbell, Professor Futa Helu and Dr 'Opeti Taliai; Middle: 'Atenisi lecturer Hugh Gribben; Bottom: 'Atenisi students in the Pacific studies room - 'Anaseini Lauaki (from left), 'Ofa Funaki and Paea Lelenga. Rear: Heamasi Vaioleti. - Pacific Media Centre

‘Atenisi University inducts six fellows - Matangi Tonga
75th birthday celebration for Futa Helu – photos by Linny Folau
AUT journalism educator among ‘Atenisi international fellows
Couple plan pioneering projects in Pacific and media education

Harnessing the internet for traditional PNG archives

Pacific Media Centre: UPNG

At the National Cultural Commission's Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies, a team of local researchers has the mountainous task of recording the traditional knowledge of PNG societies.

With some 814 distinct cultures, Ralph Wari, the institute's director, freely admits that they have hardly touched the surface of local language, customs, arts, and music. But with limited resources, the team must record and archive as much material as possible as well as disseminate it, in many cases to help ensure its survival.

While most of the collected materials are currently residing at the institute's Port Moresby base, Wari is hoping that the internet will prove a useful tool in making the vast stores of local knowledge more widely available.

The Institute of PNG Studies is one of several potential information providers taking part in a project coordinated by the University of Papua New Guinea's South Pacific Centre for Communication and Information in Development (SPCenCIID) and funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) as part of its Pan-Asia Networking (PAN) programme.

The project – named PAN Information Networking and Services Papua New Guinea (PINS-PNG) – will lead to an information server being established and encourage institutions to publish electronically. Similar PAN country-level information servers have been funded in the Philippines, Vietnam and Nepal by IDRC.

PINS-PNG aims to bring together some of the country's best sources of local content to build up a PNG presence on the internet, as well as provide training for relevant organisations, and encourage the distribution of research materials within the country.

With one of the largest pockets of biodiversity in the world, PNG has long been a focal point for researchers from all parts of the globe.

Unfortunately, the same enthusiasm given to collecting data is not extended to its dissemination within the country.

Big potential
John Evans, a lecturer and book publisher within SPCenCIID and project leader for PINS-PNG, says that much of the research is published outside of the country and often does not make it back.

When it does, it is often limited to one location and its availability is not known elsewhere, particularly in outlying areas where much of it originates. To counter this, Evans will coordinate efforts to make more research information available through the internet as a result of the project.

“People used to go off and write their report somewhere else and it never got back again,” he says.

“Now people might be more inclined to put summaries of their research on the net.”

Locally, there is certainly no shortage of information providers with an abundance of potential content.

For the project, seven organisations have been identified initially - the Institute of PNG Studies, the University of Papua New Guinea, the National Parliament Library, the Government Office of Information and Communications, the Small Business Development Corporation, the National Association of NGOs (NANGO), and the Melanesian Institute.

Papua New Guinea has itself only been connected to the internet since 1997. But since then there is a growing awareness of its potential and no shortage of ideas on how best to use it within the context of PNG resources.

Webbing new and traditonal knowledge

Broadcasters, writers face up to NZ demographic media challenges

By Jessica Harkins: Pacific Media Centre

Challenge noun: a task or request requiring special effort.

If ever there was a word used to describe the task facing our broadcasters in the coming decade, it would be this, if last week’s ethnic diversity broadcasting forum is anything to go by.

New Zealand on Air and the Office of Ethnic Affairs hosted the forum to ask: How will the changing demography of New Zealand be served and represented in the broadcasting media?

It brought together producers, writers and broadcasters from across the country to discuss the changing face of New Zealand, and what that change might mean for their industry.

According to many of those present, special effort was most definitely required to address the evolving demographic landscape.

British High Commissioner George Fergusson says there are some “fascinating challenges” in New Zealand. He quipped, “It’s not like Britain anymore.”

He said that Britain faces some of the same challenges faced in New Zealand, but that both countries “ended up at the same square quite differently,” referring to the varying diasporas within each nation.

Fergusson emphasised the need to serve the diasporas at least as much as the mainstream.

Open media
As well as the British High Commissioner, the forum was addressed by the BBC World Service’s Murray Holgate, who was quick to say that he wouldn’t be reminiscent of Brits past, who also came to New Zealand and “talked a lot.”

“I’m not going down the route of saying what you should do,” he said

“What we have is a really advanced and open media environment that brings us a lot of challenges,” he said, bringing up the “c” word again.

He spoke of the competitive nature of broadcasting throughout the world.

“We used to be the window to the world to our audiences in this area [South Asia], which we no longer are, because the local broadcasters are bringing the world to their audiences now too.”

He made it clear that the issue was not just putting different coloured faces on the telly, or different accents on the wireless, but included addressing the “hideously white” nature of the BBC’s newsrooms.

“There are many levels at which discrimination operates. It’s part of human nature to emphasise differences rather than things in common.”

To try to alleviate this, the BBC has implemented a policy in recruiting that says if there is a candidate who is of an ethnic minority, it must be proven why that person cannot have the job.

Policy success
He says this policy has been a success so far.

“As a consequence, certainly at the lower levels of the BBC, there is a far better spread of minorities. At the management levels the BBC is still rather hideously white, it has yet to travel up the organisation.

“At World Service on the other hand, many, many of the top jobs are from the target audience. It has allowed us to be more successful, in a world which is changing very rapidly and which could leave the BBC very isolated, it has allowed us to compete. Rather than seeing different ethnicity as a cost, it is actually seen as revenue for us, something that has value,” he added.

Holgate says one of the many advantages of having diversity in the staff at the BBC World Service is in having your target audience in the building. He believes a lot of time has been saved in having people in the know within the organisation.

He explains by using China as an example. He says that many of the FM radio frequencies are used as travel stations, where the traffic situation is updated, sometimes 24/7.

“Radio has taken on a whole different meaning in Beijing than say, in London. Again, if you haven’t got the people there, you’re not going to know this. You can sit there pumping out your shortwave until you’re blue in the face, and nobody’s listening to you,” he says in his polished blue-blooded accent.

When it comes to the World Service, Holgate believes one of the most important things to think about is language.

“We broadcast to linguistic groups,” he said, “we tend to leave the ethnic group out of it.

“We are broadcasting in a language because that language is about communication,” he added.

Culture preservation
Jim Blackman, chief executive of Triangle and Stratos, says: “As New Zealand changes its face, there is a need to focus more keenly on the preservation of culture, and the preservation of language.”

But he also had some choice words for the forum attendees, and perhaps its organisers.

He relates his thoughts when first asked to partake in the forum.

“I thought; how come cultural diversity has become the new black? After all we’ve been doing it for the past ten years. Not only in Auckland, but also over the past 18 months, nationwide, on Triangle Stratos.”

Blackman says: “The problem with ethnic broadcasting is that it’s not commercial, it’s not mainstream enough for the mainstream people because there ain’t no money in it sunshine.”

Jim added that the challenge facing all small channels over the next few years is the switch to digital broadcasting, which has a huge cost attached to it.

Radio, a medium that doesn’t have the same costs as television is arguably faring the best of the two, due to the reduced cost in setting up a station.

Dozens of niches
Terri Byrne from Planet FM says: “The market, or audience as I prefer to think of it, has splintered into dozens of niches.”

She says this split has benefited radio in New Zealand, by giving rise to some of the highest per capita numbers of radio stations in the world.

“Auckland with 50 stations has more than New York or London,” she says.

Planet FM is an access radio station, which broadcasts in more than 50 languages, all made by people of those language and ethnic groups.

“Minority is mainstream, and in 2020 will be more so,” said Byrne.

She quotes Bob Geldof: “The future belongs to those who make their own media.”

“New Zealand is fabulously diverse, and when what was once mainstream media catches up with that it will hand over the tools, relax the editorial control, embrace the new aesthetic and discover the riches already being expressed in a thousand ways,” she added.

She says Planet FM’s philosophy is about giving cultural groups a channel for expression, what she sees as the true definition of what public broadcasting is. As Leslie Rule (US academic and commentator) puts it: “It’s now more about broadcasting the public”.

Byrne’s hopes for the future are clear.

“It will not be about “them” becoming like “us”, and hopefully by 2020 it will not even be about “them” explaining themselves to “us”. Hopefully it will be about all of us discovering who we are as a nation.”

New settlers
Julia Parnell, producer of TVNZ programme Minority Voices, a show that focuses on new settlers to New Zealand, talked about some of the motivation behind the show. What did they want to find out from the people they featured?

“We asked them; “What do you want to say both to your own communities and to wider New Zealand?” “What do you think people need to know about you and your experiences settling here?”

She added: “The fact is, these people already know what they need to assimilate. They know exactly what wider NZ needs to know about them. They know how to live in NZ, they just need to be heard.

“Once we understand the needs and dreams of new New Zealanders, the “other” will become the “familiar” in New Zealand broadcasting. And from there true diversity will come.”

Keynote speaker Shaun Brown of SBS Australia opened his comments to attendees with a compliment.

“In my opinion, New Zealand is, in at least some respects, ahead of Australia in confronting and debating the issue of diversity in programme making.”

His comments were met with surprise by some people in the audience, who recall his past views of ethnic diversity in the media while news executive at Television NZ, which were somewhat different from those he expressed last week.

Browning era
Bharat Jamnadas of Asia Downunder remarked that we had witnessed “the browning of Shaun Brown!”

“Perhaps he realises the meaning of his surname now,” he laughed.

Brown’s history in New Zealand broadcasting aside, what he said on Thursday was acknowledged positively.

“Seeing indigenous faces on our screens and experiencing indigenous stories should be an incidental part of our television consumption – not something that is token or categorised as ‘special event’ television, or something that is the exclusive domain of public broadcasting,” he said.

Brown also pointed out the importance of SBS as a public service in the Australian media landscape.

“Prior to SBS, diversity or foreignness was presented as unpronounceable, unpalatable or incomprehensible in the Australian media landscape. Some would argue that the broader Australian media has done little to correct this imbalance.

He said that diversity in the newsroom was also an issue.

Behind the scenes
“I can acknowledge that behind the scenes we are open to criticism for not having enough cultural diversity in our management and programming teams.

Brown is not a fan of quotas, saying they can produce “artificial results” or give the impression that staff appointed in this manner “have not got there on their own merits.”

“However,” he adds, “people in leadership positions both in New Zealand and Australia can and must do more to foster talent in the independent production sector and to entice talented people from indigenous and multicultural backgrounds into the broadcasting sector in a range of roles.

“Diversity in our industry must become just as important and front of mind as diversity on our screens.”

Tapu Misa, New Zealand Herald columnist and chair of one panel of speakers, remarked: “There is a danger of talking too much among ourselves” in terms of narrow broadcasting that isn’t aimed at a mainstream audience.

Arguably, her comments can be transferred to the people who attended and listened to each other talk of the virtues of ethnic diversity in the broadcasting industry.

In a demographic that’s constantly changing, this is no easy feat. But the challenge has been laid.

Jessica Harkins is a postgraduate Bachelor of Communication Studies (Honours) student on the Asia-Pacific Journalism course at AUT University. Pictures of Tapu Misa and NZ On Air's Anna Cottrell (top) and SBZ's Shaun Brown are by Del Abcede (PMC).

BBC World Service
Cafe Pacific on the 'browning of NZ media'
Minority Voices
SBS Australia
Tapu Misa's New Zealand Herald articles

Tongans worry about land, administration more than politics, says CEC

By Josephine Latu: Pacific Media Centre

Tonga’s Constitutional and Electoral Commission (CEC) has released its first progress report to the public since being set up in January.

In its June 5 report, CEC chose not make any recommendations until it has received more proposals from the public specifically addressing governance structures.

This includes the roles of the executive and legislature branches, as well as the electorate.

The deadline for submissions has now been extended until July 6.

The CEC had conducted a series of public forums on Tonga’s main island districts (Tongatapu, Vava’u, Ha’apai, ‘Eua, and the Niuas later this month), to gather public opinion and feedback about the political reforms planned for 2010.

Twenty-seven written submissions, each supported by at least 200 members of the community, were also received by the CEC.

Land key concern
“It was apparent that many ordinary Tongans have little interest in politics or the structure of the government,” said the report, released both in English and Tongan.

“This may arise partly from a lack of ability to affect change over many generations.”

On the other hand, the report affirmed that land was a central issue of concern in every district forum, especially the fear of alienation as a consequence of reform.

“In many cases it appeared to be a matter of more significance and concern than electoral and representational change or other changes to the Constitution,” read the report.

Another common complaint was that “electors in the outer districts are ignored by their representatives once the election is over”.

The outer districts were more likely to be unhappy about lack of effective government and administration.

According to the CEC, many members from these communities felt that government, “however formed” would “simply continue to neglect their interests and devote most of its time, energy and resources to the central districts".

These concerns needed to be taken into account for reform to have any practical significance for the general population.

Public awareness
The report called for an extensive public awareness programme that will continue after the CEC’s final report and recommendations, due on November 5.

This is to educate the general public on the implications of political change, which may possibly herald drastic changes such as the election of the prime minister by the House (rather than appointment by the King), the dissolution of the King’s Privy Council, and a single “transferrable” vote system.

“The change from a paternalistic system of appointed ministers under a benevolent monarch to an elected government answerable to the people who elected them is profound,” said the report.

Although they admitted the 10-month time frame given to gather public input, make recommendations and draft legislation was “surprisingly short”, the CEC said it would do its utmost to fulfil public expectations that reforms will happen in the coming year.

However, recommendations “will and must be made in a Tongan context”, the report said.

The final CEC report will then be submitted to Parliament for debate.

The CEC membership: Justice Gordon Ward (chair), Tu’ivanuavou Vaea, Dr Sitiveni Halapua, Dr ‘Ana Taufe’ulungaki, Sione Fonua and Hon. ‘Eseta Fusitu’a, with alternate members: Hon. Tu’i’afitu, Masao Paasi, and ‘Aisea Taumoepeau.

Josephine Latu is contributing editor of the PMC's Pacific Media Watch. Pictured: King George Tupou V opening Parliament.

CEC information