Food Division authorities have been accused of being indecisive and letting down the Vava’u taskforce team.

The Neiafu Town Officer, Vāvā Lapota said the order to release six inactive refrigerators that had been seized was disappointing.

The row over the seizure of the refrigerators is the latest in a long running concern about unfit food being imported into Tonga, in particular Vava’u.

The release of the meat appears to have breached a recent order from Food Division head office in Tongatapu for the Vava’u taskforce to seize and destroy any meat which come to the islands in non- refrigerated containers.

The government taskforce includes members of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, Quarantine Department and Food Division.

Lapota was at the wharf during the incident last Thursday and took pictures of the seized refrigerators.

He said shortly after the seizure a man arrived at the wharf and was told the fridges had been seized, Lapota told Kaniva News.

He said the man then disappeared and returned with a government officer. Lapota claimed that shortly afterwards the taskforce was told that following a conversation with  the Food Division in Tongatapu, the meat had to be released.

Lapota claimed the fridges were not opened for the taskforce to examine their contents.

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“Who in Tongatapu has the power to change the order for the taskforce to confiscate any meat that come in non-refrigerated containers?” Lapota asked in Tongan.

“I think it would be better for those at the main office in Tongatapu to come and inspect the meat here in Vava’u,” he said.

Lapota also complained that it appeared it was normal for Vava’u to buy chicken meat that when defrosted appeared to contain lots of dark blood.

Kaniva News has contacted Leody Vainikolo, the head of the Food Division in Vava’u for comment.

Shipping

Meanwhile, a man who worked in the government’s ships for more than 20 years has shared his experiences with Kaniva News about how meat had been shipped from Tongatapu to the outer islands in the past.

Ngalo’afē ‘Ulupano  said it was not new for meat to be shipped in non-refrigerated containers.

He said he was the first mate of the MV ‘Olovaha and it was his job to look after the shipments.

‘Ulupano said there had been always problems because the meat shipments had to be uploaded to the ship in the morning before it left for the Ha’apai, Vava’u and the Niuas in the evening.

This meant before the ship left, the meat may have been on board for more that 10 hours.

The ships could travel from Tongatapu and arrived in Vava’u within 16 hours depending on the speed, the sea conditions and how long they would spend when stopping at Nomuka and Ha’apai.

“I  witnessed that when the meat arrived they had been well defrosted and especially if they were not placed in safe container they would not  be in good conditions,” ‘Ulupano said in Tongan.

He said meat that had been stored in well sealed containers were still in good conditions when they arrived in Vava’u and the outer islands.

‘Ulupano said once the ship arrived in Vava’u they had to remove the meat for Vava’u from the containers and filled them with the meat for the Niuas.

‘Ulupano also said the complaint regarding the dark blood coming out of the meat was raised during his tenure. He believed it happened because the meat had been shipped in non-refrigerated containers.

The  main points

  • Food Division authorities have been accused of being indecisive and letting down the Vava’u taskforce team.
  • The Neiafu Town Officer, Vāvā Lapota said the order to release six inactive refrigerators that had been seized was disappointing.

For more information

Vava‘u Town Officer claims authorities flouting food safety laws as heated dispute erupts over dirty buckets of salt beef

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