Who to blame as loan repayments kick-in: the burners or the rebuilders?
Monday, February 11, 2013 - 21:51
When the crunch of Tonga's huge debt to China becomes critical in the new financial year 2013-14, the government, naturally, will be looking for someone to blame. ... The failure of the government and parliament to present a transparent, accountable and comprehensive report on the destruction and the reconstruction of the Nuku'alofa CBD remains the most controversial issue for the government of Lord Tu'ivakano, since he came into office on December 2010. Editor's Comment by Pesi Fonua
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Comments
hhhooiiiii!!! I'm just dizzy
hhhooiiiii!!! I'm just dizzy with this "merry-go-round" saga to be honest!! To save precious time that should be spent on parliamentary deliberations for the benefit of the country and people plus a lot of money that we haven't got ... just forget the whole thing ever happened in the first place .... put it down as "a natural disaster" happened and destroyed the city of Nuku'alofa because at the end of the day, no one will be held or accountable or responsible for and no one would be to blame!! Move on for God's sake and let's do some real work for a change!!
'I he taimi 'e taha koe
'I he taimi 'e taha ko e totongi 'o e temokalati (DEMOCRACY), ko e 'FAKA'AUHA', pea mo e mole 'a e TAU'ATAINA', 'o kapau 'e ta'e faitotonu (DISHONEST) 'a e kau taki 'o e fonua. 'I he taimi 'e taha ko e totongi 'o e pule fakatikitako (DICTATOR) ko e maau 'a e fonua, pea nofo melino 'a e kakai, koe'uhi ko e faitotonu (HONEST) 'a e taki 'o e fonua (FIJI NOW/ TONGA AT THE BEGINNING). Ko e fiha'i komiti 'eni hono fa'u ke fakatotolo'i 'a e no mei Siaina mo e 'ikai pe ha ola (no conclusion). Fefe ha komiti mei hevani?. 'Oku mo'ua 'a 'Amelika ni ki Siaina 'a e tola 'e laui piliona. Ka he 'ikai ke lava 'e Siaina ia 'o fakamalohi'i 'a 'Amelika ni ke totongi ange hono mo'ua 'i ha founga fakamalohi, pe ha founga 'oku ta'efakafiemalie ki 'Amelika ni, koe'uhi he 'oku kei 'SUPERPOWER' pe 'a 'Amelika ni ia, tautautefito ki he malu'i fakakautau. Ko Tonga 'oku hange ha ki'i lo 'oku totolo holo ha fu'u 'elifanite, 'i hono fakafehoanaki ki Siaina. Na'a 'ohovale pe kuo tu'u mai 'a Siaina ia 'o 'ave a 'Eua ke totongi 'aki 'a e no 'a Tonga. SAIA.
The government has been
The government has been trying to use a wrong tool to do the job. It is trying to use a spanner to do a job that is required a screw-driver to do it. The parliamentarians are not investigators, they are politicians. They do not know the right questions to ask. A Royal Commission of enquiries should have been set up to inquire into it. It's findings should be used to take the matter to the next step where the Anti Corruption Act 2007 may be activated.
As to the loans what it should have happened is that once the loans is drawn down it should have been handed over to the Tonga Development Bank to administer it and add another 2% as its fees making the total interest payable by the borrower 4%. The TDB has all the equipments, expertise, know how, record keeping and it would have recorded all the incomings and outgoings which will help to identify where the funds were going to. If the Government wants the money to do the Palace up and the Vuna wharf they should borrow the money like anyone else and pay 4% interests.
Sione TuItavake-Fonua