Sai pe

If you follow Steve's adventures from Tonga ... then maybe you saw his blog ... titled ... sai pe .... which means in Tongan "it's kool".
Sai pe IS a wonderful social tool. It allows for a day to day allowance of each other's SHORT comings.

Well as Steve said "it isn't sai pe in Tonga"!!!!
Not since the sinking of the Ferry boat. A boat that is the life line between islands. Steve lives on a smaller outer island and he has a more personal relationship with Tongan's than i do.
I work at the Department of Civil Aviation in the capital of Nukualofa.
What i do have is ..... a greater conflict to SAI PE then maybe Steve does.

As a pilot... Sai pe is "the kiss of death".... just as it was with the ferry boat!!!

"It's Kool" ..."SAI PE"
KILLS!!!!!

Whether at sea or in the air ....complacency is NOT to be tolerated.....
"No you can't do that" ...is based on a history of tragic events. Tongan's have a hard time saying "NO" to anyone ; much less for a relative... they might just want to BEND the rules.
"SAI PE"

Investigations take months ... i don't want to speculate .... but when a boat's manifest originally says 47 people were on board ... AND in fact there were close to 127 OR MORE... it isn't sai pe .... Tongans need to take personal responsibility.
It would be a dishonor to those that died; if Tongans simply blamed any one individual and then went back to SAI PE.

When it comes to safety and security ... it requires a pro activism where SAI PE is NOT to be tolerated.

Personally ... having been in Tonga 10 months already ...I feel someone will take the heat for the ferry boat disaster ... and after a period of time; that person will be forgiven ... it IS the beauty of TONGA and it is also their cross to bear...

Maybe just this one time people will awake from their deep sleep and take responsibility for "cause and affect" ...it's a big step... can the Tongans do it ... as they are fond to saying "GOK" ... GOD ONLY KNOWS!!