Transcript
'AKILISI POHIVA: There have been quite a few things that to me, 'Aisake failed to live up to the commitment of the present government. However because he's an Independent [MP] he argued that he has every right to do whatever he wants to do as an Independent. But as a member of cabinet I think he has to comply with all cabinet collective decisions. I think the last thing he did was he abstained from the vote.
KORO VAKA'UTA: What was the reason he told you for abstaining from the vote?
AP: He said that there are of course two reasons. There was a matter in regard to our preparation for the South Pacific Games scheduled to be held here in Tonga in 2019. We had differences on that issue but to me it doesn't have a solid foundation for his disagreement or his choice to abstain. That was the main reason. He also said that I ignored or undermined law pertaining to certain actions I have done, but he did not specifically mention that law. These are the two reasons he came up with.
KV: Dr Eke, I guess, is well regarded, highly respected around the region. He has been Finance Minister in previous governments as well, is this a bit of a loss, a blow for your government?
AP: Of course yes but at the same time we have quite a number of well qualified people to replace him. Of course it is a loss for government but the question is, do we have enough qualified senior civil servants to do the same job? The answer is yes.
KV: So you have complete faith in, for example I understand Tevita Lavemaau will be the finance minister...
AP: Yes, yes, yes. Tevita Lavemaau has been working in the Ministry of Finance for a number of years. He had a senior post at Treasury 20 years ago.
KV: And speak to the other changes with Mr Tu'i'onetoa moving to Revenue and then Mateni Tapueluelu coming into the police portfolio, what were the reasons behind that?
AP: Because Tevita Lavemaau has shifted to the Ministry of Finance, that vacancy was filled up by Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa. Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa is well qualified for that position. And Mateni Tapueluelu because [Mr] Tu'i'onetoa, he's transferred now to the Ministry of Revenue, that vacancy must be filled. I thought that Mateni Tapueluelu was the most appropriate candidate for that post, for that vacancy.
KV: I know he's quite a young member of parliament, what made him the appropriate candidate to be Minister of Police, which is quite an important position?
AP: Among the three representatives of the people who do not have a portfolio, Mateni, as I see them, is the most appropriate person among those three members of the Democratic Party.
