Editor
The letter by Sione Mokofisi dated 24th March 2015 alleging corruption on my part demonstrates his lack of aptitude on what he is talking about. It also borders on accusations that are defamatory, libels and malicious that presses on contestable legal grounds.
There is no multi-million dollar computer software that has been cleared or passed by Cabinet to be purchased from the PM’s son (me). I also do not have a software system as the author alleges. I am employed by the SPC as head of the Assessment Unit of the Education Quality and Assessment Programme formerly know Secretariat of the Pacific Board for Educational Assessment. Mr Piveni Piukala is an international IT consultant specializing in software engineering and is currently on contract with Samoa Ministry of Education. There is no partnership between myself and Mr. Piukala as the author alleges.
The economic content of his letter is flawed and highly political aimed at discrediting the work of the Tongan Prime Minister who is also my father.
In your Matangi Tonga Online news website I request that you apologize and retract the said letter, as I intend to take legal proceedings.
Malo,
Siaosi Pohiva
31 March 2015
Editor’s Comment – Our letters column is for our readers to express their opinions on issues of public interest. The issue was an ongoing public discussion in various media at the time. You introduced the word “Corruption” into the discussion, and I think it is unfortunate because the word was not used.
Comments
From Sione Ake-mei-hakau
From Sione Ake-mei-hakau Mokofisi: - For Siaosi Pōhiva (Pōhiva has no software…April 1, 2015), he may not know it but he is “guilty by association.” As stated in my original letter, (a) his association with Pīveni Piukala was claimed by none other than Mr. Piukala himself, (b) and he is promoting their “software system” to replace the SPBEA’s current system in the Education Department.
In addition to the Prime Minister’s claims on TV that the current SPBEA is flawed, and a new program will replace it:
1. Mr. Piukala is on record (DVD of TV appearance) promoting his claims: (a) that the SPBEA current system is flawed; (b) that Mr. Piukala has a partner, Siaosi Pōhiva, and he should be “here to take credit” because he is the designer of our program.
2. I have a copy of Dr. Vesisio Pongi’s letter to Pīveni pointing out that: (a) the SPBEA current system is not flawed as they claimed; (b) that Pīveni Piukala’s claims in a Director/Principals’ meeting that they have a new “program,” which will not work.
3. “Extrapolation” and "triangulation" of available computer programs costs in the marketplace helps “descriptive statistics” researchers like myself to estimate costs of similar programs.
4. Cheaper computer programs are not in the same calibre as educational programs for government school systems; they are but mere computer games for adolescents.
Mr. Piukala is on record repeating these claims in at least three (3) Tongan-language newspapers, plus the TV program. Mr. Siaosi Pōhiva might want to double-check with his friend Mr. Piukala who has been making these claims in the Tongan media.