“ Malo fau Albert Wolfgram for truly heart-felt expressions of grave concerns and they are well-taken seriously but hasn't Tonga got more than enough rich material-physical, intellectual-emotional and social-cultural resources to be able to stand tall on her own two feet?
This holds true to the whole spectrum of Tongan society as it does to education, economics and government. and many others. Hasn't Tonga got the most number of PhD degree graduates in the world as per population amidst many other things. Don't we take pride in this?
There may be several recipes for a better [if not ideal] Tonga but I'm reminded of the words of wisdom uttered and echoed (and lives lived) by such giants and heroes of our common human history as Taufa'ahau Tupou 1, John F. Kennedy and Jesus Christ. to name a few, as follows:
[1] "'Oku mu'omu'a taha mo mamafa taha pe kiate au 'ae lelei 'a Tonga 'i he lelei 'a'aku mo hoku famili" (trans "The common good of the whole of Tonga is first and foremost to me than the [personal] good of mine and my family.")
(Please see the great article by Mapa Ha'ano Taumalolo)
Taufa'ahau Tupou 1
[2] "Do not ask what America can do for you but rather ask what you can do for America."
John F. Kennedy
[3] The sacrifice by Jesus Christ is made manifest in the manner of His life and indeed the manner of His death (In both life and death, He lived [and died] a life [and death] orienting away from the self towards others [as opposed to a life (and death) orienting towards the self] [sio-ki-tu'a kae 'ikai sio-kia-kita], that is, He lived (and died) unselfishly.
The life and death of Jesus Christ.
These three noble instances of heroic life and death, both metaphorical and actual, tell us that if we want a better [or ideal] Tonga for all to live [and die in] then we need to make real sacrifices by living a life [and dying a death] UNSELFISHLY! Amen and so let it be! ”