Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kaline on January 27, 2010 at 8:31am

Edgar Allen Poe, "There's nothing more beautiful than the murder of a beautiful woman."

Permalink Reply by Kaline on January 27, 2010 at 8:33am

She felt that Deb was too sexual, made a spectacle of herself ... There was a tension between Mary George and Deb Gardner.

Permalink Reply by Kaline on January 27, 2010 at 8:34am

... Crisis in the history of the Peace Corps. Dennis Priven in custody. "Dennis why?" ... "This just proves I'm insane," Dennis Priven allegedly replied ... She implies Debs Tongan neighbours might be involved in her murder.

Permalink Reply by Kaline on January 27, 2010 at 8:37am

The murder of Deborah Gardner cast a dark stain across the South Pacific Paradise of Tonga and the Peace Corps.

Permalink Reply by Kaline on January 27, 2010 at 8:39am

Prison in Tonga or a mental institution in the United States. Tongans assumed he'd be theirs to deal with. Within hours of the verdict the Peace Corps began its tug of war, to get him out of this island. The US State Department made promises in writing. January 1977, 2 friends and a Peace Corps doctor escorted Dennis to Washington DC.

Permalink Reply by Sione on January 27, 2010 at 11:45pm

Vinaka Kaline. I never knew the CBS report existed. It adds another perspective to the book and the events. The Tonga teacher has summed up the situation well -"Any crime that is committed in Tonga will always come out sooner or later". That is also a Good Book truism that "what is done in darkness will be brought to the light". And like the blood of Abel that cried out from the ground to bring Cain to justice so will the evils that men do under the sun.
Again a big Vinaka for the CBS links.
A small question: Do you think the same kind of bungling and machinations is taking place with the Princess Ashika inquiry?

Permalink Reply by Kaline on January 28, 2010 at 5:23am

You're very welcome Sione.

To us, Tonga didn't fail in the case of Debra Gardner's murder, whereas with the sea tragedy of the MV Princess Ashika, the memorandum of points, organisations and authority are different.

Criminal law could be a possibility in this case, only that the Commission will need to sort out Tonga's Maritime law, their industrial laws - where applicable to this tragedy, before any possible criminal charges can be placed if at all on culpable individuals. A matter of the packing order. It's early yet, for they're still dealing with the former.

It can't be perceived with a simple hang noose judgment. Lives were lost and there is value in human life.

For the sake of those whose lives were lost and their mourning families, we do hope that the Kingdom of Tonga does perceive the MV Princess Ashika enquiry with the same voracity and earnestness applied to the Debra Gardner case of December, 1976. What happened with the 70s case was not an err in judgment of the Kingdom of Tonga and her Judiciary. The buggling as you put it, was a result of a pressured diplomatic and political tug of war, on the US State Department of that time's part - understandably and the young President Kennedy, decisions off set by the guinea pig programme in the Peace Corps run by Sargent Shriver. It came too close to home. Tonga was stuck in the wave of damage control.