The following are excerpts of the speech by National Federation Party’s first i-taukei and second woman President, Tupou Draunidalo at the NFP Convention on 29th March
Opposition to all military coups
We have all lived under and experienced life under a military government, on and off since 1987.
We all know that these unelected and dictatorial governments – answerable to no one but their armouries – restrict our basic freedoms – of speech, association and religion; they discourage local and foreign investment; and they weaken and destroy important institutions of state.