The Pacific Games Council (PGC) and Tonga Amateur National Sports Association (TASANOC) are suing the government of Tonga following the kingdom’s decision to pull the plug on hosting the 2019 Games.

The Council and TASANOC’s lawyer William Clive Edwards has served a writ of summons against the Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva and his government allowing them 28 days to file their defence to the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa.

The writ was issued at the Tonga Supreme court on May 15, 2018.

Tonga’s Acting Attorney General Aminiasi Kefu has confirmed to Kaniva News he has received the writ from the Prime Minister’s office today Tuesday 22.

The Council and TASANOC have sought damages of at least TOP$8,497,581.17 over the breach of contract which the Council has described as “legally binding.”

The legal action came after Hon Pōhiva said the government wanted to focus its resources on other more important areas of economic development.

As Kaniva News reported last year, the government has engaged New Zealand barrister Dr Rodney Harrison in its ongoing dispute with the Pacific Games council (PGC) which is now being in court.

Editor’s note: In a previous version of this story we said PGC and TASANOC have sought damages of TOP$12.5 million. That was not correct. In fact it was TOP$8,497,581.17