Transcript
'EPELI TAIONE: I think we have a responsibility to look at the opportunities presented to us, to help out us, or if we are just happy with what we are in Tonga at the moment. It's in a free-fall. Just take a good look at where we are now and where we were 20 years ago, 30 years ago, it's a really sad state. While you have probably seen
the reaction over a casino and a gaming licence, some take it in stride and some have called [it] out as unholy, against Christian faith and what have you. I think we have to take a good look at it and decide for ourselves. Tonga really does need some investment, it needs some new money ASAP, it needs capital investment. What we are doing is not new. What we are doing is in there, it is part of the Government Tourism Roadmap 2014-2019. In the last year we have been working closely on this and it is still early stages.
KORO VAKA'UTA: Is the fact that you haven't been given a licence and there has been this backlash and the government has come out numerous times saying that it is not legal to gamble in Tonga, is that a blow to your plan or are there still other alternatives?
ET: We knew this will come along. We knew there would be a disagreement over this but we just look over across the Pacific Ocean to Samoa and what they've done. You know, it can be managed. It's going really well, it is well-controlled and I think we have aligned what we are trying to do with that of Samoa. Even if there is something like that to happen, there will be no Tongan passport holders to be allowed in so we are well protected, but the main thing is to look at ways to kick-start the economy.
KV: So you haven't given up on the idea of a gaming resort?
ET: No, not at all. Like I said, it is a huge opportunity for us. The fact that they try to make it out like it is the worst thing ever to happen to the country is quite sad you know. They really need to do some research and have a good look at it before they make those judgements. But how it stands at the moment if anyone will come with any better idea how we will get investment to Tonga at the moment, I would like to have a look at it, but how it stands at the moment we really do need this. We're bleeding.
KV: I understand that the tourism project included other things other than a gaming resort, if the gaming resort wasn't possible, are you still able to continue with a shopping mall, villas, that sort of thing that has been talked about?
ET: It would be a sort of total change in direction of what we are trying to do. Unfortunately the main investors for the project, [Red Warrior Entertainment], it comes with that territory of a gaming licence. We will still stick it out of where we are at the moment. The backlash over it is totally unfair. Before they they get to know the content of what we are trying to do they are already trying to make up there mind. With due respect to that, everyone is entitled to their views, but like I said, we took some measures on it. We really looked at it. We worked around that, for example, our people will be protected. Just like Samoa, people are not allowed to play holding a Samoan passport. It would be the same applied for Tonga. We are trying to help as much as we can with our economy and we have a responsibility to make sure we have a positive socio-economic impact on what we are trying to do and we are still trying to head to that now.
'Epeli Taione says his company, investors and the government will meet again next month.
