Judge leaves, as parties unable to agree on mediation [1]
Saturday, August 27, 2005 - 14:00. Updated on Friday, September 6, 2013 - 12:13.
He announced this morning, at the Dateline Hotel that he and his team had not been able to mediate an agreement between the Tongan Government and the striking Civil Servants.
Judge Thomas Goddard, a former Employee Court Chief Judge said that after three days of discussion the two Tongan parties to the dispute were not able to agree on a process of mediation or arbitration.
He said that his team's initial mission was to secure an agreement of the parties to a process and a timetable, but, "unfortunately, the parties have felt unable to agree on the process."
Judge Goddard and his mediating team were invited to Tonga jointly by the Tongan Government and the civil servants union committee. The New Zealand Government financed the initiative, while the Australian Government and the Forum Secretariat sent a financial expert to assist Judge Goddard's team.
"The mediation team is returning to New Zealand but is willing to come back to Tonga if the parties decide that this might be helpful."