Tongan Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva has vehemently denied reports that his government has hired former Finance Minister Dr. ʻAisake Eke to assist the treasury in creating its budget for the 2017-2018 financial year.
Hon. Pohiva sacked Dr Eke after he abstained in last month’s vote of no confidence.
“We cannot hire ʻAisake Eke as a consultant while he is a Member of Parliament representing the people,” he told a media conference in Nuku’alofa this afternoon.
“That is not how the policy works.”
Hon. Pohiva’s response was prerecorded and later broadcast by radio FM 87.5 through Tonga Daily News website this afternoon.
The Prime Minister implied that the allegation, which appeared to have been first broadcasted by the Tonga Broadcasting Commissionʻs radio, stemmed from comments by Minister of Finance Hon, Tevita Lavemaau about Dr Eke’s role with the Parliamentary Finance committee.
The Prime Minister said Dr. Eke was still a member of the finance committee and still had a responsibility to comment on the budget.
“If we hire some one as a consultant it has to be someone from outside and not a Member of Parliament,” Hon. Pohiva said.
The Prime Minister said it appeared Hon. Lavemaau was not prepared to talk about the issue when he was questioned and as a result his statement was open to interpretation.
Nepituno webpage said the Tonga Broadcasting Commission had reported that Dr. Eke had been hired by the government as a “special consultant”.
Radio Australia reported yesterday that “Tonga’s sacked former Finance Minister has been asked to help prepare the national budget as a consultant.”
The main points
- Tongan Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva has vehemently denied reports that his government has hired former Finance Minister Dr. ʻAisake Eke to assist the treasury in creating its budget for the 2017-2018 financial year.
- Pohiva sacked Dr. Eke after he abstained in last month’s vote of no confidence.
- “We cannot hire ʻAisake Eke as a consultant while he is a Member of Parliament representing the people,” he told a media conference in Nuku’alofa this afternoon.
- “That is not how the policy works.”
For more information
Eke “shocked” by PM’s claims, but says he has no choice but to resign
Faka’ikai’i ‘e he ʻEiki Palēmiá e fakamahalo ʻo pehē kuo haea ʻe he puleʻangá ʻa Dr ʻAisake Eke ke ne hoko ko ha faleʻi makehe ʻi hono teuteu e patiseti ʻa e puleʻangá ki he taʻu fakapaʻanga 2017/2018.
Naʻe fakahifo foki ʻe Pohiva ʻa Eke hili ia ʻa e ʻikai ke ne fili ʻi he fili taʻefalalaʻanga ʻo e māhina kuo ʻosi.
Ne fakamahino ʻe he ʻEiki Palēmiá ʻoku ʻikai ngofua ia ʻi he founga ngāue ʻa e puleʻanga ke ne haea ha taha faleʻi lolotonga ko iá ʻokú ne maʻu ʻa e lakanga ko e Mēmipa Fale Alea fakafofongaʻi ʻa e kakaí.
“ʻOku ʻikai ke pehē ʻa e founga ngāué ia”, ko hono fakamaʻalaʻala ia ʻe he ʻEiki Palēmiá ki ha kau faiongoongo ʻi hono ʻōfisí he hoʻatā ʻo e ʻaho ní.
Koeʻuhi ko Dr Eké ʻokú ne kei hoko pe ko e Mēmipa Fale Alea ʻe ʻikai lava ia ʻi he tuʻunga ko iá ke haea ia ʻe he puleʻangá.
ʻOku mahino mei he meʻa ʻa e ʻEiki Palēmiá ngali ko e fakamatala ʻikai moʻoni kuo tufaki ʻi he opé ne fou mai ia ʻi ha fakaʻekeʻeke ʻo e Minisitā Paʻangá ʻo ne lave ai ki he fatongia ʻo Eke ʻi he kōmiti paʻanga ʻa e Falé.
Pehē ʻe he Palēmiá ko e fatongia ʻo Dr Eke ko iá ʻoku kei ʻatā ai pe ia ke ʻi ai haʻane fokotuʻu pe komeni ki he patisetí.
Ne ne pehē kapau ʻe haea ʻe he puleʻangá ha taha ko ha konisalateni makehe pea kuopau ko ha taha ia mei tuʻa ʻikai ko ha mēmipa Fale Alea fakatatau ki he tuʻutuʻuni ngāue ʻa e puleʻangá.
Kaekehe kuo līpooti foki ʻeni ʻi he ongoongo fakalotofonuá pea ngali ko ʻene ʻulu pavaki mai mei he Letiō Tongá pea toʻo ia foki ʻe he letiō ʻAositelēliá ʻo toe tuku ange mai ʻi heʻenau ongoongó ʻaneafí.