Tonga business community calls on Government to withdraw from hosting 2019 Pacific Games Featured
Saturday 19 July 2015. Tonga Chamber of Commerce President John Chapman has urged the Government to pull out of hosting of the 2019 Pacific Games as concerns over the financing of the event continue to deepen.
Chapman’s comments follow Tongan Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva’s televised interview in which he claimed the financial position of the country was unsatisfactory, admitting he was uncertain of where the funds to host the event would come from.
Tonga Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (TASANOC) vice-president Ahongalu Fusimalohi also weighed into the debate, throwing Tonga's staging of the Games into doubt by revealing he was unsure of whether they would go ahead.
He also confessed that they “cannot afford” to host the 2019 Pacific Games, awarded to the country by the Pacific Games Council (PGC) in 2012 after winning its bid against Tahiti.
Chapman has lobbied for the Tongan Government to not host the Games as he believes the money that would be used to help fund the event should be put towards better uses, such as building the country’s infrastructure and tourism industries.
The Chamber of Commerce President called on the Government to be “commercially sensible” by abandoning the plans to host the 2019 event, suggesting instead that they look to bring the Games to Tonga in 2023 or 2027.
“If the Government want to go ahead with hosting the Games then we’re certainly not going to do any more than to lobby them to stop it,” he told Radio Australia.
“Let’s focus on sustainable development in Tonga instead of taxing people to host these Games.
“They’re looking at spending TOP$140 million (£42 million/$66 million/€61 million) but it is likely to be around three times that and we have got to get that from somewhere.
“We don’t see where they are going to get the money for the Games.
“We have a lot more priorities on our plate rather than trying to host something that might be getting bigger than what we can do.
“Let’s look at 2023 or 2027 where we can start small and start the saving mechanism now.”
PGC executive director Andrew Minogue declined to comment on the issue, insisting they were “concentrating purely on the Games going on at the moment”.
He had earlier told insidethegames following the PGC General Assembly, held here on Sunday (July 12) that they were “keeping a close eye on Tonga’s preparations”.
Source: Inside the Games
7 comments
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'Oku 'ikai ke 'iai ha me'a ia 'e kovi he no, he 'oku no e fonua kotoa 'i mamani, pea 'oku 'ikai ke 'iai ha fonua 'e 'iai ha ready cash he taimi kotoa. Koe palopalema koe palani mo hono manage e pa'anga, 'aia koe me'a ia 'oku tonu ke fai 'ehe pule'anga ko eni koe palani fakapotopoto hange ko 'enau ngaahi palomesi, he kuopau ke nau fai 'e nautolu e me'a 'oku faka'amu ki ai e fonua, pea koe sipoti koe taha ia e ngaahi me'a 'oku nofo he loto e Tonga kotoa, ke tau kau he pue pea 'alu kihe world stage, neongo te tau fai fakafe'unga pe ki he me'a 'e fiema'u. Kapau koe 'atunga ena , koe nofo pe 'o lau e hala moe pa'anga moe ta'efai ha me'a, ta koe tu'uma'u ai pe 'a Tonga mo 'alu fakaholomui kae fakalaka atu e ngaahi motu kehee. Tonu ke tau ma he lele hake 'a Kilipati, Tuvalu moe 'otu na'a nau toki sipoti hake 'aneuhu 'o tau kalasi fakataha. Na'a tau anga kihe fihi holo pe mo Fisi mo Ha'amoa he me'a kotoa, ka ko eni kuo na 'alu kinaua ki 'olunga he sipoti kotoa ka tau faai hifo kitautolu ki lalo.
Koe fatongia ia 'oe pule'anga ke kumi e pa'anga pea alea he world stage kae tuku e fuuiku hange ha kuma vao. -
Ko e tu'unga masiva 'oku tau 'iai 'iateia pe 'i he tu'u 'a e nofo 'a mamani, 'oku 'iai e faingamalie kiate kitautolu ki hono 'ofa'i 'i ha'atau kole mei he ngaahi fonua tu'umalie ange. 'Oku 'i ai e ngaahi fakataha faka mamani lahi 'oku ha'i atu kitautolu kiai 'o feima'u 'etau paloti ki ha tu'utu'u ni fakamamani lahi ki ha ngaue pe fakahahaa 'o ha ivi lahi 'o ha fonua. Fakatataa ki he ngaue faka-UN, neongo 'oku tau 'asi ko e fo'i piliote ka 'oku 'iai hotau mahu'inga, 'e fiema'u 'e Siaina 'etau paloti ma'a kinautolu 'i ha taimi. 'E fiema'u 'e Siaina kitautolu ke fakaava ange 'a e matapa ke ha'u honau kakai 'o 'eve'eva he oku tau tu'uaki ko e 'Otumotu Anga'ofa eni. Pea 'oku 'ikai ko Tonga ni pe 'oku 'ofa'i 'e Siaina. He kuo fakanaunau kinautolu e Sihova ke nau ma'u e me'a kotoa pea fakafeta'i 'oku nau fie vahevahe. Kou tui ka na'e lava 'a hono fokotu'utu'u fakelelei 'a e kole ke liliu ke grant 'e lava lelei pe ia. He oku talamai e he punake ke tau kole pea 'e ma'u kumi pea 'e 'ilo tukituki pea 'e to'o.
Ko e Sekelitali ena a e Komiti Sipoti a Sevele kuo ne talamai 'e lava pe a e Sipoti ia. Ko e PM pe e taha oku ikai loto ki he sipoti ku loto ene Minisita ia 'a'ana, ka kou mahino'i pe 'e au e ta'eloto a e PM he ko e talu ene ngaue faka fale alea mo ene fakaanga pe mei he pongipongi ki he efiafi, pea kuo taimi ketau tukunoa'i he ko hono malohinga 'ona ia e fakaanga pea 'e fakafakaanga pe ia ki ha'ane 'osi. -
Oku ki'i tomui si'i pe hu mai 'a e ngaahi fakamatala ko'eni ka oku ilo ehe poto moe vale oku 'ika ha pa'anga 'a e fonua ke fai'aki e sipoti... E hook koe fo'i 'ulungaanga ia 'oe fonua ko Tonga koe fokotu'u me'a pea toki takai 'o kolekole.. Koe funga vaka 'o e siasi 'oku fihia he me'a tatau,,, fokotu'u pe koe tali ehe talaasiti pea tuku atu e ngaahi fo'i sikaina ki muli kenau kolekole ai. Ko fe komiti kumi pa'anga oku ki he sipoti ne nau takai holo he 2013 o feinga ke fakalotoa e otu fonua Pasifiki ke nau poupou ki he pole 'a Tonga??? Ko fe a Sevele mo 'ene kau tama koia .. koe ha e ola kuo m'au...Oku fu'u pea na'e fu'u fkvalevale pe 'a e fkkaukau ia ko'eni mei he kamata'anga hili koia oku 'iai e fu'u no ki
China ke taa.. naa manatu'i ne kamata kole 'ehe Pule'anga he Pul'eanga motu'a ki China ke liliu koe grant 'a e fuu no ko'eni... Teeki keu sio he fie matapoto ene pehe'i fau... koe vale pe tene foaki mai haane 200 miliona o ta'e totongi... naa moe kau milione 'o mamani tenau pa kafukafu he fu'u kole koia.....
Malie Tonga.... -
'Oku 'ikai ko ha toe loi 'a e me'a ia 'oku ke lave mai kiai Mark. Kuo fakaseifi'i 'enau ta'e feinga 'anautolu o tala oku ikai ko ha'atau fa'etangata 'a muli ketau kole tokoni ma'u pe, 'osi koia oku fakaava mai e matapa 'a e 'u fonua tu'umalie ki he ngaahi fonua tu'utamaki ke ooange o kole, ka kuo tautea'i pe kitautolu he 'ata'ataa loa 'o fakatukuhau'i koe'uhi ko 'enau ta'emalava ke kole. Pea toe tala ketau fua pe 'e kitautolu 'etau ngaahi fiema'u? Ke fua fefee he na'e tau'i e hiki vahenga mo e 'otu me'a koia he kuohilii pea ko e 'aho ni eni ku 'alu hake kau teketeke koia 'o fepaki mo e faingata'a, hange ko e lau 'a e motu'a ... KAI HAKE ENA ...
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Poupou atu Sifa, ka 'oku totonu ke 'uluaki lototaha e PM mo 'ene Minisita Sipoti, he koena 'oku lau 'ehe Minisita e me'a kehe kae lau 'e PM ia 'e me'a kehe, pea 'oho holo leva Ngalu Fusipa'anga he vaha'a 'o hange ha fo'i limu tu'u 'u 'auu!!! Koe ha koaa 'oku kei fakakau ai e kalasi 'o Ngalu he ngaahi me'a pehee. Ko 'ene toe kotoko holo 'o tuli tonuhia hono li'aki e kau sipoti ka koe ha 'enau me'a na'e fai he ta'u 'e 4 kuo hili? Koe kau sipoti 'oku 'uhinga ai e Pacific Games, ka 'oku 'ikai koe kau officials. Ka 'ikai ma'u e financial contribution 'aha federation koe fatongia leva ia 'oe pule'anga ke 'ave nautolu ke fakafofonga e fonua, kae 'ikai tukuaki'i mo fakamakehe'i hange koe fengutu holo 'a Ngalu. Kaekehe, fu'u fiema'u e faaitaha moe lototaha he loto'i Kapineti kae toki lava ke nga'unu ha me'a he fonua. Pehe 'ehe PM 'oku 'ikai kene 'ilo pe 'e ma'u ha pa'anga mei fe ke fakalele'aki e sipoti .... he toki tali ma'ulalo, nau tu'u ki 'olunga 'o kumi ha pa'anga he koe 'uhinga ia 'enau pule'anga ke nau hahalu mo fekumi ma'ae fonua, kae 'ikai keo ta'utu pe 'o fakaanga mo tuhu takai holo. Kuo 'osi e taimi tuhu holo he'enau kei 'i tu'a, koe taimi ni kuo nau pule'anga pea 'oku leva ke nau tuhu hifo pe kia nautolu. Pea ka 'oku 'ikai lava, 'unu ki he tafa'aki pea li e tauveli ki loto kae 'alu atu ha kakai 'oku lotolahi, 'ofa fonua mo mateaki'i a Tonga.
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He toki me'a faikehe ia ko e tomu'a li atu pe tauveli ia 'oku te'eki fai ha me'a ia. Na'e tala e he Minisita Pa'anga 'oku tupu a e fonua aki a e 2%, koeni ku kehe fakamatala ia a e PM. Pea 'ofa mai mou lotolahi pea 'ai e sipioti ke fai, mou feinga atu ki he Pule'anga motu'a kemou fetalanoa'aki, pau pe ne 'iai ha fokotuutuu ki ha faahinga me'a e ma'u mei ai ha Pa'anga ke fai 'aki a e ngaue he kuo tau 'io ki he fonua, pea ka fakafoki ena, ko e mahino ai 'etau tonounou fakavesitapolo, heikai te tau toe sio tautolu ha faingamalie, mou loto lahi pea 'omai e Sipoti koeha pe me'a te tau ma'u 'ai ia, oua te tau fusi tautolu ketau tatau mo Papua, fai e sipoti 'aki e me'a pe 'oku tau ma'u. E lava ai ke ako e hakotupu ki ha fa'ahigga sipoti e ma'u ai si'anau mo'ui ke langa 'aki hotau fonua he kaha'u.
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Malie tama 'a e sio ia mei he tafa'aki 'a e kau pisinisi pea 'oku mahino pe moe sio ia 'a e Pule'anga ke tau ma'i 'a e faingamalie ki he sipoti ka 'e pule pe foki 'a e pa'anga ee.