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Alleged counterfeiter arrested in Nuku'alofa

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

Nuku'alofa – A 42-year-old man from Halaleva has been arrested by police in connection with production of fake currency amounting to TP$150 on March 19.

Police also seized a color printer allegedly to have been used to print out the counterfeit currency.

The accused is remanded in custody to appear at the Nuku'alofa Magistrate Court.

Statement from Tonga Police says Police believe Counterfeit currency is currently in circulation and is warning members of the Public to check all pa’anga notes before accepting them.

There are security features printed on the Tongan pa'anga notes to ensure genuiness. 

These security features includes watermark of the King's image visible when note is held up to the light, a security thread is embedded inside the note and visible silver dashes on the fronts of the $1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and $50 denominations and NRBT.

Tonga Police Serious Crimes Unit investigation continues.

Tongan receives internship in the White House

By
Kalino Latu
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Milika Leokona Tonga Hopoi, an American of Tongan descent, has been granted an internship in the White House. She is the only granddaughter of the late Reverend Sami  Fehoko Veikoso (Ha’afeva, Ha’apai) and the late Reverend Sione Fakapelea (Koulo, Ha’apai).  She is the only child of late Tevita Hopoi and Katokakala Fakapelea Kavapalu, who later re-married her step-father, the late Ofa Kavapalu.  She has two sisters,  Helen and Mele. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, she was educated at  Oregon State University. She had previously worked in US Senator Jeff Merkley’s office. Hopoi was offered the internship in January.

Interview with Hopoi.

Kaniva:  You have been offered the opportunity of taking an internship in the White House. Can you tell me more about that?

Hopoi: First and foremost, I’d like to give thanks to our Heavenly Father for the blessings he’s bestowed upon my family. I can’t stress enough how much I love what I get to do. Living in D.C., meeting new people and interning at the White House has been a thrill. Serving as an intern during the Obama Administration is an opportunity of a lifetime. The White House Internship Program is a great catalyst for young professionals interested in public service, government and public administration. Everyone here is brilliant, talented and dedicated to public service; it is truly something to strive towards.

Kaniva:  How did you feel when you were offered the internship?

Hopoi:  When I was offered the internship, I was in pure euphoria. I felt a great sense of fulfilment as I look back at my time as a leader at Oregon State University. All I could think about was how happy my family was going to be to hear the news. One person in particular came to mind, my dad Ofa. If he were here, he would have been the first person to congratulate me, and I know he would have helped me get settled in D.C. He was always keen on public service, whether for the Kingdom of Tonga or the United States; he said that it was a defining factor for young people to never forget where they come from and to give back every chance they have.

Kaniva:  What are your experiences of the White House?

Hopoi:  My experiences have been nothing short of amazing! Interning for the Policy Office in the Office of the First Lady is rewarding. For example, the other day I helped to escort more than 100 middle school and high school kids to the South Lawn for the France State Arrival. It was incredible to see their eyes light up with excitement as the President visited them. As I stood there, I could see big dreams coming to fruition. The students really appreciated the experience.  I’m so glad that I was able to be a part of that.  Working with students is a large part of my background.

 Since I started working here, the staff has been welcoming and supportive to get the new interns on their feet and running. The learning curve here is so big. It’s clear that my time at Oregon State University and with U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley’s office has been immensely helpful.   I am able to see some things that many people will not have the opportunity to experience.  I have come to recognise the fk’apa’apa with Tongan faifekaus, matapule, hou’eiki and royal family to be similar to the appropriate customs of greeting the First Lady and the First Family. There are a few exceptions, like the customs of bowing and kneeling to the royal family are not how we greet the First Lady, but still the homage and respect for her is strong. I’m very fortunate that my mother thought it necessary to raise my siblings and I in the traditional Tongan customs because it is with the knowledge of our Tongan traits of fk’apa’apa, loto ma’ulalo, tauhi vā and anga’ofa that I have been able to gain this blessing and experience.

Kaniva: How could you describe your internship to our Pacific communities in the US and elsewhere?

Hopoi: When people told me that they think I’m the first Tongan to be a White House Intern, I tell them there had to be someone else.  The truth is that it was not something I was aiming for. God has blessed my family, community and Tongan heritage. My mother and late stepdad were adamant proponents for our education, respect for others and using every opportunity available to reach our potential. My humble upbringing  keeps me grounded through my time here in the White House. When I talk to my mom, she reminds me to pray and give back to God, to give thanks to God for what He has given me. 

I’m proud to still tau’olunga for my family, give the Children’s sermon in my church, and speak Tongan with my family. With those attributes, interning here at the White House has been a remarkable experience  as I feel more Tongan-American than just American. There are times when I’m at my desk that I wish my grandparents can see this, to know that our kainga have made it to the White House.

One of the coolest things I get to do is use my name ‘Tonga’ in the White House. It was given to me as a term of endearment by my old rugby team. When my mom heard it at a rugby game, she loved it! She said that it’s nice to hear people say ‘Tonga’ because it reminds her of her home country. The first day I was at OSU,I chose to make the change. Since then I’ve been known as Tonga everywhere.

Kaniva: What does internship in the White House mean to you?

Hopoi: For me, personally, I hope that my story can inspire young Pacific Islander men and women to strive for excellence in their education, church, family and culture. I’m grateful I learned very young that every piece of my identity matters. It should be celebrated and appreciated.

 There’s a lecture that my mom use to give when I was growing up. It’s when I used to struggle in school and play sick to stay home. She would come home tired from a long day’s work and say with sadness: “It wasn’t easy for me to leave my home. You think it was easy to leave my parents thousands of miles away? Remember that I’m also a daughter of somebody and everyone needed me, but I left to give you a chance at something I never had. Make use of my journey and sacrifice; use your education to become whatever it is you dream because in Tonga, we weren’t as fortunate to have the opportunities you do. Every day I work so you can have a better life and if that means you chase your wild dreams then go for it. Just don’t ever give up, because I won’t stop working until you do reach your dreams.”

My mother is an amazing woman. This internship means I get to give her a dream that she never had. I hope one day to land an amazing position in my career where I’m able to let my mom retire. This internship is the beginning of many great things to come.

Image: Milika Leakona Tonga Hopoi. Courtesy of Milika Leakona Tonga Hopoi

Kaniva: What are some of the comments you received so far from families and friends when they knew you got this internship at the White House?

Hopoi: The reception from my family has been really warm, unbelievably joyous and overwhelmingly gracious. In short, my family and friends were beyond the moon when they heard I got this internship. On my last Sunday in Portland, I announced it to my church and they were just filled with tears of joy because of what this opportunity meant. For many who’ve come here searching for a better life than they had in Tonga, they are finally seeing the benefits of their struggle and hardships. People in my church told me that seeing one of their own go to the White House, the highest point of prestige in the United States, is one of the greatest memories they’ll always cherish.

When my mom’s brothers got a hold of the news, they couldn’t believe it. They called me just saying how happy they were and some of them were emotional. All they could muster up to say as was “Thank you for your obedience and this is the greatest gift I’ve have ever gotten. Who would have ever thought this was possible; only through God is anything possible.”  Then my family in Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and the States were talking about it so I would receive personal emails, voicemails and messages from people with uplifting stories, words of encouragement and wisdom. 

Kaniva: What is your goal for this internship?

Hopoi: My goal for this internship is to figure out a way to give back to my Pacific Islander and Tongan community, during and after my internship. Poverty is a very real issue in our community and it has been proven that in order to lift people out of poverty there has to be education in the community.  Before I came to DC, I connected with Alisi Tulua and Sefa Aina about getting connected to the Pacific Islander community in DC. I have a goal of bridging the gap between educational opportunities and Pacific Islander communities across the nation and I know DC is the place to get things moving. I am a firm believer in education and the doors that open up as you complete each homework assignment, course and degree. During my White House internship, I’ve been learning about access to college for high school students and I know first hand that this is a crucial point that many Pacific Islander youth miss or overlook as they are in high school.

Tonga: Alert over German measles

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

Public health authorities in Tonga are working to prevent spread of German measles after a patient had been tested positive for rubella this week.

Vaiola medical officer of health ‘Ofa Tukia reportedly said patients were diagnosed with rare disease after they visited  the hospital this week.

On one occasion they decided to test a patient for rubella and the disease was confirmed by a laboratory.

No further details given about the patient.

The hospital said they are waiting for more blood test results of patients that have been sent to New Zealand.

WHAT IS RUBELLA?

* Rubella, commonly known as German measles, is a disease caused by the rubella virus.

* The disease can last one to three days.

* Infection of the mother by rubella virus during pregnancy can be serious.

* If the mother is infected within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, the child may be born with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), which entails a range of serious incurable illnesses.

* Spontaneous abortion occurs in up to 20 per cent of cases.

* The virus is transmitted via airborne droplets from the upper respiratory tract of active cases.

* The disease has an incubation period of two to three weeks.

Disputes tribunal clears GM Cars

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

A claim by a Tongan teenager that a car dealer in Auckland was responsible for the NZ$13,000 she gave its employee on Wednesday 18 September 2013 has been dismissed on February 14.

Ngaluafe Rowena Kavaliku claimed she gave the money to Kolio (as the name appeared in the tribunal order but also known as Kelekolio Tapueluelu) of GM Cars to purchase a 2007 Black Mazda Axela.

She said Kolio later asked for further $1,500 and felt pressured to pay this.

The disputes tribunal in Auckland has found no documentation from Kavaliku to show payment for a car apart from a record of a bank withdrawal they made on 18 September 2013.

Kavaliku claimed that when the car was delivered a few days later it was not the Mazda but instead was a Honda Fit.

The tribunal believed Kolio was not an employee of GM Cars but instead was acting as Kavaliku’s agent when given the money and being instructed on what price to get the car.

GM Cars denied claims by Kavaliku that Kolio was an employee.

Kavaliku declined to accept the tribunal’s requests to join Kolio as party to the prosecution.

The GM Cars told the tribunal there was no Black Mazda Axela registered on their yard and there was no sale recorded.

They said the Honda Fit was traced to Prime Motors in Greenlane and that it was purchased from there and that was proof GM Cars had no dealings in this matter, the tribunal was told.

GM Car’s witness, Kolio was the person that the applicant dealt with when buying the car.

Kolio said that he, the applicant and her mother, Teuila (as the only name appeared on the tribunal order) visited three car yards on Wednesday but did not buy anything.

Kolio said he and Teuila then visited Prime Motors on the Friday  and that he was handed $7,000 by Teuila to purchase the Honda Fit.

Teuila told the tribunal she was not with Kolio on the Friday as she was preparing for a wedding the next day.

Findings

The Kavalikus claimed Kolio received $14,500 and has returned none. Kolio said he only received $7,000 and returned nearly all of it when he returned the Honda Fit to Prime Motors.

As there were no evidences or receipts provided by either party and as their version of events are so dissimilar it is difficult to determine which version of events is more likely to be correct, the tribunal order says.

At the end of the second hearing the applicant produced a recording of the conversation held at the GM Cars premises in which they said that Kolio confirmed receiving $14,000.

The tribunal order says this recording was on a DVD disc and would need to be played in front of all parties. The applicant brought this recording with the intention of presenting it as evidence however left till 11.28am when the hearing had started at 9.15am and all parties were aware as early as 11.05am when advised by the chairperson to raise any further evidence.

Should the recording support the applicant’s claim that Kolio had acknowledged receiving $14,500 then this would be in direct conflict with his evidence to the tribunal at both hearings that he received only $7,000, Referee P McKinstry said.

The applicant’s position was that she and her mother gave Kolio money and he has not returned it. Assuming that the recording shows that Kolio’s evidence was inconsistent then that may go some way to a determination that the applicant’s position was more likely to have been the case, the tribunal said.

However the applicant has not brought their claim against Kolio, they have instead chosen to claim only against GM Cars Wholesalers Ltd. The claim against GM Car Wholesalers required that applicant showed on the balance of probability that Kolio has not returned the money she said he was given and that GM Car Wholesalers was responsible for Kolio’s actions. Failure to prove either point would be fatal to her claim, the tribunal said.

The applicant was asked on numerous occasions whether she wished to join Kolio as a party to the proceedings however on each occasion declined to join Kolio. This in spite of the fact that the applicant’s claim arises from what she says was kolio retaining her money.

Kolio and GM Cars

Both GM Cars and Kolio said that Kolio is a freelance car finder for the purchasers and that he visits a number of yards acting for purchasers. They say he is not an employee.

The tribunal found no evidence to the contrary and having heard GM Cars and Kolio on this point it found that Kolio was not an employee of the GM Cars.

Kavaliku, the applicant, said they contacted Kolio after seeing his picture and name in a full page advert for the GM Cars in a Tongan Newspaper. She said that she took this to be that Kolio was an employee of GM Cars. She also said that when at the GM Cars’ yard she gained the impression that Kolio was an employee by the way the transaction was completed.

GM Cars told the tribunal the advert was arranged and paid for by Kolio with their permission and that he was not an employee.

On its own, said the tribunal, the advert shows good evidence that the applicant was introduced to Kolio through the advert itself and that he was held out to be an employee and that she belived he was an employee.

However the advert was not the only evidence on this point. When completing the claim form the applicant said, “my mother approached Kolio Tapueluelu – a family friend who we knew worked in car sales”.

The tribunal order says this seems inconsistent with the applicant becoming aware of Kolio though the advert.

Relationship

It also came out in the hearing that the applicant’s mother was in a relationship with Kolio prior to the purchase of the car. The applicant’s mother says this was started after seeing the advert however the claim formed suggests that Kolio was approached as a family friend, not through an advert.

GM Cars told the tribunal the applicant never dealt with their staff until after the problem happened among the Kavalikus and Kolio.

Having considered the evidence on this matter presented by the parties the tribunal said it did not believe that the Kavalikus have showed on the balance of probabilities that she relied on the advert as holding Kolio out to be an employee of GM Cars.

It was just as probable that Kolio was acting as the Kavalikus’ agent when being given the money and being instructed on what price to get the car.

Queen Victoria arrives in Tonga

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

The Queen Victoria has arrived in Nuku’alofa today for the second times as she last visited the Kingdom on 9 Feb 2006.

The cruise ship berthed at  Vuna Wharf at 8am after sailing from Auckland with about 1900 passengers.

A Tonga's Ports of Authority statement says its Acting General Manager, Mr 'Alo ki Hakau Maileseni presented a gift to the captain of the ship in Nuku’alofa.

The Queen has seven restaurants, thirteen bars, three swimming pools, a ballroom, and a theatre.

Queen Victoria is operated by the Cunard Line, named after the late British monarch, Queen Victoria.

She is the running mate to Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth.

It left Nuku’alofa at 5 pm en route to Pangopango, Samoa.

[otw_is sidebar=otw-sidebar-1]

Donate 21 to help save Viola

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

BRISBANE. The race is on to save a young lady from Tonga named Viola Kavapele Maka, who came to Australia on a visiting visa in 2011. Viola became seriously ill while visiting her brother in Brisbane. Because she can’t be treated in Tonga, her family decided that it would be in her best interest to seek treatment in Australia. Viola’s father has passed away and her Tonga based surviving mom is not in paid employment. Sadly, there is no stable support for Viola in Tonga.

A new charity called TongaCare has launched an urgent appeal to help pay for Viola’s cardiac surgery, which her doctor says needs to be done straight away. A medical treatment visa has been granted, but she is not entitled to MediCare and she does not have any insurance. Her family is in financial difficulties. Without help and generous donations, Viola could lose her life, a life that could have been saved if she was born in the United Kingdom, America or Australia.

Viola’s Cardiologist has expressed the urgency of the operation in a letter, with an estimated cost to be between fifty to one hundred thousand Australian dollars. He also added that Viola would regain a relatively normal quality of life after surgery. There’s hope if people from around the world dig deep into their pockets to help pay for the much needed operation and to keep this vulnerable young lady’s heart beating.

TongaCare is a small registered charity which was started in 2012 by a few Good Samaritans who offered to help another fellow Tongan national who fell ill with meningitis while in Queensland on a seasonal workers scheme. They have helped eight disadvantaged people so far. The self-funded charity’s main objective is to provide care and assistance to disadvantaged individuals, especially those who “fall through the gap” like Viola.

New Executive Officer for TongaCare, Kennedy Tau has come up with a fundraising strategy call Donate 21. The idea came to him when he asked his daughter Amanda for a small donation to kick off the campaign. She reached deep into her pockets and pulled out two notes and all the coins. It totaled twenty one dollars. She then told her dad that if people donate just twenty one dollars, it won’t take long to reach the goal. Amanda lost her younger sibling Shakobe to leukemia in 2003. Her dad said, “Loosing a child is the worst thing that can happen to a parent. I don’t want Viola’s mom to go through what my wife and I have been through.” Members of Shakobe’s family have all donated twenty one dollars each and are calling on others to do the same.  

Donations can be made to the following Westpac Bank special appeal fund. Account Name: TongaCare Viola Maka Appeal, BSB: 034074 Account Number: 197120.

For more information about the appeal visit www.facebook.com/Donate21 or www.Donate21.org

Press Release by Kennedy Tau (Executive Officer). Email: kennedytau@gmail.com Mobile: 0405 645 471

TongaCare Incorporated, 528 Waterford Road, Ellen Grove, QLD 4078, Australia

ABN: 18 644 884 289 / Cert. of Incorporation No: IA40644 / CHARITY No: CH2425

The winner of the Moana Schwagler Memorial Scholarship.

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

 “On Thursday evening (13th March 2014) we were invited to the office of the well-known law firm, Meredith Connell, on the 17th Floor of the Forsyth Bar Centre at the business hub of Shortland Street in Central Auckland. The occasion was to award the above scholarship to the first winner and holder of it for the 2014/2015 year.  The scholarship was created in memory of a young Samoan woman lawyer, Moana Schwalger, who worked at the law firm until her untimely death at the age of 35 years of age. There was a photograph of the young lawyer hanging above us as we gathered around to celebrate this occasion.

The winner was awarded to Miss Tupouta’anea Atiola. Tupou is the eldest daughter of Rev. Feleti and ‘Aioema ‘Atiola. As everyone knows, Rev. Feleti ‘Atiola is the current Principal of Tupou College, Tongatapu, Tonga. The award was presented by the Senior Partner, Simon Moore, of the law firm and it seemed fitting for him to complete one of his last ceremonial duties before moving on to the High Court Bench from next week. Justice Simon Moore was also the Crown Solicitor for over twenty years. Being a litigator with a sharp mind, Justice Moore (as he is now known) was able to recite the important facts from Tupou’s CV without looking at any note. That Tupou studied at Queen Salote College in Nuku’alofa and later taught at the same College. Later on Tupou went to study for a Bachelor of Commerce at Victoria University in Wellington. She also took a Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting at the same University. Tupou then decided out of curiosity to take up law about four years ago at the University of Auckland. During the University’s holidays for the last  two years, Tupou chose to work at the office of the Land ministry in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. Tupou is a staunch follower of the SUTT Church both in Tonga and here in New Zealand.

Tupou was given a chance to speak during ceremony and she thanked a number of people for helping her during her studies. She thanked Meredith Connell and the Pacific Lawyers Association for funding the scholarship. She ended up by reciting a poem composed by the late Tae Kami who was a student at Queen Salote College which was also a moving tribute to the late Moana’s family. Tupou’s parents were not at the ceremony but she was well supported by her uncle and younger sisters. Other Tongan supporters there were Tukia and one of his sons who is nearly completing a law degree at the University of Auckland. The writer ( Joel Mataitini Fotu) was also present at the great occasion.

Tupou will be graduating with a law degree (LL.B) from Auckland University at the May graduation ceremony this year. The scholarship will enable Tupou to complete her Master of Laws degree (LL.M) at the same University at this academic year. At the same time the scholarship will enable Tupou to have an internship at Meredith Connell whenever she completed her Masters degree.  

This award is a great honour to the Tongan community given that the selection committee has chosen Tupou on her merits alone rather than her being a Tongan. It is also important on the basis that she is the first holder of the award and not a Samoan young lawyer. It has shown that through hard works one can get places in this society. Tupou will be a good role model for her contemporaries and future young aspiring Tongan lawyers.

We wish Tupou the best in her studies and her future career in the law".

Prepared by : Joel Mataitini Fotu, a practising lawyer with the law firm of Glaister Ennor, High Street, Central Auckland.

Tongan authorities fear Taiwan container carries FMD

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

Quarantine officials in Tonga were concerned the discovery of a container of counterfeit raw and cooked meat in Nuku’alofa last week might have brought foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) to Tonga.

The container’s manifest detailed its contents as frozen fish however quarantine officers found discrepancies, local media reported. 

It says the 20 ft meat container had no health certificate and the manifest was written in Chinese only, a local newspaper reported.

The owner of the container was a Taiwanese man who lives in Tonga and the officers said they also found dumplings which filled about 40 percent of the container.

Deputy Director for MAFF, Dr Viliami Kami said they destroyed the raw meat and some other stuff in fear they might have been carrying FMD diseases, Radio Tonga reported.

Kami said they’ve released the cooked meat to the owner, according to the Radio.

They found out from the investigation there was an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Taiwan and has spread over the country up to last year, he said.

Kami also said they took this action to protect the safety of Tonga’s livestock.

Mouth and Foot Disease

According to BBC, "it is a virus which affects animals – very few human cases have ever been recorded.

"It is endemic in animals in many parts of the world including Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America.

"The disease affects cloven-hoofed animals, in particular cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and deer.

"Other animals that can be affected include llamas and alpacas, some wild animals such as hedgehogs and coypu, any wild cloven-footed animals including deer, and zoo animals such as elephants.

"It has serious implications for animal health and for the economics of the livestock industry.

"There are seven different foot-and-mouth disease types – O, A, C, SAT-1, SAT-2, SAT-3 and Asia-1. They show some regionality, with the O type most common.

"Foot-and-mouth disease cannot be cured and usually lasts for two to three weeks before the animal recovers naturally".

Taiwan

Pig Site  website says "two outbreaks of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) have been reported in pigs in Taiwan within in October 2012.

"The veterinary authority sent an Immediate Notification dated 29 October to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

"The first outbreak started on 24 September at Yuanshan Township in the I-Lan region in north-east Taiwan. A total of 962 pigs were involved, of which, there were 245 cases and 381 animals were destroyed.

"The second outbreak started in the same town on 3 October. Of the 888 pigs on that farm, there were 144 cases".

Queensland Tongans raise AU$13,000 for Ha‘apai cyclone relief

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

The Queensland Tongan community raised AUD$13,000 during a vibrant fund raising concert hosted by the Nofo ‘a Kāinga – Queensland Tonga Council on 28 February.

Various Tongan church denominations, Kava Clubs, Tongan ex-student associations, families and individuals converged on Yeronga High School Hall on Brisbane’s south side for a night of dance, song and fun.

Since Tropical Cyclone Ian caused massive devastation in the Ha‘apai island group the Nofo ‘a Kāinga – Queensland Tonga Council immediately began discussing the best method to offer assistance. After discussions with the Queensland Red Cross it was decided that financial assistance would be more appropriate than perishable goods.

Entertainment for the Ha‘apai Relief Concert was provided by Queensland’s DJ Vava‘u (Leni Lolo) as well as the Brisbane Tongan Brass Band.

President of the Nofo ‘a Kāinga – Queensland Tonga Council, Reverend Sione Maile Molitika said “the programme was a huge success” and expressed his wholehearted appreciation to God and the greater Tongan community for their support on the night.

The council secretary, Limapō Hopoate, contacted the Tonga High Commission in Canberra to explore the most efficient and effective option of providing the support to the people of Ha‘apai.

The council intends to convene on Tuesday, 11 March 2014 to decide how to provide the community support to Ha‘apai.

According to the 2011 Census over 25 096 people identified as having Tongan ancestry in Australia, including 1,596 Tonga-born people in Queensland alone.

The Queensland Tonga Council, also known as Nofo ‘a Kāinga is a Queensland based Tongan association that strives to advocate the rights and pressing needs of Tongans in Queensland as well as establishing a port of refuge that promotes collaboration and builds partnerships for individuals and stakeholders within a multicultural society in the Commonwealth of Australia.

PM Tu’ivakano downplays PSA call for resignation

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

Tonga’s Public Service Association has today threatened to take action after the Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakano disregarded its letter recommending him to step down  from the prime ministership role.

PSA wrote to the Prime Minister on January 24 asking him “to resign voluntarily over the payment of around US$18m (~T$32m) in 2011, which he had directed to be made to Tongasat”.

The PSA said it met with the Finance Minister, Hon 'Aisake Eke on 23 January and the minister had agreed the payment of "US$18m by the Prime Minister to Tongasat in 2011 was unlawful and such actions should be stopped".

Hon Eke could not be reached for comment.

Following up on Friday 7 March 2014 PSA said they have received no contact at all from the Prime Minister.

“There have been no response from the Prime Minister on the PSA’s letter on the 24th January and since six(6) weeks have passed, it is enough time for the Prime Minister to reflect on what he has done,” PSA release said.

PSA also said, "This is a serious matter" and it does not  take it "lightly". 

It said PSA has, "given the Prime Minister since last Friday only two (2) weeks before" it takes this matter into its own hands.

It warned that if PSA ignored how the Prime Minister treated its letter and recommendation, "the next Prime Minister will do the same thing".

“The PSA has also followed up on Monday 10th March with the new Minister of Finance & National Planning, Mr. ‘Aisake Eke, on what he has done in relation to the same problem which was submitted to him on the 23rd January 2014.

"The question is now, what has Mr. Eke done to resolve this problem? The PSA has also given two(2) weeks as of Monday morning to the new Minister of Finance to deal with the problem,” PSA said.

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