A former employee of the company which illegally dumped human waste into the sea in Vava’u has spoken out.
Akoli Lihau of ‘Utungake said he worked for Australian businessman Ian Jones, who was convicted and fined for the dumping in June this year,
Lihau said he worked for Jones from June to September 2017 as a driver of his septic tank truck.
He claimed they dumped more than 50 septic tank trucks of human waste in the mangroves near Pangaimotu.
At one stage Lihau took pictures of Jones and the truck while they were dumping the waste. He said he later shared the pictures with some people.
He claimed on that day they dumped three septic tanks into the mangroves.
He said on one occasion the truck broke down and he helped Jones use a hose pipe and a generator to drain the human waste out into the mangroves.
Lihau said a tourist from the UK asked what he was dumping and he said he told them it was water.
Lihau said he was lying to cover it up but in fact he was dumping human waste.
He said tourists used to swim and kayak near the dumpsite.
Jones was convicted by a Vava’u court and fined TP$1000 on June 20 after an inspection by the Health Authority following the dump found infectious disease from the waste in the sea near the dumping site.
Fishing and swimming in the area has been banned, affecting residents of Pangaimotu, Toula, ‘Utungake, ‘Utulei, Talihau and Neiafu.
Lihau claimed he went to Australia in November last year and received a phone call from Jones complaining that he found out Lihau had reported the dumping to the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC).
He claimed Jones demanded he pay him TP$800 as he has paid a TP$4000 to MEIDECC.
Lihau claimed he only paid TP$200 after Jones threatened to report him to Australian Immigration.
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