Transcript
'AISAKE EKE: No this isn't surprising at all. The only surprise I had was the reasons given for my resignation, because when I abstained I thought that is not going against the current government, but I just wanted to share those issues I felt was important. But the decision has been made and there were two factors -- two factors that the prime minister quoted in the initial letter directing me to resign. One is related with the definition of a vote of no confidence and also the differences in the way we have conducted our work. The second factor was the surprise to me, he had never raised any concerns [earlier] about how we are conducting as far as government is concerned.
DON WISEMAN: Just looking back on that government, two years of the first, mostly commoner government in Tonga. What sort of a job do you think you've done?
AE: We have a national strategic development plan, 'Development 2050', which basically sets the development directions and shapes our development agenda. At the same time, our fiscal policy dimensions, I can assure that we have a satisfactory fiscal position, so that they're able to have sufficient funds to cater for government operations and also to supplement the funding available from external sources for development, infrastructure, and also other sectors of the economy, and also make sure that whatever fiscal position we have would be conducive for maintaining a sustainable macroeconomic environment.
DW: What do you think about the state of the economy, generally? I mean it's been tough times for a number of years now for Tonga, hasn't it? So how bad is it? Do you think that over these couple of years you've improved the situation?
AE: Yes we have been improving our economy. Our growth maintains about 2-3 percent economic growth, even though the financial crisis happened in 2008 was a great...
DW: You were starting from a long way back, weren't you?.
AE: That's right, I have been in government for several years starting as a civil servant and then joining the parliament in 2011. So we have steady growth even though we have external shocks, not only coming from financial markets but also with climate change which actually causes some major disasters. But even though we have those, we have our economic growth going up.
DW: It's two years or so before the next election. Are you going to be throwing your hat in the ring?
AE: Well I'm very happy that I have this time now off from government. As you know, when I accepted the decision I accepted it without any grudge or any remorse because I know that's part of life, you have to have some twists and turns along the way. So now, what I'm doing just reflects what I have been doing so far and see what I could take as far as future action is concerned.
DW: One of those courses of action wouldn't involve you heading up a government that contained mostly nobles, would it?
AE: No, not at all. I'm one who actually believes in working together, because that's the only way you can move forward our government. I think the political agenda, they used a very divisive one to segregate the Nobles and the Peoples Representatives, and it's not a healthy one, it's not one that's perfect for Tonga socially, economically and politically. So we have to get unity and move forward, that's the only way we could make a stronger Tonga, going forward.
DW: Would you hanker after that prime minister's position in later governments?
AE: Well as I said, I'm still thinking and praying as to what I should do in the future. One option, of course, is pursuing the political career as I'm doing now. If I'm still going at a political career then that is my principle. We have to go and work together with everyone in the house.
