Tonga studies the Assessment Report on its Police Force [1]
Friday, May 25, 2007 - 20:43. Updated on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 - 19:41.
An Assessment Report of the operation of the Tonga Police Force was presented this afternoon to Tonga's Prime Minister, Dr Feleti Sevele by the High Commissioners of Australia and New Zealand.
The two High Commissioners, HE Bruce Hunt of Australia and HE Michael McBryde of New Zealand expressed the willingness of their two countries to work together with Tonga and raise the standard of its police force.
Mr Bruce Hunt, who presented the report said that the report was only a draft with recommendations, and they were looking forward for comments and reactions from the Tongan government so that they could move on to the next stage, and establish a dialogue between the three governments on how to improve the operation of the Tongan Police Force.
Dr Michael McBryde, pointed out that the report was prepared by an assessment team from Australia and New Zealand, lead by an Australian. He said that New Zealand was willing to assist Tonga, and it had recently increased its aid to Tonga and funds could be made available for the reforming of the Tongan police.
The report presented today is the outcome of the work of a seven-member team, made up of three Australians three New Zealanders and one Tongan, who were in Tonga for two weeks in February and carried out an assessment of the operation of the Tongan Police.
The Prime Minister, Dr Feleti Sevele said that he made the initial expression of the need to reform the Tongan Police to the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer when he visited Tonga in April 2005. He said that he later raised the same issue with the New Zealand Minister for Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, when he visited Tonga. He said that the events of November 16 expedited the process and he stressed to the two High Commissioners that government would study the report and they should be able to give them a response in two weeks.
When the Minister of Police, Hon. Siaosi 'Aho was asked if there was a real need to increase the size of his force. The Minister replied that there was a need, "if there will be a repeat of the events of 16/11."