The Tongan Parliament erupted this morning after the Auditor General’s report revealed he had not received any receipts showing how the more than $60 million COVID-19 budget was utilized.
The government launched a TOP$60 million stimulus budget in 2020 to ease the economic pressure on public health emergencies and health systems due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced in 2021 that it would contribute a $5 million grant to a program that will help restore and accelerate inclusive, private sector-led economic growth in Tonga.
It said the Economic Recovery Support Program would help the government progress ongoing reforms to foster Tonga’s economic recovery from the downturn caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The program was financed in collaboration with the Governments of Australia, New Zealand, and the World Bank.
In 2022, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced a $1.03 million (2.23 million pa’anga) grant to the Government of Tonga from its Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) to help finance the country’s response to community transmission of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Heated debates
When the government mentioned the Auditor General’s report in the House this morning, it sparked a fierce response and agitation from former Prime Minister Hu‘akavameiliku and Minister of Infrastructure Sevenitini Toumo’ua.
Hu’akavameiliku and Toumo’ua attempted to divert the discussion by justifying the missing records with unrelated issues, including building projects and road maintenance to assist with Covid recovery process.
The Chairman of the Whole House Committee, Lord Tu’ilakepa, has to intervene and caution some MPs from the Opposition and Cabinet Ministers to maintain decorum during their heated exchanges.
Hu‘akavameiliku, who served as Prime Minister from 2021 until his resignation in December 2024, told the House that the relevant records are at the Ministry of Finance and that the government must verify them there.
Toumo’ua, visibly emotional, even called upon Deputy Prime Minister Taniela Fusimaloli, who succeeded him as Minister of Infrastructure, to refrain from being “ta‘emamahino,” a Tongan term that denotes a lack of understanding.
Prime Minister Eke, who is also the Minister of Finance, repeatedly emphasized to the House that the Auditor’s report indicated there were no records of the expenditures.
The Minister of Police and the Minister of Infrastructure informed Hu‘akavameiliku and Toumo’ua that the key point is that the Auditor General never found any receipts.
The Chairman of the Whole House Committee, Lord Tu’ilakepa, reiterated that the Auditor reported he could not find any records pertaining to the management of the COVID-19 funds.
He then announced a break in the House for its morning session.
