Tongan noble expresses concerns over Kingdom’s future

A Tongan noble and cabinet minister is concerned about the future for the Kingdom’s residents amidst challenges brought on by climate change.

Lord Vaea, Tonga’s Minister for Internal Affairs says he’s hopeful that the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum might be able to provide direction for the Kingdom’s future.

“How we’ll survive in the future and what our plans are, this is very important," he says.

“I think the Prime Minister bringing that into Tonga shows and highlights that we have to change a lot within the policies and how we look at ourselves, how we look at our future.

“Will we be more reliant on foreign nations in order for education and for work … I think this is why it’s important for the Pacific Islands Forum to meet in Tonga in August and to bring this up.”

The Kingdom will be hosting the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum with a theme of Transformative, Resilient, Pasifiki: Build Better Now.

The forum will be chaired by Tonga’s Prime Minister, Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni with an aim towards setting out the goals in the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy.

Lord Vaea agrees that there is a possibility of climate change migration for Tongan residents however he is concerned about adaptability.

“We’ve been here for the last 3000 years. How are we going to live? It has been part of us and the islands have been part of us as well.

“So to leave our oceans and sail somewhere, I don’t know … how well will they adapt?

“I think this is where a lot of them find that when they come over, they’re not ready for it because it’s a totally different society, different way of living.”

Lord Vaea says with the change of political climate in New Zealand, he’s hopeful its value in the Pacific remains.

“The presence of Mr Peters frequenting the Pacific tells a story in itself that they want to keep in touch with how we’re surviving out in the region.

“At the same time, the current government and the current Prime Minister is reogranising itself in terms of the difficulties that New Zealand has experienced.”