Former Acting Prime Minister Semisi Sika has warned ousted MP ‘Etuate Lavulavu to stop defaming him.
Hon. Sika said Lavulavu’s comments were selfish, unloving and belittling and showed him to be power hungry.
He asked: “What wrong did I do for the country to cause you to make serious inappropriate allegations against me and to demean my dignity and the trust the people have in me?”
In Tongan he asked: “Ko e ha ha’aku kovi kuo fai ki he fonua kuo fa’u ai e fu’u talanoa ta’e taau ke holoki ai hoku ngeia pea ke fakangalikovi’i ai e falala ‘a e kakai kiate au?”
Hon. Sika made the comments on Facebook after he was seriously incriminated by ‘Etuate in the secretly recorded audio which was leaked to online users last week.
In that audio ‘Etuate alleged Hon Sika was having sex with other men.
He also alleged that Hon. Sika planned to appoint Hon. Saia Piukala as his Deputy Prime Minister and retained Dr Tu’i Uata as minister outside Parliament if he won the premiership. Hon Sika has denied this.
Hon. Sika said he never talked with ‘Etuate while the late Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva was in hospital before he died or even before the premiership election day last month.
Hon. Sika warned ‘Etuate to keep away from any involvement with his wife’s ministerial duties which could involve multi-million dollar projects for roads maintenance and tourism.
In Tongan he wrote: “oku ou kole fakamamate atu ke ke tukuange ho mali ke ngaue tauataina mo e ongo CEO mo e kau ngaue he’e uesia a e ngaahi projects.”
Hon. Sika, who was the Minister of Infrastructure and Tourism said he had processed these projects and he trusted the new minister ‘Akosita Lavulavu, ‘Etuate’s wife, would fulfill them successfully.
‘Etuate’s response
When Kaniva news asked ‘Etuate Lavulavu whether he had proof of the accusations he made against Hon. Sika on the secretly recorded audio, ‘Etuate said he did not remember making the allegations.
He said the audio could be edited and a voice similar to his could be added to it to make it soundlike he was the one who was saying it.
‘Etuate claimed he was the middleman for the coalition party and what he said reflected what the Democrat MPs who defected, the public and churches said about their dissatisfaction about the candidate for the premiership election.
He said these people did not want Hon. Sika to become Prime Minister.
“Ko ‘eku fakahoko ange pe ki ai e lau e kau memipa kuo mavahe mo e uhinga oku ikai ai ke nau tali e tokoni palemia kene fetongi a PM. He ko e mea ia oku fakaha ange ehe kakai , ngaahi siasi, mo e kakai oku ikai kenau tali ai ke iai ha palemia pehe I tonga ni.”
‘Etutate has accused a senior government officer at the Ministry of Land and Survey of recording their conversation and released it to the public.
He said he did not authorise ‘Atunaisa Fetokai to release it.
Public reaction
The incident has fueled the Democrat suporters’ anger after the so-called PTOA party lost the premiership election and five of its MPs defected to form the coalition government.
They were Prime Minister Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa, Deputy Prime Minister Vuna Fa’otusia, Hon Vatau Hui, Hon ‘Akosita Lavulavu and Hon Poasi Tei.
Many criticised the way the new government was formed, saying the release of the secret audio recording confirmed their concerns that late ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s battle to bring democracy to Tonga might be discontinued.
Prime Minister Tu’i’onetoa said in a previous interview that he was confident his government would build the nation under the leadership of a diverse cabinet which included MPs from the nobility, independents and Democrats.
He rejected claims he betrayed the legacy of ‘Akilisi when he crossed the floor.
“The good governance and those good principles nobody should claim that as their own, no matter whether you are in the so-called PTOA Party or the People’s Party, but if you stick to that principle that is the legacy. Nobody should claim that as their own,” he told Radio New Zealand.
Lavulavu
There has been public disquiet about the level of involvement of ‘Etuate Lavulavu in politics in recent weeks.
The Prime Minister Tu’onetoa responded to criticism from the public and said last week Lavulavu was not his advisor.
Public concern has centred on Lavulavu‘s criminal record and the fact that his wife, who is also under investigation, is the Minister of Infrastructure and Tourism.
The Supreme Court convicted Lavulavu in 2016 of bribery and spending over the legal limit on his 2014 election campaign. At his trial the judge said Lavulavu was not a credible witness and that his evidence was implausible, evasive and untruthful.
He and his wife are waiting another court case in which they are charged with knowingly dealing with forged documents and obtaining credit by false pretenses, after irregularities in an audit of the ‘Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute in 2016.
The main points
- Former Acting Prime Minister Semisi Sika has warned ousted MP ‘Etuate Lavulavu to stop defaming him.
- Hon. Sika said Lavulavu’s comments were selfish, unloving and be,littling and showed him to be power huingry and selfish.
For more information
Lavulavu claims incriminating audio doctored, threatened to sue Tonga Broadcasting Commission and others
