Tonga's Prime Minister Hon. 'Akilisi Pohiva wants his son-in-law, Mateni Tapueluelu, to remain in Cabinet, and has refused to accept his resignation from two key government ministerial portfolios today.

“...I do not accept it,” declared the Prime Minister this afternoon, 28 February, in response to the resignation of Hon. Mateni Tapueluelu, the Minister for Police, Fire Services and Minister for Revenue Collection and Customs.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) this evening released a statement that Hon. Mateni Tapueluelu resigned because of "a lack of support from his Cabinet colleagues on the way forward" on the issue of his authority.

It appears that Mateni is seeking greater control of the Tonga Police.

According to the PMO allegations: "The Hon Prime Minister also stated that Hon. Mateni Tapueluelu had been particularly frustrated of late by what could be interpreted as lack of support from his Cabinet colleagues on the way forward that he was proposing regarding corruption within Tonga Police and his relative lack of statutory authority within the Ministry of Police, in contrast to that of the Commissioner of Police."

The Prime Minister stated that Mateni had tabled submissions to Cabinet regarding issues he has with Tonga Police, but "his attempts to seek the support of his Cabinet colleagues for the way forward had not been met with enthusiasm."

He stated that the Cabinet has been deferring making decisions on those recommendations.

“I will do my best”, said the Prime Minister, “. . . to ensure that we address his concerns and retain his membership of Cabinet.”

Mateni, a former editor of the Kele'a newspaper, is married to the Prime Minister's daughter, Lautala.