Members of a Tongan group in New Zealand have expressed their frustration on social media, reporting that their much-anticipated Christmas savings of about $50,000 have not been received.
The report received extensive coverage on Facebook, prompting numerous calls for the community to provide any relevant information to help the members get in touch with the treasurer.
For legal reasons, Kaniva News cannot disclose the treasurer’s identity. However, photographs purported to show the accused’s identity have been circulated on Facebook.
It has been reported that the Otara-based group had participated in the Christmas activity known as līlī.
Each member must deposit a specific amount of money, as their shares, every week, typically beginning in January each year, into a group financial account.
The treasurer then recorded and collected the money, and as normal practice, they would deposit it into the bank.
In December, as Christmas approached, the group members gathered to celebrate their achievements before the treasurer was expected to distribute the savings to each member.
But the treasurer was nowhere to be found.
The details of the money and what shares each individual has remain unclear.
Reports indicated that most members were families who saw the initiative as a means to enforce savings due to their collective efforts.
The group and the treasurer could not be reached for comment.
