An independent mediation that was this morning successful in winning agreement in principle for an immediate return to work by striking civil servants, has been rejected outright by Tonga's Prime Minister.

As the strike by some 3,000 civil servants entered its seventh day the mediators said that although many Tongan government ministers, and the PSA steering committee agreed on a solution that would allow civil servants to return to work, it could not be implemented without the consent of the Prime Minister, HRH Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata.

"The Prime Minister did not want to talk to us and he asked the Deputy PM to thank us for the offer but he would like to leave it to Government and his Public Service Commission to handle it," said Sione Ngongo Kioa, President of the Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industries, who led the mediation effort with his vice-president, a Nuku'alofa businessman Ross Chapman of Pacific Finance and Investments Ltd.

The independent mediation effort was taken as the effects of the week-long strike are starting to bite on local businesses.

"There is more and more cargo piling up on the wharf," said Ngongo.

"It is clear we cannot afford what the PSA are asking for, so we proposed a compromise and we were hopeful it would be accepted so the country can move forward.

"While the PSA...’s demand for 60%, 70% and 80% pay rises as proposed is way beyond the country...’s capability and cannot be sustained at all, the Government seems to take its time and may be playing the delaying tactics," he said.

"Unfortunately, exports and imports have come to a full stop and the business community has started to feel the pain. I thought that someone should give a hand to see if the Government and the PSA could compromise. Ross Chapman and I have been to the PSA Steering Committee and they agreed that we could mediate with the Government to come to a compromise," he said.

The compromise position proposed today, which Ngongo said could be one of many, was that:

1. Government to return to the old salary structure (the one prior to 1 July 2005);

2. Increase all civil servants pay for levels below level 1 by 10-15% depending on what the Government could afford at the moment, and then programme the rest of the increase as we move along.

3. Suspend and defer the implementation of the proposal from the Higher Salary Review Committee for further consultation.

4. Include some members of the civil servants in the Higher Salary Review Committee.

5. With the above confirmed officially, all civil servants will return to work as soon as possible.

Ministers agreed

"We have met with the government ministers, Hon. James Cecil Cocker (deputy PM), Hon. Joshua ...‘Utoikamanu (Finance), Hon. Viliami Tangi (Health), Hon. Siaosi ...‘Aho (Law), Hon. Tevita Palefau (Education), Hon. Fielakepa (Lands) and Hon. Tuita (Agriculture), and they all agreed with this compromise.

"We have also had discussions with Secretary for Finance, Aisake Eke, on what Government could afford and he was very helpful supplying the details.

"We came back to Maliu Takai and Vuna Fa'otusia from the PSA Committee for feedback and while they would prefer better rates, a meeting of the PSA Steering Committee was to be held this afternoon to confirm that."

Open for dialogue

The PSA was able to understand the need to reduce the amount being sought, and "they are open for dialogue," Ngongo said.

"An 80% increase is suicidal. It will bring the minimum wage way above what the private sector have, and on top of that civil servants are also getting leave and many other benefits. They have to be realistic in terms of what government can afford because this will affect everyone," he said.

"We also talked to the MPs. The Ministers and MPs that we saw today agreed with the new proposal but they wanted the two of us to go and see the Prime Minister.

Ngongo said that although they booked an appointment to see the PM but Falekava Kupu the Assistant Secretary to the PM's Office did not come back to confirm it.

"So we went and waited outside the Parliament for the PM to come back to the afternoon session. Finally, the Hon. Deputy Prime Minister arranged for us to see the PM, but then he did not want to talk to us, and he asked the Deputy PM to thank us for the offer but he would like to leave it to Government and his Public Service Commission to handle it.

"That is where we stopped," said Ngongo. "Good luck to everyone!"

Meanwhile, Ngongo believed that the striking civil servants were receiving donations and support from sympathetic members of the business community, particularly from small businesses. "Some of them see it as a short cut to support these fellows, but we wanted to do things the right way," said Ngongo.