16 Aug 2017

Suspended Tokelau public servants stranded in Samoa

8:57 am on 16 August 2017

Two senior Tokelau public servants suspended in April remain stranded in Samoa without income.

no caption

Photo: 123RF

The former Tokelau public service general manager Jovilisi Suveinakama said he and the suspended Director of Finance Heto Puka had not been paid after their salaries were stopped in July.

The two are awaiting the outcome of an investigation into their involvement in the controversial purchase of two helicopters last year.

The purchase caught New Zealand off guard and prompted its administrator of the territory to impose capital spending restrictions on Tokelau's government.

Mr Suveinakama said he had yet to be questioned about his involvement in the helicopter purchase, but he said he had nothing to hide.

"We still stay in the government premises but in terms of salary we don't have any income whatsoever so how can we defend ourselves?"

Mr Suveinakama said he has not been told if the investigation had commenced.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs