Auckland businessman Chris Barrett is pursuing Lord Fulivai and his Seattle-based cousin Michael Thomson for $550,000 for their work on a yellow fin tuna project.
The project was intended to establish open water fish farms off Lord Fulivai’s estate of Hunga Island, Vava’u through a company called Horizon Deep International.
Documents seen by Kaniva News show that Lord Fulivai was sent a bill for US$340,200 through Pacific Consultants and Construction Ltd on August 31 last year.
The bill included consultation services, preparation of documents for investors and loans and financial advances for Lord and Lady Fulivai. The latter came to more than US$30,000.
Barrett told Kaniva News yesterday that Lord Fulivai had ignored demands for payment and he would be pursuing repayment.
The documentation for investors said the demand for Yellowfin Tuna was increasing while the naturally occurring availability was declining.
As a result of the increasing demand and commercial fishing the Yellowfin Tuna population had declined in the wild. The specific environmental need, for breeding the fish had prevented any success in aquaculture.
It said the solution was to establish a breeding hatchery and nursery and an open ocean farming program for Yellowfin in the waterways off Hunga Island.
The Vavaâu group would provide a central location for distribution to world markets.
The proposal said the Yellowfin project would bring power, clean water and a wharf to Hunga.
The project would provide permanent and temporary employment with the infrastructure project and the aquaculture operations.
The project would eventually lead to main street business development, residential and agricultural land development. Expanding Vavaâu airport would increase tourism and provide greater accessibility for residents.
Earlier this week we revealed that the High Court in Auckland has ordered Lord Fulivai and his wife to repay Barrett $253,370.60.
The court found that the couple had promised Barrett they could provide him with a 99- year lease on land on Pangaimotu in Vavaâu as long as he gave them money to pay off people occupying the land.
Barrett said he did not receive any lease and the defendants were therefore in breach of the agreement.
The couple also took loans from Barrett.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
‘E ngali toe fai ha ngÄue makehe fakalao kia Looti Fulivai ‘i Nu’u Sila’ ni ‘i hano mo’ua fo’ou ‘eni ‘ova he vaeua miliona’ ki he kautaha Nu’u Sila âa e tangata pisinisi ko Chris Barret. Ko e moâua âeni âo Looti Fulivai feâunga mo e Nima Kilu Nima Mano âa ia kuo âosi totonu ke ne totongi ka âoku kalo ia fakataha mo hono kÄsini ko Michael Thomson nofo âAmelika. Ko e fakamole âeni ki ha polĆseki ke faamaâi âa e tuna âi Hunga, Vavaâu e he kautaha ne sea ai âa Fulivai ko e Horizon Deep. Ne âoatu ai he tohi moâua mei a Barret ki he ngÄue naâaâ ne fai maâa e kautaha âa Fulivai ko âeni hangÄ ko hono fakahoko e ngaahi ngÄue faleâi ko e teuteu e ngaahi meâa fakapepa maâa e kau âinivesitoaâ pea kau ai pe mo e kole paâanga âa Fulivai mo hono uaifiâ. Ko e moâua kehe âeni ia mei he moâua ua kilu tupu kuo âosi moâua ai âa Fulivai he fakamaauâanga âi Nuâu Silaâ ni tuâunga heâene lohiakiâi âa Barrett ke lisi ange ha kelekele âi Pangaimotu ka ne âikai hoko ia. Kuo âosi tuâutuâuni ke ne totongi fakafoki âa e moâua ko iaâ. Taimi tatau fakahÄ ‘e Barrett  ki he Kaniva’ kuo ‘osi tu’u mateuteu ‘ene kau loea mo e kau ‘eke mo’ua ‘i Nu’u Sila’ ni mo Tonga ke puke e koloa mo e kelekele kotoa ‘a e nĆpele’ ni ka ‘ikai ke ne totongi leva hono mo’ua’. Vakai ki he Kaniva’ mo e talanoa’ ni he fakatoulea’.
