The Minister for Information and Communications, Hon 'Eseta Fusitu'a, said today that the construction of the new inter-island ferry that is being built by the Japanese Government, was delayed for three years because of protests and objections from Mr. 'Uliti Uata, Member of Parliament for Ha'apai, and owner of the Uata Shipping Line, to the negotiations between the Governments of Tonga and Japan in 2005.

Her statement was made in response to enquiries from the media in relation to a public protest at Pangai, Ha'apai last week, by islanders who were unhappy because of the lack of an inter-island shipping service. The protestors also alleged that the Government had not done enough to provide a reliable and safe shipping service between the islands of Tonga.

Hon 'Eseta Fusitu'a said she respectfully wishes to recall for the people of Ha'apai that Government had indeed attended to its responsibilities in good time. It had sought Japan's help in 2005 and had this not been sabotaged by Mr. 'Uliti Uata, the new "Olovaha" would have been ready in 2008, and there would have been no need for an interim vessel such as the "Ashika". As it was, it took another three years to successfully rescue the project approval in June 2008, thus delaying the completion of the new "MV Olovaha" to late 2010 or early 2011.

Hon 'Eseta Fusitu'a said that Government had submitted a request to the Japanese Government in July 2005, for assistance under its grant aid scheme for the period March 2006-March 2007, for the construction of a new inter-island ferry to replace the "MV Olovaha". Whilst the negotiations were in progress, Mr. 'Uliti Uata wrote to the Japanese Government urging them not to approve the request and to divert its financing to developing the capacity of the private Shipping Industry.

In his letter to the Japanese Government on 15th November 2005, Mr. 'Uliti Uata said, ". . . this letter is again asking the Government of Japan to (a) Withdraw their financing of the Olovaha . . .", and in his letter of 8th December 2005, he said, "We request that you put-off completely this project and consider other schemes which ...have greater priority."

Hon 'Eseta Fusitu'a said, "The provision of a safe and reliable inter-island shipping service has always been a top priority for the Tongan Government. That was why finding a replacement for the "MV Olovaha" was at the top of the list of our requests to Japan in 2005".

Without a doubt, if Mr. 'Uliti Uata had not tried to stop the Japanese Government in 2005 from building the replacement for the "MV Olovaha" , it would have been delivered to Tonga in 2008, Tonga would have been spared the enormous expenses of providing interim shipping such as the "MV Ashika", and the people of Ha'apai and the outer Islands will now be enjoying a far more satisfactory Inter-Island Shipping Service." Ministry of Information and Communications, 10/02/10.