The Lord Fakafanua government has reopened discussions on the long‑running Fuaʻamotu Airport ground‑handling controversy, revisiting concerns first raised during last year’s political standoff over how the service was allocated.
The issue resurfaced after former Minister of Public Enterprises Piveni Piukala vowed to renationalise the service.
He alleged that awarding the ground‑handling contract to a private company may have weakened border controls and contributed to breaches that undermined efforts to prevent illicit drugs from entering the country.
Piukala made several other allegations that appeared to link Air Terminal Services (ATS), the long‑standing company responsible for ground‑handling operations, to the rising importation of illicit drugs into the country.
The Minister further alleged that a Sunday medivac landing request by ATS, intended for a patient evacuation, was rejected after his own investigation revealed there was no patient.
He also dismissed the chief executive of Tonga Airports Ltd during the pursuit of his reform agenda, accusing the head of the state‑owned enterprise—which oversees the nation’s airport services—of what he described as an “abuse of power.”
However, ATS firmly denied any wrongdoing in a press release issued at the time, describing the Minister’s accusation as “a barrage of unjustified and ill-informed attacks.”
ATS Director Paul Karalus previously told Kaniva News in October last year that the company continued to operate as normal, despite former minister Piveni Piukala telling the media that a process was underway to replace it.
Kaniva News understands that ATS’s contract with the government expired last year, but because of the technical complexity of the operation and the stringent regulatory requirements for any company seeking to take over—criteria that reportedly only ATS currently meets—the company has continued providing the service.
Review Included in 100‑Day Plan
Dr Fotu Fisiiahi, Chief Executive of the Ministry of Public Enterprises, recently confirmed that the matter has now been formally brought back to the Ministry’s attention.
He said the current Minister Hu’akavameiliku has included the issue as part of his 100‑day policy agenda.
In Tongan he said: “Talu mei mei ‘aho ‘uluaki ‘o ‘Okatapa ta’u kuo ‘osi’ pea mo e ngata ‘a e ngaahi alēlea ko eni makatu’unga pe ia ‘i ha ngaahi tō nounou fakaalea.”
This translates into English as: since October last year, the negotiations around this issue had ended due to shortcomings.
He did not elaborate further, offering no additional details about the matter.
