It appears that many of our readers are deeply unhappy about the choice of words in the headline of our story reporting the death of former Prime Minister Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa.
In particular, they were upset by our use of the word “disgraced.”
Kaniva News has been attacked and accused of disrespecting Hon. Tu’i’onetoa because of our headline. Unfortunately, some Tongans have wrongly interpreted the word to mean that Tu’i’onetoa brought disgrace to the country.
This is what the word means: Having fallen from favour or a position of power or honour; discredited.
This is not the first time Kaniva News has used the word “disgraced” and certainly not the first time we have used it to describe the late Hon. Tu’i’onetoa. In this case we have been wrongly criticised by people who thought the word only has one definition which means to discredit or to bring shame
READ MORE:
- COMMENTRARY: PM keeps disgraced Ministers in their posts; Media Council head tells him blame for public unrest over convictions lies on his shoulders – Kaniva Tonga News
- COMMENTARY: Will government try to keep disgraced MPs in Parliament despite convictions for bribery? – Kaniva Tonga News
- Ministers were penalised because of bribery, not to make them look foolish, says editor – Kaniva Tonga News
- Disgraced former PM Pōhiva Tu‘i‘onetoa loses seat through electoral petition: reports – Kaniva Tonga News
Kaniva News stands by its headline. There is no better word to describe Hon. Tu’i’onetoa’s tenure as Prime Minister, his fall from power and the loss of people’s respect than “disgraced”. While he was Prime Minister we clashed fiercely on a number of issues, especially when it came to his controversial policies. Things reached a point where his political advisor, Etuate Lavulavu, swore at Kaniva’s Editor. The Editor treated his behaviour ethically and professionally.
We have already responded in Tongan on our Facebook account and explained our side of the story, but since some people shared their comments to other Tongan Facebook groups, we thought it would help to explain what we have done here.
Our critics have reacted emotionally to our story. That is their right and they have a right to express their views. The fact is that the former Prime Minister fell from his position in the premiership election and lost the public respects he had received when he was a Prime Minister. However, that was an issue that affected him, not anybody else. His actions did not bring shame or discredit on any other individual, family member or the kingdom.
We understand that the former Prime Minister’s friends and those who were closest to him may feel upset by our use of the word disgraced. We believe we were simply telling the truth. It would be unethical, unprofessional and untruthful for us to pretend that Hon. Tu’i’onetoa had not fallen from grace, that many of his actions had been questioned and that major issues like the roading project had not been mired in controversy.
We do not judge Pōhiva Tu‘i‘onetoa as a man or as an individual. That is a privilege reserved for those closest to him. However, Kaniva News is entitled – and as a news organisation is obliged – to report on Pōhiva Tu‘i‘onetoa as politician and Prime Minister and to pass judgement on how well he discharged his office.
