Tonga’s Public Service Association has today threatened to take action after the Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakano disregarded its letter recommending him to step down from the prime ministership role.
PSA wrote to the Prime Minister on January 24 asking him “to resign voluntarily over the payment of around US$18m (~T$32m) in 2011, which he had directed to be made to Tongasat”.
The PSA said it met with the Finance Minister, Hon 'Aisake Eke on 23 January and the minister had agreed the payment of "US$18m by the Prime Minister to Tongasat in 2011 was unlawful and such actions should be stopped".
Hon Eke could not be reached for comment.
Following up on Friday 7 March 2014 PSA said they have received no contact at all from the Prime Minister.
“There have been no response from the Prime Minister on the PSA’s letter on the 24th January and since six(6) weeks have passed, it is enough time for the Prime Minister to reflect on what he has done,” PSA release said.
PSA also said, "This is a serious matter" and it does not take it "lightly".
It said PSA has, "given the Prime Minister since last Friday only two (2) weeks before" it takes this matter into its own hands.
It warned that if PSA ignored how the Prime Minister treated its letter and recommendation, "the next Prime Minister will do the same thing".
“The PSA has also followed up on Monday 10th March with the new Minister of Finance & National Planning, Mr. ‘Aisake Eke, on what he has done in relation to the same problem which was submitted to him on the 23rd January 2014.
"The question is now, what has Mr. Eke done to resolve this problem? The PSA has also given two(2) weeks as of Monday morning to the new Minister of Finance to deal with the problem,” PSA said.
