A protest to support the vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa’s government will be held in Auckland next Saturday, January 9.
The peaceful protest is being planned by the Tonga Democratic Party (PTOA) supporters in Auckland.
The supporters are expected to parade along Auckland Central’s Queen Street if an application is allowed by the Auckland City Council.
PTOA Auckland frontliner Lihai Lui announced the event yesterday.
“I am asking all Tongans who believe in the principle of good governance to march peacefully to support our MPs who submitted this vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister Tu’i’onetoa government,” Lui said in Tongan.
In December 2019 PTOA supporters rallied in South Auckland during a visit by Hon. Tu’i’onetoa. Lui asked supporters to demonstrate peacefully and lawfully.
READ MORE:
- Peaceful protests turn violent as anti-PM demonstrators launch attack on protesters
- Tapueluelu threatens to interrupt anti-PM demonstration; protest organiser “surprised” at former undercover cop’s reaction
- Democrat supporters warn Tapueluelu after he posts online comments ahead of Monday’s protests against visit by PM Tu‘i‘onetoa
- Calls for peaceful protests when PM Tu‘i‘onetoa meets with Tongan community in Auckland next week
Unfortunately, events took an ugly turn when some of the Prime Minister’s supporters launched themselves at the PTOA members who were singing hymns and holding up banners on the other side of the road from the church where the meeting was being held.
Several police cars were called to the scene.
The motion for a vote of no confidence uncovered many areas of concern about the government, including the granting of roading contracts to companies with very close ties to the government.
The motion was tabled by leading Democrat Sēmisi Sika and was signed by 10 MPs.
Parliament is expected to reconvene on January 12.
Deputy Prime Minister Sione Vuna Fā’otusia subsequently resigned and criticised the government over what he said was the undue influence of disgraced former MP ‘Etuate Lavulavu on the Prime Minister and the cost of the government’s prayer and fasting excursions to the outer islands.
Among the motion’s other main concerns were the apparent lack of planning for Covid-19.
There were also charges that the government had been extremely selective in its allocation of financial support for business, including money for a boat operation in ‘Eua and the refusal to help Real Tonga Airlines, effectively shutting them down, yet starting a new airline owned and funded by Government.
There were also questions about where the TP$610,600 set aside from the Prime Minister’s Office current budget under the heading ‘announcements for media,’ had been spent.
