Controversy continues to surround the meeting between MP ‘Akosita Lavulavu and Leimātu’a constituents.

As Kaniva news reported yesterday, residents complained that questions put to ‘Akosita Lavulavu during a parliamentary meeting were answered by her husband, ousted MP and Cabinet Minister ‘Etuate Lavulavu.

Our sources said residents repeatedly told ‘Etuate they did not want him to answer their questions.

However, ‘Etuate denied the accusations and said the people at the meeting were just making fun.

“They just made fun of me, but at the same time their hearts were full of love and happiness for their MP ‘Akosita Lavulavu,” he said.

Now our sources have rejected his claims.

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Rather than making fun, they said the questions directed at MP ‘Akosita were serious and the people wanted her to give the answers.

More people from other villages in Vava’u 16’s Hahake district have since spoken to Kaniva News.

A source from Holeva told Kaniva News ‘Etuate dominated most of the meeting and people were concerned about his actions.

He asked why ‘Etuate promoted the government’s and the People’s Party’s projects during the parliamentary meeting, including the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme.

“I wanted to stand up and tell him to leave it for ‘Akosita to answer our questions and talk to us because she is our MP but it was difficult because ‘Etuate was insistent and snappish no one could stop him,” another source said.

Questions directed at ‘Akosita during the  Leimātu’a meeting included asking her to explain the withdrawal of TP$15,000 from the village warden’s (“Polisi Fakakolo”) bank account under the Parliamentary constituency funding.

The meeting was told that according to a warden meeting’s minute only $3,000 was approved to be withdrawn.

This was one of the questions which provoked concern at the meeting and a call was immediately made to ‘Akosita to keep the meeting open because they wanted her to explain this, but ‘Etuate stood up and forced the meeting to close.

“These issues were raised without any jokes at all,” a source told Kaniva News.

The meeting was also concerned at how ‘Akosita defected from the PTOA party and joined the People’s Party. A resident told her at the meeting he voted for her when she was campaigning as a candidate for the Democrats.

They also wanted ‘Akosita to explain why she told the constituents to go to Neiafu to collect their pay for trees which were cut down at their tax allotments near the airport. The people went and waited for their pay,  but did not receive their money.

The meeting was also concerned at an agreement with ‘Etuate to help the village’s application to get funding for the village water supply after a typhoid outbreak last year, our sources said.

Another question directed at ‘Akosita concerning a weaving house in Leimatu’a. Work on it began during the recent election campaign, but was stopped after the election.

Our sources said people at the meeting were seriously concerned at what they described as a propaganda campaign by the Lavulavus to win the voters’ hearts.

The main points

  • Controversy continues to surround the meeting between MP ‘Akosita Lavulavu and Leimatu’a constituents.
  • As Kaniva news reported yesterday, residents complained that questions put to ‘Akosita Lavulavu during a parliamentary meeting were answered by her husband, ousted MP and Cabinet Minister ‘Etuate.

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