Former Prime Minister Lord Sevele 'O-Vailahi has been appointed chair of the executive committee that will run the 2019 Pacific Games in Tonga.
As head of the Tongan Pacific Games Committee, Lord Sevele will be in charge of efforts to raise funds to cover the costs of the Games, estimated to be about TP$130 million (NZ$81 million).
Lord Sevele, who served as the Secretary General of the Tonga Amateur Sports Association and National Olympic Committee from 1990-1996, will lead the committee with members from the private and business sectors, according to TASANOC.
Lord Sevele’s leadership of the kingdom came under the spotlight in 2012 after a Parliamentary report accused him and his former Transport Minister, Paul Karalus, of mismanaging the TP$119 million (NZ$74 million) lent by China for the reconstruction of Nuku’alofa.
The loan was managed by the Nuku'alofa Development Corporation, a Cabinet sub-committee established in 2008.
This followed the Nuku'alofa riots in 2006, the year Lord Sevele became Prime Minister.
The NDC was chaired by Lord Sevele.
The Parliamentary select committee, led by Opposition Leader ‘Akilisi Pohiva and Dr Sitiveni Halapua, found that the Chinese loan was illegally managed because Lord Sevele’s government had failed to abide by the Public Finance Management Act 2002.
The report said the NDC committee created two projects it said would cost Tongan taxpayers TP$44 million (NZ$27 million).
This was judged to be a significant departure from the original purpose of the loan and a cost well above the T$15 million (NZ$9 million) limit set by the Constitution.
Any expenditure above this limit must be approved by Parliament.
Sevele rejected the select committee’s report and finally took legal action against them.
His lawsuit was rejected by the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa, which said it had no jurisdiction to interfere with Parliament’s internal matters.
Sevele could not be reached for comment, but TASANOC said it would release statement about the new committee soon.
The main points
- Former Tongan Prime Minister Lord Sevele 'O-Vailahi will head the executive committee that will run the 2019 Pacific Games in Tonga.
- He will be in charge of efforts to raise funds to cover the costs of the Games, estimated to be about TP$130 million (NZ$81 million).
- Lord Sevele served as the Secretary General of the Tonga Amateur Sports Association and National Olympic Committee from 1990-1996 before becoming Prime Minister in 2006.
- Lord Sevele’s financial management came under the spotlight in 2012 when a Parliamentary report released accused him and his former Transport Minister, Paul Karalus, of mismanaging the TP$119 million (NZ$74 million) lent by China for the reconstruction of Nuku’alofa.
News in Tongan
Kuo fili ha palemia ki mu’a, Looti Sevele-‘O-Vailahi ke hoko ko e sea ia ‘o ha komiti pule ke nau fakalele ‘a e Pacific Games ‘o e 2019 ‘e fakahoko ki Tonga.
‘I he’ene hoko ko ia ko e ‘ulu ‘o e Komiti a Tonga ki he Ngaahi Keimi ‘a e Pasifiki, ‘e pule’i ai ‘e Sevele ‘a e ngaahi feinga pa’anga kotoa ke fua’aki ‘a e fakamole kihe Keimi ni ‘a ia ‘oku fakafuofua ki he pa’anga Tonga ‘e $130 miliona.
Ko Looti Sevele na’e hoko ko e Sekelitali Seniale ia ‘a e ‘Asosieisoni Sipoti ‘Amatua mo e Komiti ‘Olimipiki Fakafonua a Tonga mei he 1990 ki he 1996, pea te ne tataki ‘a e komiti ni ‘a ia ‘oku memipa ai ha kau fakafofonga mei he ngaahi kautaha taautaha pehe ki he pisinisi ‘o fakatatau ‘eni ki ha lau mei he TASANOC.
Na’e fai ha tokanga ki he tu’unga fakataki ‘o Sevele ‘i he 2012 hili ia hano ‘o hake ‘e ha Lipooti Faka-Fale Alea ha ngaahi tukuaki’i ‘o ia mo ‘ene minisita Fefononga’aki ki mu’a, Paul Karalus ki hono ngaue ta'efakalao’aki ‘a e pa’anga Tonga ‘e TP$119 miliona na’e no mai mei Siaina ki hono toe langa fo’ou ‘o Nuku’alofa.
Ko e no ko ‘eni na’e tokanga’i ia ‘e he Koopoleisoni ki Hono Toe Langa Fo’ou ‘o Nuku’alofa, ko ha komiti si’i na’e fokotu’u ‘e he kapineti ‘I he 2008. Ko e ta’u ‘eni hili ‘a e moveu ‘i Nuku’alofa ‘i he 2006, pea ko e ta’u ia ne palemia ai ‘a Looti Sevele.
Ko Sevele na’e sea ‘i he komiti ko ‘eni.
Na’e ‘ilo ‘i he fakatotolo ‘a e Komiti Fili Faka-Fale Alea ne tataki ‘e he taki ‘o e fa’ahi fakaanga, ‘Akilisi Pohiva mo Dr Sitiveni Halapua na’e ngaue ta’e fakalao ‘aki ‘a e no mei Siaina koe’uhi na’e ikai ke muimui pau ‘a e pule’anga ‘o Looti Sevele ki he Lao ki hono Tokanga’i ‘a e Pa’anga ‘a e Pule’anga 2002.
Na’e pehe ‘e he lipooti na’e toe hanga ‘e he komiti ki he Toe Langa Fo’ou ‘o Nuku’alofa ‘o tanaki fo’ou ha toe ongo fo’i langa ‘e ua fe’unga mo e pa’anga Tonga ‘e TP$44 miliona ke toe kavahia ai e kakai totongi tukuhau ‘i hono taa.
Na’e vakaii ‘o mahino na’e ‘ikai kau ‘a e ongo langa ia ko ‘eni ‘i he ngaahi me’a ne ‘uluaki fakataumu’a ki ai ‘a e noo pea toe ‘ova hona mahu’inga foki ‘i he pa’anga Tonga ‘e $15 miliona ‘oku tu’utu’uni ‘e he konisitutone. Ko ha paanga ke fai ‘aki ha ngaue ‘a e pule’anga ‘e ‘ova ‘i he lahi ko ‘eni ‘e pau ke ave ia ki Fale Alea ke alea’i pea fakapaasi mei ai.
Na’e faka’ikai’i ‘e Sevele ‘a e lipooti komiti ko ‘eni pea iku ‘o ne fai ‘a e ngaue fakalao ki ai.
Na’e ‘ikai tali ‘ene faka’ilo ‘e he Fakamaau’anga Lahi ‘a Tonga ‘i Nuku’alofa, ‘i he ‘uhinga ‘oku ‘ikai hanau mafai ke kaunoa ‘i he ngaahi me’a fakalotofale ‘a e Fale Alea.
Na’e ‘ikai ma’u ‘a Sevele ke fai ha’ane fakamatala ka ne pehe mei he TASANOC ‘e vave ni pe ha’anau tuku ange mai ha fakamatala kau ki he komiti fo’ou ni.
