An on-air interview of former CEO of the Ministry of Infrastructure (MOI), Ringo Fa’oliu, has revealed breach of process on several levels that has led to the current controversies concerning road works in the kingdom.
At question was the process by which millions of dollars were spent by the government in the selection and contractual engagement of three companies to carry out road works throughout Tonga.
The three companies that were selected amidst several bidders had direct link to the Government, either to members of the Cabinet or to the Government’s party.
Island Dredging Ltd. was connected to Lord Nuku, who was Minister of Police. Inter-Pacific Ltd. Is a company connected to ‘Etuate Lavulavu, whose wife ‘Akosita was the Minister of Infrastructure (MOI); and City Engineering and Construction Ltd. was a company belonging to Saia Moehau, an ardent supporter of the Government’s People’s Party.
Criticism of the Government of favouritism not only raised issues of serious conflicts of interest, but also outright practice of nepotism.
Fa’oliu told journalist Setita Mila of RTTI, New Zealand, that after the bidding process, he presented the results to the Cabinet Ministers, but the selection, which was done with due process, was rejected.
A Cabinet committee had been selected to deal with the road works contractors’ selection including the Prime Minister, Tu’i’onetoa; Tevita Lavemaau, Minister of Finance; and Akosita Lavulavu, Minister of Infrastructure.
They ignored the selection of contractors based on the bidding process, and selected the three companies in question.
It is interesting that Prime Minister Tu’i’onetoa himself had denied publicly there is such a thing as conflict of interest. He made a public statement that, “if my brother can do the job well and cheaper, why not let him do it?”
Tevita Lavemaau, Minister of Finance, was involved in the decision making assigning contracts and equipment to be used in his home constituency of ‘Eua. His wife registered a company ‘Ta’aki mo e Aka’ located in ‘Eua, which was awarded contracts.
‘Akosita Lavulavu, Minister of Infrastructure, wife of ‘Etuate Lavulavu, is a key decision maker in the awarding of contracts.
Not only the selection process may have breached Cabinet rules of selection and engagement, but that the public perception of what happened was important in the carrying out of any function of Government.
The “appearance of evil” or corruption must be avoided at all cost.
Fa’oliu lost his job as a result of his dissenting views on the road works contracting process. But the facts remain quite blatantly that rules were broken and nepotism was carried out.
Within 5 days of the awarding of the contracts, work started in Tongatapu 10, the constituency of the Prime Minister.
The Government of Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku is still sorting out at the Courts a very complex situation with the three companies in contract for road works. The companies are seeking compensation from Government for the alleged breaking of their contracts when the Minister of MOI, Sevenitini Toumo’ua abandoned the former Government’s engagement with them.
The three companies were alleged they have not carried out the works contracted, and they were behind in loan payments to the bank, a loan payment of up to $18 million guaranteed by the Government.