Guest worker scheme wins support [1]
Thursday, July 3, 2008 - 11:01. Updated on Tuesday, July 28, 2015 - 16:48.
Highlights from Tonga's newspapers, June 16-26, 2008. An English translation summary by Tevita Fonua.
The Taimi on June 23 reports that the two Ha'apai People's Representatives, in 2001, had extolled the virtues of taking the electricity sector from the then bankrupt Tonga Electric Power Board and giving it to Shoreline. Teisina Fuko even thanked the Lord that a Tongan company was taking charge. But seven years on both he and 'Uliti Uata are just as verbose as they backtrack.
The Kele'a on June 25 reports on the submission of a petition urging the Legislative Assembly to consider other sources of funds for buying back the electricity from Shoreline; such as TongaSat, and the Tonic Corporation, which is jointly owned by the King and two Americans.
The Talaki on June 25 reports the "sacking" of 11 employees from the Inland Revenue Department, claiming that they were accused of withdrawing other taxpayers' rebates using forged letters of authorization.
The Taimi on June 26 quotes TongaSat as saying that ever since the start of a maligning campaign against the company, expression of interest in Tonga's satellite orbital slots has correspondingly waned.
June 16-19
The Taimi on June 16 reports that although John Howard had rejected pleas from Pacific leaders for a guest-worker scheme; now that it has won the approval of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, opposition foreign affairs spokesman Andrew Robb announced that they too will back it.
The Kele'a on June 18, reports that a petition has been filed with the Legislative Assembly urging the House to order TongaSat to pay the government $50 million.
The Talaki on June 18 reports that the People's Representatives are preparing to impeach Minister of Tourism Fineasi Funaki claiming he deposited $3,000 belonging to his ministry into his personal account. The punishment of severe reprimand and work without pay for three months meted out to the Minister by the Prime Minister, has so far failed to assuage doubts still harboured by the representatives.
The Taimi on June 19 reports that Tongan children in New Zealand know their rights and the law proscribing corporal punishment so they therefore have become insouciant.
The Kalonikali on June 19 reports on the commissioning of the newly refurbished Red Cross blood transfusion unit at Vaiola Hospital. It had failed in the past to accomplish its target of 5% more blood donors, because the facility could not cope and at times the condition within the unit was quite appalling.