Auditor General recommends dismissal of minister [1]
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 16:24. Updated on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 - 15:39.
Highlights from Tonga's newspapers, March 10-13, 2008. An English translation summary by Tevita Fonua.
According to the Taimi on March 10, the Auditor General's report on the Minister of Tourism recommends his dismissal, and the suspension of both the CEO and his deputy; it proposes also that disciplinary measures are taken against four more officers from the Ministry. CEO Edgar Cocker had filed the initial complaint against the Minister.
The Kele'a on March 12 reports that its editor Po'oi Pohiva was detained by police for two days for failure to appear in court for trial; he was chastised by Police Magistrate Salesi Mafi and then fined $500.
The paper reports that TV OBN owner Christopher Racine is keen to reopen the channel and resume transmission, and wants to renew his operating licence that expired last year.
The Talaki on March 12 reports that the Ministry of Justice's annual report for 2006 was finally submitted for the king's inspection two week's ago.
The Kalonikali on March 13 reports that Tonga's second contingent to Iraq returned home last Tuesday, on the completion of their deployment. Captain Toni Fonokalafi, who led the 55 soldiers, said that one problem they encountered in Iraq was that temperatures sometimes dropped below zero.
The Taimi on March 13 reports that the Chief Justice has rejected an application from Christopher Harder, lawyer for 'Akilisi Pohiva and 'Uliti Uata, to renew his licence to practice in Tonga. Harder's defence of the duo led to the dismissal of all other charges against them except sedition; causing the prosecution to scramble and introduce fresh indictments on two other counts against the pair.