FROM OUR ARCHIVES:

The Tonga Amateur Sports Association TASNOC terminated the salaries and expenses of its long serving CEO Takitoa Taumoepeau and Office Manager 'Ahosivi Kaitapu, yesterday, 16 July 2013.

Announcing the "termination", the executive committee stated that the decision was, “a result of internal restructuring of administrative staff”. The July 16 statement said that, “The TASANOC offices will be temporarily closed to the public effective immediately and will reopen at 9:00am on Wednesday, July 24, 2013.”

The remaining office staff, including sports development officers will continue to work on this week's deadline for naming Tonga's entries to the 9th Pacific Mini Games - Wallis and Futuna to be held from September 2-12 this year.

TASANOC President, Lady Joyce Robyn Kaho, who is traveling overseas, was not available for comment this morning on the sackings of the top management positions.

Secretary General

It is understood that although Takitoa Taumoepeau has lost his paid position with TASANOC, he remains as the Secretary General in the organization, a voluntary position that is elected every four years.

A new TASANOC executive committee was elected in January 2013 and, at the time, was concerned about the economics of running the national body. At the last AGM the financial accounts for 2012 showed that the administration expenses had exceeded budgeted income by over $252,000. The main expenses were the salaries and wages of the CEO and five staff, the CEO's housing and travel allowances, general overseas travel and vehicle expenses. At the same time the budgets for sports development in Tonga were under-expended.

TASANOC is supported through various programmes of the International Olympics Committee, and Tonga's national sports federations.

The current executive committee, which represents 29 national federations includes the President - Lady Robyn Tu'ivakano, Senior Vice President - Lennie Niit, Secretary General - Siosifa Takitoa Taumoepeau, Vice Presidents (six) - Michael Bloomfield, Hans Jensen, 'Epeli Taione, Dr 'Amanaki Fakakovikaetau, 'Ahongalu Fusimalohi and Robert Sullivan. Members also include a representative of the Athletes Commission Siosifa Taumoepeau, with Hasiloni Fungavai as Treasurer and Tiofilusi Tiueti as Auditor.

The next election will be in 2017, two years before Tonga hosts the South Pacific Games in 2019.