PSA boss accuses critics of signing petition using “swear words; ” signatures in question

Public Service Association boss Mele ‘Amanaki has accused Democrat supporters of writing swear words in her petition for an investigation into Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva and six other ministers.

She said these swear words had been signed as names of petitioners on her petition.

Meanwhile, there were complaints on Facebook by some concerned Tongans who said the names of dead family members appeared as signatures on the petition.

Amanaki said they would launch a complaint with the host of the online petition website to investigate those people who abused her petition.

She said anyone who signed the online petition registered their email addresses with the website.

“I can get [them] to verify who emailed over,” she said.

Amanaki was commenting in response to a post on Facebook by Tnews producer and reporter Sētita Tu’i’onetoa in which she had tagged Kaniva Tonga editor, Kalino Lātū.

Tu’i’onetoa said in Tongan: “…Koe ‘elito oe Tohi tangii ke fk hifo ae PM moe kau Minisita e toko 7 he kuo hala enau fkhoko fatongia.”

This translates into English as: “…the crux of the Petition was to overthrow the PM and seven other ministers because they did things which were wrong in their responsibility.”

In response ‘Amanaki wrote in Tongan: “Maloo Setita [Tu’i’onetoa]. Kataki toe fanongo lelei pea toki lipooti Na’e ‘ikai toko 8 na’e launga’i pea na’e ikai kau e Palemia he launga’ii koe kau Minisitaa kotoa pe…”

This translates into English as : “Thank you Setita. Please listen carefully before you report. The petition was not against 8 (ministers) and there was no complaint against the Prime Minister it was just all against ministers only.”

‘Amanaki’s response surprised Tu’i’onetoa, Kaniva News and some critics last night who followed Tu’ionetoa’s comment.

“Did I say 8?” Tu’i’onetoa replied.

She also asked in Tongan whether the petition was changed to remove the name of the Prime Minister.

“That’s funny,” Tu’i’onetoa said in Tongan.

Kaniva news asked ‘Amanaki to clarify her comment.

‘Amanaki responded by listing in Tongan the names of the ministers she complained about as:

(i) Minisitā Ako & Ako Ngāue mālōlō´, Minisitā Fakalotofonua mālōlō´, Minisitā ki Muli´ moe Minisitā ki he Komisoni ‘a e Ngāue Fakapule‘anga´ (Samuela ‘Akilisi Pōhiva),
(ii) Minisitā e Ngaahi Potungāue Lalahi´ & Takimamata´ (Semisi Sika),
(iii) Minisitā Pa‘anga´ (Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa),
(iv) Minisitā Ako & Ako Ngāue´ (Penisimani Fifita),
(v) Minisitā Polisi´ mo e Minisitā Tukuhau & Kasitomu´ (Māteni Tapueluelu),
(vi) Minisitā Lao´ & Pilisone (Sione Vuna Fa‘otusia), mo e
(vii) Minisitā Fefakatau‘aki´, ‘Ilo Fo‘ou´ & Ngaahi Ngāue ‘a e Kakai´ (Tevita Tu’i Uata).

The list named Hon Pōhiva with his titles as former Minister of Education, Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for the Public Service Commission and not as a Prime Minister.

The list shows seven ministers altogether including Hon Pōhiva.

‘Amanaki appeared to have avoided referring to Hon Pōhiva as Prime Minister when she responded to Tu’i’onetoa on Facebook for reasons that are still unclear.

But critics quickly accused her of being unable to make up her mind.

One critic said that from the beginning of the petition campaign ‘Amanaki mentioned Hon Pohiva as Prime Minister as one of those she petitioned to be investigated and now she said he was not.

“We have “taken off” names in swear words which was entered by PTOA (Paati Temokalati ‘Otumotu Anga’ofa -  The Friendly Islands Democratic Party) supporters and we have asked the petition website to follow up with the email addresses to find out who had provided those names and will give them to you to look at hhhhh…they are just PTOA,” ‘Amanaki said.

The petition was strongly backed by unsuccessful parliamentary candidates and some de facto Democrat MPs.

The petition was tabled in Parliament on Thursday.

It alleged the Prime Minister and his cabinet colleagues breached the constitution.

The petition asks that an audit be carried out on some government department’s budgets from 2015 until now.

It also proposes the impeachment of six Cabinet Ministers, including Hon Pōhiva.

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