Seabed minerals’ benefits to be maximised for the country

By Tevita Motulalo

Members of the Tonga Police's Special Armed Squad receiving Australian-donated badges from Parlaimentary Secretary Richard Marles last week

Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary of Pacific Islands Affairs, Richard Marles thinks the benefits of seabed minerals should be maximised for the benefit of the Pacific country they are taken from.

Marles was in Tonga last week to reaffirm Australia’s support as a Pacific partner and a friend of Tonga, wrapping up a region-wide tour to all the small states in the Pacific.

“We see ourselves as very close friends and we want to be the best of friends that we can be to Tonga,” he said toTonga Chronicle in a doorstep media conference just before departing Nuku‘alofa.

“The Gillard Labour government regards the Pacific as absolutely crucial to Australia’s Foreign Policy. Whatever else happens around the world our neighbourhood will always be our neighbourhood. And for that reason the Pacific is our collective neighbourhood,” he said.

But the issue of seabed minerals had been a key point in discussions with the Tongan Cabinet, amidst the exchange regarding the ‘partners in development’ program for Tonga.

In Tonga, Australian companies are involved in the prospecting for underwater commercial mining and Marles thinks there are two key issues to be looked at.

NZ High Commissioner cable: King’s meddling with funerals “might bring about his own overthrow”

© Tevita Motulalo

REAMS of sensitive US diplomatic materials have been blown wide open by Wikileaks, revealing the inner workings of US foreign policy, and how the US works to advance its own interests globally. Similarly, as far back as 2003, a leaked cable sent by a retiring New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga, Brian Smythe, to then Foreign Minister Phil Goff, was published by the New Zealand Herald.

The cable gives remarkable insight in to how New Zealand views the Kingdom of Tonga, as well as New Zealand’s objectives for the country. 

It reports that the democracy movement in Tonga wanted to be “crushed” by the King, Taufa‘ahau Tupou IV, which they hoped would allow for New Zealand intervention.However, New Zealand must not to be “seen” to be interfering.

Tonga engaged by 7 countries’ militaries in one week

© Tevita Motulalo

In the last two weeks, Tonga has been visited by the highest concentration of military delegations in the Kingdom's history. 

Delegations from New Zealand, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, France, China, and even India arrived in Tonga on separate bilateral engagements. The number of visits, and the countries involved in these engagements, is unprecedented.

Lieutenant Commander Solomone Savelio says it is usually during Heilala Week that military visits are highest, “This is our own little Heilala Week.”  He said some of the visits have been scheduled months in advance, but a majority were due to Defence services budgets utilised “as most of them are nearing the end of their financial years.”

UN’s Global Peace Operations Initiative

A contingent of UN operated private contracted team of (ex-military and civilian origin) instructors, visiting on a “Train the Trainers” course for Tongan military officers- for the training of personnel to take up peacekeeping roles with the United Nation’s Peace Operation Initiative. The 5 Instructors were from the United States, India, Singapore and Malaysia.

New Zealand/Tonga MAP

A team of 3 New Zealand Defence Force Officers arrived to conduct the annual Mutual Assistance program Talk between TDS and New Zealand Defence Talks.

Australia

3 officers from the Australian Army arrived to talk and prepare the next (10^th) Tongan contingent to partake in the RAMSI in November.

United Kingdom

A 3-member team of instructors visited from the United Kingdom to lead the training of the Tongan contingent to be deployed under British command in Afghanistan.

United States

2 Officers from the US Marines arrived for further talks and discussions of the upcoming TAFAKULA Exercise for 2011.

France

The French frigate La Glorieuse arrived in Nuku‘alofa after a week in Vava‘u on the weekend.

A French 30 member Platoon arrived Tonga on a French CASA sircraft to conduct CEELO Exercise with a Tongan platoon in Tonga.

The French Plane departed Tuesday 31st Aug taking a Tongan platoon to Noumea, New Caledonia to conduct Commando Exercises with the French soldiers. Lieutenant 'Esau Tupou is leading that platoon.

India

Captain Jatinder Singh of the Indian Armed Services made his first visit to Tonga on his new role as Defence Attaché to Tonga.

China

Two Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy ships, a battles frigate Mianyang and a training vessel Zhenghe with total crew of 565 will arrive at 1000 for visit until 1000 hrs Tuesday 7th Sept.There are 3 Admirals on board, including Rear Admiral Leng Zenqin, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the People’s Liberation Army.

They visited Prime Minister Sevele and the Commander of the Tonga Defence Services; sightseeing; exchange sports and visits, and the vessels were open for the public visits last Saturday.

  

Captain Toni Fonokalafi in welcoming the Rear Admiral and the vessels said, “Your support, together with other foreign defence relations, has lifted our capability to a standard where we can cope with government expectations.”

  

In concluding his statement he said, “I believe the program set for the ship’s company to interact with our defence personnel and the people of Tonga, will enhance our defence relations further by developing personal relations.”