“ KUDOS LORD FUSITU'A SPEAKING AGAINST ILL-ADVISED GOVERNMENT "PROTECTIONISM". Protecting local businesses in the expense of foreign investors is an economic suicidal act. And MPs lined up for the whole lot of them tol go over the cliffs.
Lord Fusitu'a identified one of the culprits, which is Government's "quid-pro-quo" favorites by granting them special privileges in the expense of the country's aggregate interests. Meanwhile, competitive business activities (foreign investment companies) are eliminated thus handing over the un-competitive market to ill-funded, non-competitive fishing and below-par operators.
Therefore, Tonga suffers under its own weight of incompetent and underfunded businesses. Especially in the fishing industry where expensive fishing fleets are required to fish Tongan waters. As a result, local under-capitalized fishing fleets stay close to shore while international fishing pirates are having a field day poaching Tongan waters. ”