The government’s hiring of an air ambulance which airlifted one of the king’s high profile nobles to a hospital in New Zealand on Sunday has divided social media users.
As Kaniva news reported, Lord Fusitu’a was hospitalised and his health deteriorated.
He was put on the ventilator at Vaiola’s intensive care unit before he was airlifted.
No further details about his condition were available from the authorities.
The Minister of Finance confirmed this morning that the government had paid for the noble’s expenses, but he did not reveal the amount of money paid.
Democrats and royal supporters clashed on Facebook, with many suggesting it was time to review MPs’ and government officials travel and medical entitlements.
Democrat supporters insisted the cost of the air ambulance was too much to be spent on Lord Fusitu’a alone while the government budget relied heavily on overseas donors to buy medication for the country.
Royal supporters insisted Lord Fusitu’a was entitled to have his full costs paid because it had been done for government officials in the past, including the Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva.
Hon. Pōhiva was treated for a liver condition in New Zealand earlier this year
The fact the aircraft arrived in Tonga on a Sunday which required special approval from the Minister of Police revived the debate about Tonga’s Sabbath laws. The government restored the ban on selling bread on Sundays in 2017.
Expenses
The Minister of Finance Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa said the costs were paid from Parliament’s Overseas Medical Treatment budget.
The payment in New Zealand dollars covered the “International Air Ambulance Transfer and ICU Medical Team,” the minister said.
The payment was released according to the parliament’s guideline for any member who was sick, Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said.
However, he said Lord Fusitu’a’s case was different because it involved hiring an air ambulance so the Ministry sought advice from the Attorney General’s office before it processed the payment.
He said the parliament and government leaders were sent overseas for medical treatments in the past and when there were questions about it he just gave a very brief response. He said there had been a number of queries from the public regarding Fusitu’a’s case.
The furore on Facebook has attracted calls by community leaders for online users to keep the peace and be patient.
Professor Siosiua Lafitani warned his Facebook followers and debaters he would unfriend and block anybody who may use foul language either against Lord Fusitu’a or the Prime Minister.
Free Wesleyan church minister Rev Sēmisi Kava has posted religious advices on Facebook which included Biblical scriptures to help those who swear, use foul and threatening languages and have no respect to others.
The debate
The royal supporters said the Prime Minister was often taken to New Zealand for medical treatment, but it was time for him to resign because of his medical health.
Democrat supporters said Hon. Pōhiva contributed to his spending by paying for his travel and accommodation expenses in New Zealand with his own money.
Some democrat extremists said they wished Lord Fusitu’a would die from his illness because he was a fierce opponent of the government in Parliament when it comes to Bills submitted by the people’s government. The noble’s supporters responded and warned these critics to say things they would like in turn to be said for their own parents or family members
Some Facebook users appeared to be foreigners who were working in Tonga joined the debate and said it was not fair for taxpayers to pay for an air ambulance to take one person to be treated overseas while there were hardly any toilet paper in some of the hospitals at the outer islands.
Some said it was morally wrong to have taxpayers pay for these expenses while the commoners could hardly feed their families.
Former MPs medical expenses
Former Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakanō was regularly sent to New Zealand for checkups after he suffered a minor stroke while in New York attending the United Nations General Assembly in 2013.
His medical expenses and flights were paid from taxpayers’ money.
Kaniva News understands a former Prime Minister, who was wheelchair-bound, died after spending months in an Auckland hospital. While he was in New Zealand all his expenses, including the staff looking after him, were paid from taxpayers’ money.
A former Minister of Police was flown to New Zealand on a medical flight while he was seriously ill, but died during the flight. All expenses were paid from the taxpayers’ coffers.
The main points
- The government’s hiring of an air ambulance which airlifted one of the king’s high profile nobles to a hospital in New Zealand on Sunday has divided social media users.
- As Kaniva news reported, Lord Fusitu’a was hospitalised and his health deteriorated.
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