Tis the SEASON

Tis the season of eyes wide open .... some call it Christmas; but for me it's an opportunity to witness other peoples behavior and reflect upon my own.

Today, i hit the mother lode going to the office Christmas party.

I work at the Ministry of Transportation .... and due to the sinking of the ferry boat "Princess Ashika" there has NOT been a normal day at the office since the boat sank on the 5th of August, killing as many as 78 Tongan women and children trapped inside the sinking vessel.

Nothing has defined my experience in Tonga more than the open hearings that are transcribed word for word each day by "THE ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY" .... something unheard of ever before in Tonga ... a total transparent inquiry ... It could very easily be called "The Ship of Fools" ... but what i find even more amazing is that no one ... and i mean NO ONE that i have spoken to, reads these transcripts ...

I find it AmaZing that people continue to accept "SAI PE" (everything is KOOL) ... ≈still sailing on boats that are at best borderline seaworthy and if you read the transcripts you have got to wonder about the crew members from the Captain on down to the lowest of the ship hands trained in Tonga.... the transcripts are compelling!!!!!!

But this is Tonga; and there we all were at the Christmas party ... drinking ... eating ... laughing... it was a very tough year .... but who would have guessed ... it was a time to celebrate a birth ... maybe a new beginning.