Kehekehe ‘o e Low Politics mo e High Politics
‘Oku ‘ikai mahino mo maheni e tokolahi mo e ‘uhinga e ngaahi kupu’ilea ‘oku ne fakamatala e fokotu’utu’u fakafonuá hangē ko e low politics mo e high politics! Fefe ‘a e low and high culture? Fefe ‘a e low and high society?
Kuo lahi ta’u e talanoa ki he Liliu (Reform), ‘oku ikai fu’u fai ha talanoa ki he Fakalelei (Refinement), tautefito ki he Politiki kae’uma’ā e Politikale. Ka ‘oku mahu’inga, he ko e huohua pē ‘a e fanga puaká ‘oku pae tavale pē ‘ikai ma’a pe fakamā’opo’opo.
Ko e fakatātā lelei ki heni ko e ta’ovala: ‘oku ‘i ai e ta’ovala ‘oku faka’ei’eiki pea te tui ia ki he Lotu, pea ‘oku ‘i ai e ta’ovala ki he ngāue ‘uli (hangē ko e aveave) pea ‘oku ngāue’aki ia ‘e he kau fai fatongia hangē ko e tafú mo e fei’umú.
High Politics and Low Politics
‘Oku si’i e mahino mo e manatu’i ‘e he tokolahi ko Tonga ko e pule’anga kakato- ‘oku ‘i ai hono Pule’anga mo hono Taki fili ‘e he Fale Aleá, ka ‘oku ‘i ai foki hono ‘Ulu fakafonua (Head of State)‘oku mei he Kakai tatau, nofo mo e Kakai tatau, pea fekau’aki mo/pea ‘i ai hono ngaahi vā faka’aho mo e Kakai tatau!
Ko e nonofo fakalotofonuá, mo hono ngaahi kinoha’a kae pehē ki hono ngaahi a’usia ‘i he politikale, sosiale, mo e ‘ekonomika, ko ia ‘oku ui ko e Low Politics pe Politikale Ma’ulaloange. ‘Oku ‘ikai ‘uhinga ia ‘oku kovi, pe ‘ikai mahu’inga. Ka ‘oku ‘uhinga ia ‘oku fakangatangata pē ‘ene ope atu hono mafaí o ngata pē ‘i hotau loto’i kau’āfonuá.
Ko e pule’angá foki ‘oku veteki hono tefito’i Mafaí, ‘o fakakehe’i ‘a e Mafai Fa’u Lao, Fakahoko ‘o e Laó, mo hono Fakamaau’i e Laó ki he ngaahi tefito’i sino ‘o e Fale Alea, Kapineti, mo e Fakamaau’anga. Kātoa kinautolu ‘oku nau fakahoko ‘a e ngāue ko e Pule’anga (government and governance), pea ko e konga lahi ai ‘oku fekau’aki mo e low politics pe ko e domestic politics/governance.
‘I he levolo hoko hake mei he low politics ‘oku ‘i ai e High Politics, ‘a ia ko e lēvolo hono ua ia ‘o e pule’anga pe ko e State. Ko ia eni ‘oku ‘i ai ‘Ene ‘Afió, pea ‘oku ne fakafofonga’i e Fonuá ki he toenga ‘o Māmaní mo e ‘Univeesí ‘ikai ngata pē ‘i he pule’anga (formal government) pea mo e Lao (codified law), ka ‘i he fōtunga, fōlinga, mo e lōlenga kotoa ‘oku faka-Tonga. ‘Oku ne fakafofonga’i ‘a e Kakai Tongá pea mo e fonua ko Tonga, ‘i he kuohili, lolotonga, pea mo e kaha’u. ‘A ia ‘oku loloto ange pea toe fakalaumālie ange e lēvolo fakafofonga’i koení, he ‘oku kau ai foki mo e lotú mo e tu’unga fakatokāteline ‘oku ngāue’akí. Tau pehē pē, ko e me’a kotoa fekau’aki mo Tonga (not only as a nation but also as a society), ‘oku faa’ūtaha kotoa ia ‘o fakafofonga’i ‘i he sino pē ‘e taha ko ‘Ene ‘Afió.
Fakatātā ‘aki eni: ko ‘Ene ‘Afió ko e ‘Eiki Tau Pule ia ki he Militale pea ko ia ‘A e ‘Eiki Talafekau Lahi (Princep Civitatis, Latin meaning “First Citizen”), ‘a ia ‘oku ne fili mo fokotu’utu’u e kau fakafofonga ‘Amipasitoa mo Talafekau ‘a Tonga ki Muli (war and peace, diplomacy), ‘oku ‘i ai e mafai ki he vā mo e ngaahi fonuá kotoa ‘i hono fōtungâ kotoa (trade, immigration, communications etc.), ‘oku ‘iai foki mo e mafai ke ui mo veteki e Fale Aleá, pea ko ‘ene Afió foki e Tu’ukimu’a o e Tui Kalisitiané i Tonga, Protector of the Faith (Ko ‘Ene ‘Afio as Holy See of his Episcopate of Tonga). Ko e fokotu’utu’u ‘o e fakalele fakalotofonuâ mo e pule’angá, kuo tuku mai ia ki he Fale Aleá. ‘Oku angamaheni pē hono fokotu’utu’u e ngaahi Mafai ko ení ki he ‘Ulu ‘o e Fonuá, ‘i he fonua kehé, tatau ai pē ko e Lepapulika pe Mōnaki fakaTu’i!
Sidewinder Politics
Sai, hili e ki’i fakama’ala’ala ko ení ‘oku tonu ke mahino leva e ngaahi me’a lahi, tautefito ki he palopalema ‘o e pule’angá ‘oku lolotonga fihia holo ai he taimí ni!
Ko hono fakanounoú, ‘oku ‘i ai e ki’i lao fakanatula he sosiolo saienisi fekau’aki mo e ngāue’angá ‘oku ui ko e Peter’s Principle, pea ‘oku ‘uhinga ia ko e tokotaha ngāue kotoa pē ‘oku lahi hikihiki lakanga kae’oua kuo ne a’u ki ha lakanga ‘e kamata ‘ilonga ai ‘ene ta’emalava hono fatongia he ngāué. Pe ko hono ‘ai e taha, ko e ‘uhinga ‘oku ‘ikai fa’a hiki ai ha taha he ‘oku ngata pe ‘ene malavá he tu’unga kuó ne ‘i aí. ‘A ia ‘oku lele fakatafa’aki ‘etau politikí (winding sideways not forward).
Palopalema ‘o e Kapinetí
‘I he palopalema ko ia mo e Kapinetí, tautefito ki he Palēmiá Siaosi Sovaleni mo e Minisitā ki Mulí, ‘oku mahino mei he mo’oni’i me’á, ‘oku ‘ikai ke na toe malava e fatongia ne to’o meia kinauá. ‘Oku mahino kuo li’aki ‘aupito pē ‘e he Palēmiá e Potungāue Tau Malu’i Fonuá kae nofotaha pē ki he’ene ‘Univēsití mo ‘ene ngaahi kemipeiní ki he fili hokó he Potungāue Akó. Pea ko e Minisitā ki Mulí, Fekita ‘Utoikamanu, ‘okú ne ‘osi fakamo’ua’i e Potungāue he Fakamaau’angá, pea moveuveu e kau ngāué o fakafahafaha’i. ‘E anga fēfē hano fakafofonga’i lelei o Tonga ki muli, kapau ‘oku ‘alu holo e Minisitaá ia mo ‘ene ki’i kau pone kae nofo atu e toengá ia mo ‘Ene ‘Afió he faha’i kehe?
Na’e teuaki foki ‘e he ongo me’á ni ia ‘ena ki’i liukava fakaloto’i potungāue, ‘aki ‘ena feinga ke to’o e Sekelitali ia e Potungāue ki Mulí ‘a ia ‘oku fakanofo ‘e he ‘Ene ‘Afio fakatatau ki he founga ngaue angamahení, kae feinga’i atu e Sekelitali ia ‘o e ‘Ofisi Palemia Paula Ma’u ke hoko ko e CEO, ‘o taliui mai leva ia mo pule’i atu ‘e he Palemia Sovaleni mo Fekita e Potungāue, kae tuku ‘ene ‘Afió ‘a’ana. ‘Oku mahino foki na’e faka’amu ‘a Fekita ia ke fakahūhū ‘ene kau poné ke nau fetongi ‘e kinautolu e kau Talafekau ‘a Tonga na’e fakanofo ‘e he ‘Ene ‘Afió ke fakafofonga’i ‘a Tonga ki muli!
Palopalema ‘o e Fale Aleá
‘Oku ‘i ai e longoa’a ia mo e fakalanga longoa’a koe’uhī nai ko e Fale Aleá pea mo e founga femea’aki ‘a e kau Mēmipā. Tautefito ki he toutou tautea e Mēmipa Fale Alea e taha ki he lea ta’etaau tokua. ‘Oku ‘i ai pē mo’oni ‘a e ongo faha’í, ka ‘oku na toe ma’uhala pē foki kapau ‘e fusi ke tu’u ‘ena faka’uhingá. Ka ko e palopalema motu’a eni, he neongo ‘a e ‘ata lelei ‘o e Fale e taha ‘a e Fale Aleá, ka ‘oku fepōpula’aki e ongo faha’í he taimi tatau. ‘Ikai ke ngata aí, na’e hanga leva ‘e ha ni’ihi ia ‘oku ‘i ai ha’anau totonu fakafāmili (family privilege/advantage), ‘o ngāuehala ‘aki ‘ene totonu ko iá ke lēlea lahi pe lēlea kovi ai ia ‘i Fale Alea koe’uhi pē he ‘e ‘ikai uesia fakasōsiale tokua ia ai!
‘E fiema’u e Fale ia ke Alea he ko e Fale ‘o e Alea (parley openly like men, in order to be a parliament) ka ‘i he taimi tatau ‘e fiema’u ke faka’ei’eiki he ko e ‘osi ‘a e ‘ahó ko kinautolú ko e kau Taki mo e fa’ifa’itaki’anga! ‘Oku mahino ‘oku faingata’a ke fai lōua eni, he ko e iku’angá ko e ‘Ulungaanga Ua!
Ko e solova’anga leleitahá ko e sio ki he fakamuimuitaha ‘o e fekumí mo e ‘iló ki he fa’u Fale Aleá. Mahalo na’a kuo taimi ke Semipā Ua kae kei Fale pē ‘e taha hotau Falé: Lords Chamber, Commons Chamber!
Ko hono ‘uhinga he na’e fatu fakaholomui hotau Falé mo e Kapinetí he teu e Liliú, he ko e taumu’a fika ‘uluaki ‘a e kau Fale Alea he ‘aho koiá ke fakasi’isi’i tokua e fakamole ‘a e pule’angá he ‘e tokua ‘e holo ai e tukuhaú! Na’e tomu’a tu’utu’uni’i ia ke 12 pē e Kapinetí (neongo ne fanafanau e ngaahi Ministerial portfolios ia). Hili ia, ne toki fatu leva e tokolahi ia e Fale fakatatau ki he tokolahi e Kapinetí. ‘Oku te’eki langa ha fale ia kamata mei he ‘ato ‘o faai hifo ai.
Sai, fakatatau ki he taha e netiueka fakamatala lahitaha ‘i mamani fekau’aki mo e fakalele Fale Aleá, ACE Electoral Knowledge Network, ko e sikuea ‘o e tokolahi totonu ‘o ha Fale Alea ‘oku polopōsio ia ki he kiupi luti ‘o e liunga e tokolahi e kakai fakalūfua, tokolahi e kakai ta’u ngāuē, pea mo e falakiseni ‘o e fika mo e laukongá. Pe fakapapālangí, the square of the size of a Parliament is proportional to the cube root of the product of the population size times the working age rate times the literacy rate.
‘I hono fai e fika ko ení ki Tongá, ‘oku mahino ‘oku totonu ke ofi e tu’unga lolotonga ‘o e Fale Aleá ‘i he toko 51, mo e meimei liunga ua eni e tokolahi e Fale Alea lolotongá. Ka koe’uhī ko e faka’amú ke tau liliu tu’otaha ke lele ‘aki he ta’u ‘e 100 ka hokó, ‘oku ‘ikai ke kovi ka toe tānaki ha toko 15-20 makehe koe’uhī he kuo pau pē ke tupu e fonuá, leleiange e akó, pea leleiange e ma’ungāué mo e ‘ekonōmiká he ta’u ‘e teau ka hoko!
Hangē ko e kulupu kotoa pē, ko e tokolahiangé ko e faingata’a mo lahiange e pole ki hono pule’i mo mio’i ‘e ha tokotaha e kulupu koiá. Ko ia ai, kapau ‘e toko 71 e Fale Aleá, ko e si’isi’iange ia ‘e pule ‘a e tokotaha he Fale Aleá, pe faka-kolisi tutuku, pe ha’a, pe kolo. Ko e fakamole makehe ki heni ‘e ofi pē he 3 miliona he ta’u, pea ko e pa’anga ko iá ‘oku fakamole fakauike pē ‘e he pule’angá ‘i he’ene fanga ki’i poloseki maumau taimí!
Kapau leva ‘e to’o e toko 21 ki he Chambers of Lords, pea poupou’i e tama Tu’í ke fakanofo atu ‘ene kau Peers ke tokolahi (mei he Kakai Ako mo Māteaki’i Fonua kae pehē ki he ngaahi Ha’a Ma’uhingoa mei mu’a) ke tokolahi ange ‘enau Electors Pool, ‘e malava leva ke toe fe’au’auhi ange e fili ‘a e Hou’eikí pea ne fakamālohi’i e kau to’o fatongia he Fale Aleá mo e Pule’angá ke toe leleiange. ‘I he taimi tatau, ko e House of Lords ‘a Pilitāniá ‘okú ‘i ai e Sea ‘o e kau Takilotu ‘o e Siasi fakafonuá ke tokoni fakalaumālie mo mōlale ki he Hou’eikí. ‘E hoko mo’oni leva e Chamber of Lords ko e fale ‘oku faka’ei’eiki mo fakamātoato. Ko e Houeiki foki ‘oku fili fakavahefonua lalahi.
‘I he taimi tatau, hili e mavahe ‘a e Hou’eikí, ‘e tau’atāina leva ‘a e kau Fakafofongá mei he Makahunu mo Niumotu’ú. Te nau ngeia tatau kotoa, pea fakama’ama’a hono ta’ota’ofi ‘enau femea’akí ka nau ki’i tau’atāina ange. ‘E toko 50 leva ‘a e Chamber of Commons, ‘a ia ‘e toe fakafofonga’i leleiange ai e Kakai pea longomo’ui ai e Temokalati totonú. ‘E holo hifo e Fakafofonga e taha ki he toko 6000, ki he Fakafofonga e taha ki he toko 2000. Ko e kau Memipa Fili foki ‘oku fili vaheiiki, ‘a ia ko e vaheiiki ia ‘e 50!
‘I he’ene peheé, ‘e tokolahi fe’unga leva e Fale Aleá ke fili ha Kapineti tokolahi fe’unga ke fakahoko e fatongiá ‘ikai toe to’o lōlahi e ngaahi portfolio hangē ko e Palēmia lolotongá, pea tokolahi fe’unga e toengá ke fakanga’i lelei e pule’angá. Nofotaha pē e kau Lords ki he ngaahi kaveinga fakalūkufua, kae malava e kau Fakafofongá ‘o alea he Tukuhaú mo e Sēvesi Sōsiale!
‘Oku ‘ikai ko ha vavalo pē mei he ‘eá, ka ‘oku makatu’unga he ‘avalisi ‘o e ngaahi fonua kehé, pea toki tānaki atu ki ai ‘etau ngaahi taumu’a makehé. Ko e konga ia hono toe fakasanisani’i ‘etau Fakalelei fakafonuá ke toe māsilaange (refined) pea toe fakalaka ange (advanced/sophisticated) ‘etau ngaahi fa’ungá, faka’ata’atā ‘enau ngaahi ngāué, kae lava ke ngaholo pea fakasi’isi’i e feke’ike’i fakafo’ituitui ‘a e kau Taki, he kuo mahino ko e ‘uhinga pē ia ‘oku mūsia ai e ngāue fakalakalaká!
‘I he ‘osi ‘a e ‘aho, ko e kau Nopele mo e kau Fakafofonga ma’ae Kakai Tonga tatau ai pē mo honau Tu’i. Ko e sīpinga tofu pē eni ‘a Uesiminisitā.
