The Supreme
Court has referred a spousal maintenance case back to the Magistrate’s Court
for a re-hearing as soon as possible.
Lord Chief
Justice Paulsen said he would allow the appeal in part.
In his
report on the case, Mr Justice Paulsen said this was an appeal from a decision
of the Principal Magistrate at Neiafu of February 20. The magistrate ordered
that Tonga Kupu pay Lotolangi Kupu spousal maintenance of $20 per week and
child maintenance for five of their seven surviving children of $20 per week.
Tonga Kupu
asked that the amount of maintenance be
reduced to $70 a week.
Tonga and
Lotolangi Kupu were married in 1996 and had eight children of which five children
were the subject of this proceeding.
After their marriage the parties lived in their own home at Lapaha, Tongatapu and Tonga had a commercial operation growing squash and pumpkins.
In 2013,
marital difficulties arose and the respondent and the children moved to live
with the respondent’s mother at Makave. There were attempts at reconciliation.
In September 2017 the appellant considered that the relationship had
been restored and he had his tractor and truck shipped to Vava’u to
re-join his family. He leased land to farm and has been growing crops.
The parties
lived together until September 2018 where Tonga grew crop and his wife ran a
small grocery shop.
The parties’
marital problems continued and in September 2018 the wife obtained restraining order
against him.
Tonga has
been living on his leased land since then.
Tonga provided food for his family until December 2018. He paid for three children to go to New Zealand for a vacation in December. He has again provided some food. He pays the school fees of one child.
In his
report on the case, Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said it had been argued that the
Principal Magistrate failed to give proper consideration to the evidence as to
the parties’ respective means and
that it was unreasonable to
require him to pay an amount of
$120 per week.
He said the
order that Tonga Kupu pay Lotolangi Kupu
$20 per week for the maintenance and support of each of the five youngest children of their marriage was
upheld. It would remain in force until the children left school or turned 18.
However, the order that he pay Lotolangi Kupu spousal maintenance of $20 per week be set aside and re-heard in the Magistrate’s Court on the first available date.
The
main point
The
Supreme Court has referred a spousal maintenance case back to the Magistrate’s
Court for a re-hearing as soon as possible.
Lord
Chief Justice Paulsen said he would allow the appeal in part.
A dispute
over the ownership of a bull has been sent back to the Magistrate’s Court after
the Supreme Court upheld an appeal.
Lord Chief
Justice Paulsen said the case should be heard by a different magistrate to the
one who heard the original case.
The case grew out of a dispute in Neiafu in September 2016.
Kaati
Halatoa brought a claim against Sam Tamale, seeking an order that he return a
brown bull which had been removed from land where Halatoa kept his animal.
The
Principal Magistrate in the original case ruled that Halatoa owned the bull and
ordered that it be returned to him within one week.
Halatoa said
he owned a brown bull that
was born in August 2014. It was kept,
together with other animals, at the tax
allotment of Sione Fisi’ihoi. The bull went missing
towards the end of 2015.
In June
2016, the respondent’s son reported to him that he had seen the bull roaming at
the tax allotment of one Tu’i’afitu.
This bull was retrieved and tied up at the tax allotment of Sione
Fisi’ihoi.
About two
weeks later the bull was taken Tamale.
Tamale
argued that he had a brown bull that was four years old when it went missing in
around May 2016. The bull was called Hercules and it was friendly and would
come when called. The bull fled a couple of times and on the last occasion it
went to the tax allotment of Fisi’ihoi where there are other animals.
He retrieved it and kept it on the tax
allotment of Siope Lonitenisi. He did
not return the bull to the respondent because he was certain it was his bull.
Both side of
the case produced two witnesses and Tamale produced three photographs of the
bull.
Lord Chief
Justice Paulsen said that with one exception the Principal Magistrate at the original trial did not summarise or
analyse the content of their evidence
or give reasons why he accepted or
rejected the evidence of any witness and in
what particular respects.
The
Principal Magistrate accepted that
the bull in dispute was the
same bull shown in photographs.
Lord Chief
Justice Paulsen said there was contradictory evidence about the identity of the
bull and who had accepted the identity of the animal. There were also questions
about how the bull had behaved when visited by a delegation during the
magistrate’s court hearing and whether the same animal had been identified.
He also
noted a submission that the Principal Magistrate in the original case had failed
to take into account that the bull had been gone for months before the
respondent retrieved it.
“I did not
hear the witnesses and have no way of assessing their respective credibility
upon which the case falls to be determined,” Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said
“I have no
alternative but to allow the appeal and refer the matter back to the
Magistrates’ Court for rehearing.”
The
main point
A
dispute over the ownership of a bull has been sent back to the Magistrate’s
Court after the Supreme Court upheld an appeal.
Lord
Chief Justice Paulsen said the case should be heard by a different magistrate
to the one who heard the original case.
The
case grew out a dispute in Neiafu in September 2016.
A legal
dispute which has “serious implications” for preparations by the
Pacific Island nation of Tonga for this year’s Rugby World Cup has come before
the High Court.
The dispute centres around a judgement for NZ$ 275,702.19 ( €143,000) obtained by a French-based media company called SARL Team One Events against the Tongan Rugby Union over image rights.
The company
is seeking to enforce the judgement in this jurisdiction by obtaining an order
compelling rugby union’s world governing body World Rugby Ltd, which is
registered in Ireland, to pay Team One Events money due to be paid to the
Tongans.
The matter
was briefly mentioned before Mr Justice Tony O’Connor at Monday’s sitting of
the court.
Stephen
Byrne Bl for World Rugby said his side is opposing the company’s application
but would need time to reply to the matter.
Counsel
said there was an urgency to the matter, given that Tonga will soon commence
their preparations for the Rugby World Cup (RWC) in Japan, which starts on
September 20.
Counsel
said that the case has “serious implications” for those preparations.
Paul Binchy
Bl for the company said his side were consenting to the adjournment.
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The judge,
after making directions in the case, adjourned the action to a date later this
month.
Team One
Events, which is based in Toulouse, France claims it entered into an agreement
with the Tongan Union in March 2014 concerning the use of the sporting body’s
image rights until the end of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The company
claims that under the contract it was to get 30% commission on any income
generated from the exploitation of the image rights, and the Union would get a
minimum of US$300,000, half of which was paid up front after the contract was
signed.
As part of
the contract, the company claims the Union was forbidden from entering into
contracts with third parties as Tonga’s match or tournament sponsors until
after the conclusion of the 2015 RWC.
The company
claims in June 2014 the contract was breached when Tonga, in a game against
Samoa, had the name of a sponsor on their shirts without Team One Events
permission.
This
resulted in the company bringing a claim against the Tongan Union in the French
courts.
The company
subsequently obtained a judgement for €143,000 against the Tongan Union, which
it says has not been satisfied.
In order to
enforce the French Court’s judgement, the company seeks an order from the Irish
courts known as a garnishee order.
This type
of order is used to enforce a judgment debt against a creditor to recover
money.
The order
would compel World Rugby Ltd, which is due to make a payment to the Tongan
Union, to instead pay the judgment creditor, One Team Events.
The company
claims that in relation to the 2019 RWC World Rugby Limited it intends to make
staged payments of fees for image rights to various Unions including Tonga’s.
It is
understood the payments to the Tongan Union will be used to cover the costs of
its preparations for RWC ’19, including the rugby’s teams travel and
accommodation expenses for the tournament itself.
Rugby Union
is the Pacific Island nation’s national game.
While
always been competitive, the Tongans have never made the knockout stages of the
competition.
They face
England, France, Argentina and the USA in Pool C of this year’s RWC in Japan
Tonga must be alert to potential security threat, Deputy Prime Minister Semisi Sika said on Friday.
Hon. Sika
was speaking at an early morning memorial service for the victims of the
Christchurch massacre held at Tonga Police Headquarters in Nuku’alofa.
“The World
changed for us all on March 15,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“Tongan
Police must be alert and prepared for anything that comes their way. We must
all be alert and prepared for anything that comes their way.
“We must all
be alert to potential threats to our border and work together to ensure Tonga’s
security is not compromised.”
The short
ceremony began with the raising of the Tongan flag to half-mast whilst the
Tongan and New Zealand national anthems were being played by the Tonga Police
Brass Band.
This was
followed by verses from the hymn, ‘Abide With Me’ and a prayer offered by Rev.
Viliam Fanaika.
“We raise
our Flag today at half-mast to show our respect, our deep sense of loss and
mourning for the 50 New Zealanders murdered at their place of worship in
Christchurch,” Hon. Sika said.
“As we pay
our respects we salute the leadership and humanity of Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern and the courage and solidarity shown by New Zealanders to this tragic
event.
“I take time
to commend the courage and professionalism of the New Zealand Police in putting
themselves in harm’s way to protect their citizens, the other courageous First
Responders and Emergency Services and all individuals, that went to help with the dead, dying and wounded
and those that were blessed to survive.
“This is a
day of Remembrance to the families and loved ones of the fallen and also to
show our respect and solidarity with New Zealand in their hour of sorrow and
reflection.”
Present at
yesterday’s service were the Acting New Zealand High Commissioner, Elena
Procuta, the Australian High Commissioner, Adrian Morrison, the Minister for
Lands and Minister responsible for His Majesty’s Armed Forces, Lord Ma’afu and
other Cabinet Ministers, Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell and his senior
officers and advisors and the Chaplain of Tonga Police, Rev Viliami Fanaika as
well as other Church leaders.
As Kaniva Tonga news reported earlier,
Members of Parliament took part in a one minute silence last Monday morning to
pay respects for the victims of Christchurch’s terror attack.
Acting
Speaker Lord Tu’ilakepa said the minute was in respect for the memory of those
killed and hurt in the attack on Friday, which left 50 dead and at least 50
injured
Lord
Tu’ilakepa said in Tongan: “Oku ou fie ‘oatu ‘a e fie kaungā mamahi ‘a e Fale
Alea ‘o Tongá mo e kakai ‘o Nu’usilá, ‘oku ‘oatu heni ha faka’apa’apa, mo e
fiekaungā mamahi mo’oni ‘a e Fale Alea ‘o Tonga, mo e kakai ‘o Nu’usila koe’uhi
ko e pulonga kuo tō he fonuá, tupu mei he fakapō ta’e’amanekina, ne hoko ‘i
Christchurch, ‘i he ‘aho Falaite 15 ‘o Mā’asi, 2019.”
Last week we
reported that Tongans living in New Zealand had been asked to wear black this
week as a sign of support for the country’s Muslim community.
Tongan
church groups have been holding special prayer sessions for the cessation of
terrorism.
Last Sunday
the brass band from the Pulela’a Methodist Church in New Lynn played
outside an Auckland mosque. Church
members prayed and laid flowers.
The
main points
Tonga must be alert to potential
security threat. Deputy Prime Minister Semisi Sika aid yesterday.
Hon. Sika was speaking at an early
morning memorial service for the victims of the Christchurch massacre held at
Tonga Police Headquarters in Nuku’alofa.
“The World changed for us all on March
15,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
For
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NZ marks Christchurch massacre with
week of vigils and prayers, more events planned today
Helping Tongans who have been deported to the kingdom after serving jail term in other countries was a major source of concern, His Majesty King Tupou VI said this week.
In his speech closing
the current session of Parliament, His Majesty said there was need to help “our
children” who had been deported.
Drug-related problems
in Tonga had also become a major issue of concern.
The king said police
should step up their efforts to fight substance abuse. He called on the
government to increase funding towards drug prevention programmes.
“The security of our
people is paramount because there has been a recent case where someone was murdered,”
His Majesty said.
His Majesty’ comment
follow recent reports highlighting serious problems with deportees in Tonga and
the growing threat of methamphetamine.
His speech was read by
Lord Vaea, one of the three nobles who officially closed the session.
The others were Lord
Tu’iha’ateiho and Lord Ve’ehala.
His Majesty is in New
Zealand for a short visit.
In his address to
Parliament, the king called for an independent body to be established to investigate
the burning and destruction of Nuku’alofa in 2016. He said the government
should fund the commission.
Climate change
The King reminded the
House about the importance of being prepared to face the effects of climate
change.
The King said the
rebuilding of damage after Cyclone Ian in Ha’apai, Gita and especially in
Tongatapu was still not completed.
“Many families and
schools in Tongatapu are yet to receive aid from the Government,” he said.
“The longer the delay
in the recovery process the harder the work will be.”
The King said Tongans
working in seasonal labour scheme overseas should be trained properly before
they travel abroad. This was to ensure they can communicate and read in
English.
“If we are to take
this seriously then we should train our people to the highest level to meet the
market’s demands,” His Majesty said.
The King reminded MPs
that spending money from donor partners and aid agencies should be transparent
and accounted for.
His Majesty said
discussion and debates in Parliament should be conducted in a respectful and
dutiful manner. MPs should uphold the
dignity of the House.
His Majesty reminded
MPs that it was unconstitutional for
Tonga to ratify any regional or international agreements without completing the
due process.
Condolences
During the closing
ceremony the House observed a minute’s silence for those killed in the
Christchurch massacre.
The Acting Speaker,
Lord Tu’ilakepa, conveyed his deepest condolences to New Zealand for the
tragedy in Christchurch.
“We hope and pray
that God’s peace be upon New Zealand during this difficult time. The tragedy
has united our Pacific brothers and sisters including Tonga to mourn with New
Zealand in this time of sorrow,” Lord Tu’ilakepa said.
Parliament will resume
on May 30.
The main points
Helping Tongans who have been deported
to the kingdom after serving jail term in other countries was a major source of
concern, His Majesty King Tupou VI said this week.
In his speech closing the current session
of Parliament, His Majesty said there was need to help “our children” who had
been deported.
Drug-related problems in Tonga had also
become a major issue of concern.
NUKU’ALOFA – A passenger who was found with nearly TP$149,000 stuffed into his trousers and strapped to his leg has been convicted in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme
Court convicted Qian Xiyun for failing to declare to Customs that he was carrying more than TP$10,000 of
currency.
Qian
originally pleaded guilty to the charge and elected trial by judge alone in
relation to other charges. Clive Edwards appeared for him at trial which began
on March 18 this year.
At the start
of the trial Edwards aid he would argue that the accused had
wrongly pleaded guilty to an offence
the Crown could not sustain in
law.
The
prosecution arose out of events that arose at Fua’amotu International Airport
on May 15 last year at the passport control booth at the departure terminal.
A customs officer was processing departing
passengers for a flight to Fiji when the accused approached her after
completing security screening by aviation officers.
He handed
the customs officer his passport and passenger
departure card. He declared on his departure card that he was not
carrying more than $TP10,000 in cash, or
its equivalent in foreign currency.
The officer
asked him several times whether he was carrying cash, to which he kept replying
that he was not. However, under repeated questioning, he eventually admitted
that he was in fact carrying about his person and in his clothes a large sum of
money in Tongan, US, and other currencies.
The custom
officer called in a more senior colleague who continued questioning the accused
who initially denied that he was carrying more money, but eventually removed
more cash from his trouser.
At this
point a male office was called in and more money was found strapped to his leg.
In his
report on the case, Acting Chief Justice Cato said the money was worth about TP$149,000.
The more
senior of the Tongan female
customs’ officers said that she had
asked him about further money and he had pulled out wads of money and placed
them on the table.
He said the
accused had produced more money in his hand which he had held out and had asked
to go on the plane. She took this to
amount to a bribe.
In his
ruling, Acting Chief Justice Cato ruled that the guilty plea had been carried out
under the appropriate legislation and must stand.
“The accused
is duly convicted of failure to declare he was carrying currency over TP$10,000
contrary to section 97 of the Customs and Excise Management Act,” Mr Justice
Cato said.
The accused
was also originally charged with two counts of bribery of a government official
and money laundering.
These
charges were all dismissed.
Mr Justice
Cato is still to sentence Qian.
The
main points
A
passenger who was found with nearly TP$149,000 stuffed into his trousers and
strapped to his leg has been convicted in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court convicted Qian Xiyun for
failing to declare to Customs that he
was carrying more than TP$10,000 of currency
Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva ordered all Tongan flags in the country to be flown at half-staff tomorrow Friday 29 to honour those who had been killed in the racist attacks in New Zealand.
“The mark of
respect coincides with the “National Memorial Service” that the New Zealand
Government is holding at Hagley Park in Christchurch at 10.00am on Friday 29
March,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s office said.
“The
decision that all flags in the Kingdom should be flown at half-mast on 29 March
was made by Cabinet in its meeting on Friday 22 March, In my earlier message of
condolence to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Rt Hon Jacinda Adern, I had
written, “The people and the Government of Tonga weep with you, as you gather
your dynamic multi-ethnic whanau around you to nationally mourn and bury the
dead, and to reconnect the bonds that make New Zealand the beautiful and loving
country it is”.
The Hon Prime Minister also said that a memorial service and flag ceremony for the victims of the Christchurch terrorist attack, and all those affected by it will be held at the Tonga Police Headquarters in Longolongo beginning at 8am on Friday 29 March 2019.
The effects of the
Christchurch shooting has been felt throughout the local and international
Tongan communities.
As Kaniva Tonga news reported earlier, Members of Parliament took part in a one minute silence to pay respects for the victims of Christchurch’s terror attack.
Acting
Speaker Lord Tu’ilakepa said the minute was in respect for the memory of those
killed and hurt in the attack on Friday, which left 50 dead and at least 50
injured.
Following
the attack Tongan community leaders in New Zealand have called for their people
to wear black as a sign of solidarity
with grieving Muslim families.
The
community was also asked to meet in Aotea Square for a Love Aotearoa Hate Racism hui.
Tongan
church groups have been holding special prayer sessions for the cessation of
terrorism.
The Pulela’a Methodist Church in New Lynn paid their respects to the 50 people killed in the terror attacks by taking its brass band to play outside Imran Reza Mosque in New Lynn.
Congregation
members prayed and laid flowers.
According to the 2013 New Zealand census there were 60,336 Tongans living in New Zealand, a 25% population increase since the beginning of the 21st century. Tongans make up 1.5% percent of the total New Zealand population.
New Zealand has financially assisted Tonga with over NZ$20 million each year through its bilateral aid programme with the kingdom.
The king’s decision to investigate and prosecute any breaches of law by some Cabinet ministers, including the Prime Minister, has mirrored the same advice PM ‘Akilisi Pōhiva gave to the petitioners last month.
The petitioners accused the Prime Minister and other
Ministers of his cabinet of abusing their powers, breaching the law and
corruption.
They demanded the king immediately shut down
Parliament and establish an interim government.
They also demanded His Majesty establish a royal
commission to investigate the government.
In his response on February 22 which was sent to Kaniva and other local news media, the
Prime Minister said he accepted any criticisms against him, but wanted these
criticisms to be factual, accurate and in good spirit.
He recommended the petitioners complain to the
Ombudsman, Police, Auditor General or take legal action against any cabinet
ministers they accused.
In Tongan the statement said:
“Ko hono ‘uhinga ia ‘oku toutou kole atu ai ‘e ‘Eiki
Palemia kia kinautolu na’a nau fa’u ‘a e Tohi Tangi ke nau launga’i ‘a e kau
Minisitaa ‘oku nau tukuaki’i kuo nau maumau’i ‘a e Konisitutone pe ko e lao ‘o
e Fonua ki he ngaahi sino Ma’u Mafai faka-lao.”
This translates into English as: “This was why the
Prime minister regularly asked the petitioners to lodge their complaints with
proper government authorities against the Ministers whom they claimed breached
the laws of the nation.”
The
complaints
The petitioners accused the Prime Minister of breaking the law and claimed he had declared in Parliament that he was above the law. They also accused the Prime Minister over the Popua national park project.
The petitioners accused the former Minister of Public Enterprises Poasi Tei of importing building materials from China for his own use through containers that belonged to a private company which built a solar farm at Matatoa. They claimed it was planned that after the building was completed it would be rented out to a former CEO of the Tonga Power Ltd for TP$10,000 a month.
The petitioners told the king this was very expensive
in comparison with Tonga’s renting rates.
The petitioners also accused Deputy Prime Minister Sēmisi Sika of not paying taxes for 20 years. It also alleged that the Ministry of Revenue attempted to take legal action against Hon. Sika, but that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Revenue intervened.
They claimed the unpaid taxes of the Deputy Prime Minister were worth more than TP$ 1 million.
The petitioners also accused the Minister of Trade and
Economic Development, Hon. Tu’i Uata of threatening Ports Authority staff.
They also alleged Hon. Uata temprarily suspended his
Ports Authority CEO, Mosese Lavemai, after Lavemai ordered the recovery of an
outstanding payment of $400,000 by the Uata Shipping Line, a company belonging
to Hon Uata’s parents.
The petitioners said the allegations indicated that
there were bad governance, nepotism and, dishonesty and illegal actions by the
top leaders of the country.
PM denies
allegations
The February responses from the Prime Minister’s
office denied all the accusations raised in the petitions.
The Prime Minister said the statement in Parliament to which the petition referred, came from what he said in a letter in 1994 to then Attorney General Tevita Tupou. Tupou demanded he apologise after he made a statement about the late King Taufa’ahau, saying he was “a dictator” and accusing him of “financial legerdemain” over the proceeds of sales of Tongan passports to foreigners and revenues of Tongasat.
Pōhiva refused to apologise and a court decision later freed him.
Hon. Pohiva also said in his response to the petitoners there were people in history who lived in societies which had laws, but who breached those laws because they had mission for the people which was more important than those laws. He said the Biblical figure Daniel, who was sent to the lions, was an example as were Martin Luther King Jr in the United State and Mahatma Ghandi of India.
In response to the accusation against the Prime Minister over the Popua Park projects, the Prime Minister said the Auditor General had already dealt with the matter and found the Prime Minister had not breached any laws.
In response to the accusation against Hon. Tei, the
Prime Minister said the Chinese company did not give any building materials to
Hon. Tei and he did not have any rental house whatsoever.
“The house where Hon. Tei is currently living with his
family was built before Hon. Tei was elected to Parliament,” the Prime Minister
replied in Tongan.
In his response to accusations made against Hon. Uata, the Prime Minister said the decision to suspend the Authority’s CEO was made by its Board of Directors not the Minister.
Hon. Pōhiva also said the Ports Authority took Uata Shipping to court after it failed to pay its outstanding debts.
The Supreme Court ordered the Authority to sell two
vessels belonging to the Uata Shipping Line to help pay off their debts.
However, the Authority and the shipping company later met and agreed that Uata would
repair its two vessels and operate them so they could make money that would
help them pay back their debts.
With regards to the allegation that Hon. Uata had
threatened Port Authority staff, the Prime Minister said he had yet to receive
any complaint against the Minister.
In response to accusations about the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Pohiva said the Ministry of Revenue had issued a statement last year denying the accusation against Hon. Sika which was falsely reported on local media.
There were other accussations against the government raised in the petitions but Hon. Pōhiva said they had been dealt with by the Auditor General in its investigation following a petition submitted to Parliament last year.
King’s petitions
In response to the petitoners, instead of desolving
Parliament, the king ordered the Ombudsman, the Attorney General and the Police
Commissioner to conduct an investigation and prosecute “where a prima facie
case is established.”
The main points
The
king’s decision to investigate and prosecute any breaches of law by some
Cabinet ministers, including the Prime Minister, has mirrored the same advice
PM ‘Akilisi Pohiva gave to the petitioners last month.
The
petitioners accused the Prime Minister and other Ministers of his cabinet of
abusing their powers, breaching the law and corruption.
They
demanded the king immediately shut down Parliament and establish an interim
government.
Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva said today the king had ordered that the petitions against his government should be investigated by an office that did not exist.
Hon. Pōhiva said the king had ordered the petition should be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, but that the office did not exit.
“The Bill to amend the Constitution so that the office of the
Director of Public Prosecutions can be established is one of those six Bills
that I had submitted to the Legislative Assembly to be treated as urgent,” the
Prime Minister said.
“It is unfortunate that its passage has been held up due to
differences in interpretation of the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative
Assembly.”
The Prime Minister said the king’ decision because it implied
the petitioner’s call for Parliament to be dissolved had not been approved.
It also implied that approval had not been given to calls for the establishment of
a commission of inquiry and an interim government to organise new elections.
“I totally support His Majesty in Council’s decision to
instead to refer the petitions to the Ombudsman, the Attorney General and the
Commissioner of Police for investigation.
“In my public response to the petitions that was issued on
February 22 I acknowledged the Petitioner’s constitutional right to petition
His Majesty,” the Prime Minister said.
“However, I called on
them to first submit their allegations to the offices of the Ombudsman, the
Attorney General and the Police to first investigate.
“I also suggested that they should also submit their
allegations of misuse of public finances and resources to the office of the
Auditor General.”
Hon. Pōhiva said he would make a submission to Cabinet as soon as possible regarding the king’s directive that the government pay for the Anti- Corruption Commission.
As Kaniva Tonga news
reported earlier, three petitions with
more than 10,000 signatures were presented to the palace in Nuku’alofa.
Former government minister Clive Edwards, who presented a
petition signed by former politicians, said he believed that once a Royal
Commission for Investigation was appointed, a caretaker government should be
put in place.
The
main points
Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva said today the king had ordered that the petitions against his government should be investigated by an office that did not exist.
Hon. Pohiva said the king had ordered the petition should be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, but that the office did not exit.
For
more information
King orders petitions
from government’s enemies to be referred to Ombudsman
Tonga’s King Tupou VI and his wife Queen Nanasipau’u were welcomed to Government House in Wellington today by New Zealand’s Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy.
This is his first visit to New Zealand as Tonga’s King, following his coronation in 2015.
During the meeting Dame Patsy thanked the King for the support shown by the Tongan community in New Zealand following the terrorist attacks in Christchurch.
King Tupou VI is expected to meet with a number of New Zealand government officials, and tonight a dinner will be held for him at Government House.
This article is republished under Kaniva’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.
