The four leaders whose dirty laundry are being washed in public are reacting every which way, not only to try and justify or cover up their evil deeds, but are choosing to strike out at every possible target of grievance.
The huge tarnishing from the ‘Etuate and Akosita Lavulavu fraud case has not only brought Prime Minister Rev. Dr. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa into full battle array against his (and Lavulavu’s) critics, but also has spoken out in defense of one of his cronies, Dr. ‘Aisake Eke, who was a high profile witness for the Lavulavus.
Dr. ‘Aisake Eke has chosen to reject all criticism against his questionable witness on the Lavulavu case. The damning conclusion of the Supreme Court Judge was that “all his credibility was gone, it then being so obvious he was not desirous of telling the truth.”
But Eke, a former Minister of Finance, and the highest profile witness at the Lavulavu fraud case, is also the Chairperson of the Tonga Power Limited (TPL) Board of Directors.
In a letter written in response to a suggestion for his resignation from a TPL Board member, Eke said: “Based on what is written in the article [quoting the Supreme Court Judgment], I completely disagree with the judge[‘s] conclusion that I did not tell the truth. It is a fact there was no prosecution before on subsidy, and also some schools as those [2] I have stated accepted other form[s] of payments of school fees other than cash but has monetary value to pay off the school fees.”
Eke continued: “This is a new judge and I know during the course of the proceeding he said that he is not following what is going on which showed his mind was somewhere else and that is bad for determining justice. We know we are not allowed to contempt the court but this judge made a mistake (from his conclusions quoted in the article).”
Like his good friend, the Prime Minister, Eke has not only rejected the comments in the Supreme Court judgment concerning him as a witness, but has also shown his absolute support of the Lavulavus irrespective of the glaring evidence presented in the Court case that they are guilty of three counts of fraud.
The uproar concerning Eke at TPL is not only linked to his less than credible witness in the Lavulavu case, but as Chairman of the TPL Board he has been the main person of interest in one of the most controversial Boards among Public Enterprises. His “less than credible” behavior have been a consistent disappointment particularly for a former leader in Government and one who is a candidate for the upcoming general Parliamentary election.
If it was not a plan to deflect public attention from the Court and the Prime Minister’s Office to TPL, then it was an incredible coincidence. Jean Paul Chapman, one of the most senior members of the TPL Board has called for Eke’s resignation, in a direct letter to him.
And so the spotlight of public scrutiny and in-house revelations have moved onto Eke and his Board of Directors. This is not the first time the spotlight has shone on the PTL Board. The previous incidents focused on scandals and controversies that centered around decisions of the Board chaired by Eke.
The controversies included the proposed dismissal of senior staff without any clear basis, and the re-employment of a person who was dismissed by the former Board for sexual misconduct on TPL premises, but is an ardent supporter of some of the senior Board members.
But this time it is Eke again emerging with vengeance against the dissenting Board member who called for his resignation due to the fallout from the Lavulavu case.
By the weekend of June 12th, this has grown into a full fledged confrontation with threats of firing the dissenting Board member led by Prime Minister Rev. Dr. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa.
The threatening letter from the Prime Minister, as Minister of Public Enterprises, to fire Jean Paul was not for his suggestion for Eke to resign. That would have been too easy for his critics to munch on. He had to find another reason to fire the business owner. But what a coincidence. All happening within a week of the Lavulavu verdict being announced.
The Prime Minister, in addition to his duties as the leader of Government, has taken up the role of chief defender of the Lavulavus. He is the one making speeches in Parliament, and on radio, defending his non-action against his Cabinet Minister that has been convicted of fraud.
The convicted Minister, by the way, was continuing to receive wages up to $30,000 during the period of the court case. In the meantime, in his letter intending to fire Jean Paul from the TPL and TGL Boards, he said: “For the time being your monthly director fees and meeting fees for TPL and TGL will be put on hold effective from the date of receipt of this letter (June 11th 2021), pending my final decision on receiving your response.”
Double standard? Hypocritical or worse!
It is interesting that one was charged and convicted for fraud continued being paid $30,000 during the case, yet one accused of insubordination, has all financial benefits as a Board member withheld.
It is one thing to commit a crime but for a Prime Minister to come out in defense of his convicted friends, he has gone beyond being less credible, to an insecure and highly anxious man striking out at any and all “judgmental” criticism against his criminal friends.
The misrepresentation of the role of being a religious minister as well as the frequent quotes (or misquotes) of Scripture has become a typical Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa reaction against all critics, not only of himself but also his cronies, as in the Lavulavus and Eke cases.
But the same Bible that the controversial religious minister quotes from also says: “The folly of fools is deception… fools detest turning from evil… stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.” (Proverbs 13 & 14).
In the meantime, staff and all workers at TPL have been informed that their Life and Accident Insurance would be completely cancelled. This will leave the most vulnerable and highest risk workers of any enterprise in Tonga without any coverage whatsoever.
The decision making which comes from the Government through the Board is not only against common sense but leaves all workers at TPL with the most vulnerable situation of any workers in Tonga.
The staff and workers of TPL have written to protest this action by the Public Enterprise. They argued that since the inception of TPL in 2008, the insurance coverage was a necessity because all the workers are working in a vulnerable environment and at great risk.
Add this to the kind of earth shaking problems at TPL; yet the Prime Minister and his chairperson of the Board are in a defense mode they will not be able to withstand much longer.
Like a peeled onion, each layer peeled has produced more tears, but the onion continues to smell worse than ever, unless its discarded.