Tough approach by Tonga police welcomed

TONGA – A commentator on Tongan affairs is giving strong backing to an Easter Weekend police action in the capital, Nuku’alofa, that led to dozens of arrests.

The arrests were mostly for drunk driving and drinking in public.

It follows a similar campaign over the Christmas period in which 159 arrests were made.

Radio New Zealand asked newspaper publisher Kalafi Moala whether police are taking a heavy-handed approach – but Moala praised the police, saying they were doing the right thing.

He also thinks it is a good thing that the kingdom’s police commissioners are selected from overseas.

“One of the things that has happened in this country has been a tremendous abuse of alcohol and this has carried over to a lot of drink-driving and of course accidents, where there have been deaths, Moala explained.

“And that had also been a big issue over the Christmas Holidays and I guess Easter weekend has been the next major holidays and the authorities were concerned that the same thing would happen.

“So I think essentially if you are looking at this country, there are realities that are happening. One, there is the continuous abuse of alcohol, related to drunk driving, a lot of accidents that take place and of course deaths. And in a small country this is very, very concerning indeed.”

RNZI: Given the work that was done at Christmas in terms of the large number of arrests then, it would seem that the message is not getting through. Are police and the traditional leaders talking to each other?

“Yes, there are a lot of meetings, conferences and workshops going on that are trying to bring a solution.

“I mean, it seems that a lot of people, the rule of law, there seems to be a breakdown, certainly it seems to be with the roads, where it is dangerous and I think that is what the police are trying to do.

“I mean it sounds so outrageous, especially when you are looking at a very small country with a small population, and yet the roads here are full of traffic and those sorts of things can happen.

RNZI: New Zealand has provided the last three police commissioners. Is that something that is seen as beneficial for policing in Tonga, by Tongans?

“Well the reason being of course there is a feeling that if you get a police commissioner from overseas, who is non- Tongan, there is the greater possibility that they will enforce the law, without any issues, compared with having a local person doing it.

“Personally, I think it is a good thing. I think it is a very good thing, especially when it is providing somebody who is a professional and police need to carry this out in a professional manner.

“I have seen cases here where police would be at a checkpoint and if somebody is driving by who is their relative or their friend or somebody who is high up in government, they would wave them past.

“But they would charge an infringement for those who are not their friends or not their relatives. So a police commissioner who is from overseas will make sure that this doesn’t happen. So I think it is a great help.”

- RNZI