Times of Tonga

Last updated

The Times of Tonga (Taimi o Tonga) was a biweekly newspaper in Tonga. First published in April 1989, it was published for 30 years by editor and publisher Kalafi Moala and was a frequent target of the Tongan government. Moala sold the business in 2019, [1] [2] and it is now an online publication.

The Taimi 'o Tonga was a frequent target of the Tongan government. In 1996, Moala and editor Filokalafi Akau’ola were imprisoned for 30 days for contempt of parliament after reporting on a motion in the Legislative Assembly which criticised a government minister. Their imprisonment was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and they were later awarded US$26,000 in compensation. [3] In 2002, Moala published a history of the newspaper, Island Kingdom strikes Back: The Story of an Independent Island Newspaper. [4] [5]

In 2002, editor Mateni Tapueluelu was charged with sedition and forgery over the publication of a letter claiming king Taufa'ahau Tupou IV had a secret fortune. [6]

In 2003, the newspaper was banned by the Tongan government for campaigning to overthrow the constitution. [7] The ban was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, [8] but the government repeatedly ignored the ruling and reinstated the ban. [9] [10] The ban was eventually lifted in June 2003. [11] The failure of the ban caused the government to amend the constitution to limit judicial review of royal decisions. [12]

In 2004, the newspaper was banned under a new Media Operators Act, which prohibited foreign owned publications. [13] [14] The law was later overturned by the Supreme Court, and the Times was issued with a media licence. [15]

In 2005, Tonga's Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala claimed that the newspaper's legal problems were due to a personal vendetta by then Police Minister Clive Edwards. [16]

In March 2009, the Times purchased the government-owned Tonga Chronicle . [17] In November 2009, the publication celebrated its 20th birthday. [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tonga</span> Country in the South Pacific

Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about 750 km2 (290 sq mi), scattered over 700,000 km2 (270,000 sq mi) in the southern Pacific Ocean. As of 2021, according to Johnson's Tribune, Tonga has a population of 104,494, 70% of whom reside on the main island, Tongatapu. The country stretches approximately 800 km (500 mi) north-south. It is surrounded by Fiji and Wallis and Futuna (France) to the northwest, Samoa to the northeast, New Caledonia (France) and Vanuatu to the west, Niue to the east, and Kermadec to the southwest. Tonga is about 1,800 km (1,100 mi) from New Zealand's North Island. Tonga is a member of The Commonwealth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Tonga</span> Aspect of history

The history of Tonga is recorded since the ninth century BC, when seafarers associated with the Lapita diaspora first settled the islands which now make up the Kingdom of Tonga. Along with Fiji and Samoa, the area served as a gateway into the rest of the Pacific region known as Polynesia. Ancient Tongan mythologies recorded by early European explorers report the islands of 'Ata and Tongatapu as the first islands having been hauled to the surface from the deep ocean by Maui.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ʻAkilisi Pōhiva</span> Former Prime Minister of Tonga

Samiuela ʻAkilisi Pōhiva was a Tongan pro-democracy activist and politician. Pohiva, the leader of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands (DPFI), served as the Prime Minister of Tonga from 2014 to his death in 2019. He was only the fourth commoner to serve as Prime Minister, and the first commoner to be elected to that position by Parliament rather than appointed by the King.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">China–Tonga relations</span> Bilateral relations

Tonga and China (PRC) established official diplomatic relations in 1998. The two countries maintain cordial diplomatic, economic, and military relations.

The Tonga Chronicle, also known as Kalonikali Tonga, was a state-owned weekly newspaper in Tonga. It was established in 1964 and until 2009, published both in the English as well as the Tongan language.

William Clive Edwards OBE is a Tongan barrister and politician who formerly served as a Cabinet Minister and acting Deputy Prime Minister. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party.

ʻEtuate Lavulavu is a Tongan politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga for Vavaʻu. He was stripped of his seat in 2016 after being convicted of bribery, precipitating the 2016 Vavaʻu 16 by-election. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University–Hawaii followed by a Master of Arts from Brigham Young University in Utah. He publicly claimed to have a PhD from the University of Edenvale, a US diploma mill, and began referring to himself as "Professor".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sione Sangster Saulala</span> Tongan politician

Sione Sangster Saulala is a Tongan politician, broadcaster, and Cabinet Minister. He was a member of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands early in his political career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Semisi Sika</span> Tongan politician

Semisi Kioa Lafu Sika is a Tongan politician, businessman, and Member of the Tongan Parliament from 2010 to 2021. He served as acting prime minister in September 2019, following the death of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva. He is currently leader of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ʻAlipate Tuʻivanuavou Vaea</span>

ʻAlipate Tuʻivanuavou Vaea, Lord Vaea is a Tongan politician and a member of the Tongan nobility. He has served as Master of the Royal Household and "long-time palace archivist", as well as being Chairman of the Tonga Traditions Committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siosifa Tuʻitupou Tuʻutafaiva</span> Tongan lawyer and politician

Siosifa Tuʻitupou Tuʻutafaiva is a Tongan lawyer and politician.

Tonga is a constitutional monarchy with a population of approximately 130,000. Politics and the economy are dominated by the king, the nobility, and a few prominent commoners. Economic, social and cultural rights are generally well respected. There are, however, a number of issues concerning protection of civil and political rights, particularly freedom of expression, and rights to political participation. Violence against women is a serious issue.

ʻAisake Valu Eke is a Tongan politician and former Cabinet Minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mateni Tapueluelu</span>

Mateni Tapueluelu is a Tongan journalist and politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viliami Tupoulahi Mailefihi Tuku'aho</span> Rugby player

The prince Viliami Tupoulahi Mailefihi Tukuʻaho was a Tongan politician and Cabinet Minister, member of the royal family, and holder of the Tuʻipelehake prince title, one of the thirty three titles of the Tongan hereditary nobility.

Laki Niu is a Tongan judge and former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga. He was the first Tongan to sit on the Supreme Court of Tonga in over a hundred years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Tongan general election</span>

General elections were held in Tonga on 18 November 2021 to elect 17 of the 26 seats in the Legislative Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tonga People's Party</span> Tongan political party

The Tonga People's Party is a Tongan political party founded in 2019 by the new parliamentary majority.

Siosiua Tuitalukua Tupou ʻUtoikamanu is a Tongan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He was Tonga's Minister of Finance from 2001 to 2008.

ʻElisapeti Lavakeiʻaho Makoni Langi is a Tongan lawyer and judge. She was the first woman appointed as a magistrate in Tonga, and also the first to serve on the Supreme Court of Tonga.

References

  1. ↑ Sri Krishnamurthi (25 June 2019). "Iconic Tongan publisher Kalafi Moala eyes new digital media challenge". Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  2. ↑ "Stalwart of Tongan journalism calls it a day". RNZ. 4 June 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  3. ↑ "Tongan journalists confidence will be boosted by successful suit against Government". RNZ. 12 December 2002. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  4. ↑ Moala, Jale (2003). "REVIEW: Courageous media catalyst fuelling change behind kingdom's facade: Review of Island Kingdom strikes Back: The Story of an Independent Island Newspaper- Taimi 'o Tonga, by Kalafi Moala". Pacific Journalism Review. 9 (1): 183–186. doi: 10.24135/pjr.v9i1.768 .
  5. ↑ Tapu Misa. "Kalafi Moala: Island Kingdom strikes back". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  6. ↑ "Democracy activists to face trial in Tonga". RNZ. 19 August 2002. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  7. ↑ "Tongan government says banned paper campaigned for overthrow of constitution". RNZ. 27 February 2003. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  8. ↑ "Tonga supreme court declares newspaper ban illegal". RNZ. 4 April 2003. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  9. ↑ "Tonga Privy council issues new ban on Taimi O Tonga newspaper". RNZ. 5 April 2003. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  10. ↑ "Tonga Government refuses to allow distribution of paper despite ban being lifted". Radio New Zealand International. 29 May 2003. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  11. ↑ "Tongan government bows to court order on newspaper ban". RNZ. 12 June 2003. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  12. ↑ "Tongan parliament passes controversial amendment". RNZ. 17 October 2003. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "Tongan police confiscate newspaper". RNZ. 8 January 2004. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  14. ↑ "Taimi O Tonga newspaper not to be distributed in kingdom any longer". RNZ. 31 January 2004. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  15. ↑ "Tonga gives newspaper licence for distribution". RNZ. 14 October 2004. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  16. ↑ "Tonga's Crown Prince replies to criticism from former minister". RNZ. 26 January 2005. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  17. ↑ "Tonga's Taimi Media Network to take over Tonga Chronicle on Friday". RNZ. 18 March 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  18. ↑ "Taimi 'o Tonga newspaper celebrates 20 years of publishing". Pacific.Scoop. 27 November 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.