From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 18, no. 1, March 2003.

By Mary Fonua.

Why did government decide to prohibit the import of the 14 year old Taimi ‘o Tonga in February? If the politics of the campaigning newspaper wasn’t the real issue, as government spokespeople were claiming, we asked, then what was?

While it is true to say that the Taimi been and dun some bad journalism over the years, and that it has been a source of constant irritation to all sorts of people, especially people in government, it has been other things as well. While technically and ideologically, it was an import to Tonga, the bi-weekly publication linked the Tongan communities in New Zealand and in Tonga, and was perceived as a community newspaper in both countries.

When the Government’s Information Unit, which is an arm of the Prime Minister’s Office, announced that the Commissioner of Customs had declared it a prohibited import, there was no reference to any Cabinet decision on the matter. So we enquired if there had, in fact, been a Cabinet decision to prohibit the newspaper, and on what grounds exactly, and why now?

Cabinet view

“No,” there was not a specific Cabinet decision to prohibit the import of the Taimi, ‘Eseta Fusitu‘a, Chief Secretary to Cabinet, told us on March 4.

We’d been directed to her by the Attorney General, and Minister of Justice, ‘Aisea Taumoepeau.

Explained ‘Eseta, “there was a Cabinet view that this should happen but, no, if you asked me if there was a specific Cabinet decision to prohibit the newspaper, I would have to say, no.”

The prohibition, she said was made by the Minister of Finance, Siosiua ‘Utoikamanu, acting in his capacity as Chief Commissioner of Revenue, “under the law, because the Taimi is a foreign publication,” said ‘Eseta. “It didn’t have to be a Cabinet decision because the law was there. The Minister has the power to make the decision.”

Did this mean, then, that the Minister of Finance had, perhaps, taken it upon himself to prohibit the import of the paper, we wondered?

“It is normal for the policy to be made by Cabinet, and then the appropriate officer to implement, and in this case it was put to the Minister of Finance,” said ‘Eseta. “After authorities have made a decision it is my job to implement decisions and to answer questions,” she added.

Routine

Alright, so why prohibit it now?, we asked.

“That’s a legitimate question,” replied ‘Eseta. “It’s just like anything else. Government has a million things to do and piles of work. It’s just a normal routine subject,” she said.

But, surely, banning newspapers is neither normal, nor routine, so why now?

“After all, the world asked us to do it,” ‘Eseta offered. “Reporters were calling and asking us for information because it was already being published in the Taimi, that a ban was coming, and the foreign media wanted to know when we were going to do it.…”

Media Committee

‘Eseta is a member of the Cabinet’s media committee. It’s members include a chairman, the Minister of Police, Clive Edwards; along with the Governor of Ha‘apai, Hon. Fielakepa; the Minister of Labour, Masaso Paunga; and the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Fekita ‘Utoikamanu. The committee had met this year, ‘Eseta said, but she couldn’t confirm exactly when, or remember on the spot whether it was before or after the prohibition order was made.

The Minister of Finance, who declared the prohibition, declined to be interviewed by Matangi Tonga.

The Decision

But, in the end, for the curious, there is some pleasure. The Government of Tonga is like a coconut leaf basket, and when a light, by chance, shone between the fronds, we discovered that, Yes, there was, in fact, a Cabinet decision concerning the Taimi ‘o Tonga.

In an unmarked envelope, arriving on our desks, we found the answer to at least one of our questions. The  envelope contained a leaked copy of a Confidential Memorandum, that had been sent out by ‘Eseta Fusitu‘a to a few important people on February 19, and it  probably was not intended for the eyes of the press. But given the answers we’d been given, we couldn’t help noticing the Cabinet decision, written there in black and white. On February 19 the Tongan Cabinet had decided as follows:

“With reference to  Taimi ‘o Tonga ref. CD [read Cabinet Decision] no. 256 of 12/2/2003…Recommendation approved as amended i.e.: That the Chief Commissioner of Revenue in the exercise of his power under Section 34 CAP 67 of the Custom and Excise Act is to consider prohibiting the importation of the Taimi ‘o Tonga into the Kingdom.” ▲