The fact that Tonga is known to be involved in illegal sales of the Tongan national identity is mind-boggling.

Yesterday New Zealand’s Prime Minister urged Tonga’s Prime Minister to do something about it.

So what is going on?

A total of 12 people have been arrested and charged with offences related to the illegal dealing with Tongan passports since 2015, Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell told Matangi Tonga this afternoon, 29 July 2016. A further statement from the Police is expected soon.

Official visit

The situation, particularly around the issue of Tongan Diplomatic Passports has now concerned one of Tonga’s most important development partners.

When Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva, currently on his first official visit to New Zealand, faced the NZ media in Auckland, along with Hon. John Key yesterday, Key urged Tonga “to take action on the illegal sale of passports.” He also sought assurances from Tonga’s PM that diplomatic passports are no longer being sold.

Tonga’s engagement in the selling of Tongan passports began in the late 1980s, with the sales of Tonga Protected Person’s Passports.

The scheme targeted Hong Kong Chinese. It was successful and it brought in millions of pa’anga that Tonga invested in a Trust Fund.

Unfortunately, the scheme crashed and Tonga lost all the money. About 400 Chinese had become Tongan citizens.

But after that, the attraction for people in authority to sell Tonga’s national identity continued, and since then apparently Diplomatic Passports are the most sought after.