Govt investigates alleged misuse of tourism donation

A Commoners run government - Senolita Swan:
On 20/12/2007, Mr Edgar Cocker, CEO of Tonga Tourism sent a Memo to the Prime Minister with detailed accounts of corruption and misuse of funds in the Tourist Department. On 04/01/2008, Government released a statement stating that the Auditor General will carry out an investigation and the Minister of Tourism, who is in the centre of this corruption allegation, will be given the opportunity to respond. After that, appropriate action will be taken.

With due respect, the corruption allegation has been circulating around the World since the second half of last Christmas and the Minister of Tourism has already had time to reply. Well, he hasn’t and apparently the whole saga is being treated as a joke! For the sake of the stability of the Nation, the smooth running of the Tourism Department and of building trust in the Government, the Minister of Tourism must step down immediately.

There have been many corruption cases over the years here in the UK involving Government Ministers etc. In every case, once the media ran the story, the Minister involved resigned. Full investigation by the Police followed and in some cases where the accused were found guilty, they were sent to prison. One was stripped of his title ‘Lord’ before he was sent to prison.

The letter from Edgar Cocker shows that the Minister of Tourism’s misuse of funds in his Department was routinely done. It was as though he regarded the Tourism funds as his own. Surely, criminal offence has been committed and it merits a Police investigation. For the sake of fair play, let’s have the Fraud Squad from NZ or Australia to run the enquiry.

The allegation made by Mana Fatulisi in his letter published on 28/12/07 entitled “Mr Prime Minister” and his letter published yesterday 04/01/08, show the level of hatred and mistrust among the top elite class and the ruling class of Tongan society against each other today. The irony of it all is this - here we are with the first Government which is run mainly by commoners yet the same old corruption allegation keeps popping up. Which begs the question “Can anyone else do any better?” I hate to say this but I don’t think any of the Temo leaders would do any better. But there again, if this Government was any good, we would not have this allegation flying around the World, would we.

Let’s hope that the Minister of Tourism comes to his senses and goes now. May I also suggest that if Mana Fatulisi has all the evidences needed against the PM, then he should log a complaint and forward it to the King or the Princess Regent. And please Mana Fatulisi, don’t hang any more dirty washing in public places. It only trivialised your case.
- ‘Ofa atu, Senolita Swan