Tonga PM defends cost of Forbes publication Featured
Prime Minister of Tonga Hon. 'Akilisi Pohiva
Nuku'alofa, 6 July 2015. Tonga's Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva has defended the spending on a Forbes magazine article which cost the government more than a quarter of its tourism budget.
Questions have been raised over spending public money on the two page article for which the government paid US$150,000 dollars.
Mr Pohiva says he was approached first by Forbes' editors who were interested in interviewing him and a deal was later approved by the then acting Secretary to Cabinet, 'Aholotu Palu.
Mr Pohiva says he hadn't heard of the magazine but later learned it was aimed at wealthy people.
"The interview is intended to attract and to advertise Tonga among the circle of the rich people. I think it will attract, in one way or another, investors to come here and invest here in Tonga."
Source: Radio New Zealand
5 comments
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Kakai mou 'ofa mai 'o lau 'a e miniti falealea fika 21 & 22 'asi lelei ai 'a e loi 'a e Palemia tokua na'e 'ikai tene 'ilo ha me'a ka ko'eni na'ane 'ilo lelei pe pea na'a ne fetu'utaki ange kiai 'a Forbes. Hiko e loi koe kakano e pule'anga ko'eni.
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Tau tali angee pe ;e tuhu e tao ia 'o Aholotu kia hai .... koe 'atunga ia e pa pe me'a mo heka koe te'ekii pea toki fakata'ane ..... malie Tonga
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Malie tama he ko'ena kuo tuhu e tao kia 'Aholotu Palu.....
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Ko eee ko e kamata ee 'a e tuhu holo, pea me'a ni na'e 'ikai ke ne mu'a 'eke atu pe koeha e fakamole? Koe tu'uaki o e fonua ku tau ange 'aki ko hono tu'uaki 'e he kau Miss Heilala, ko e Fale 'o e Tu'i, ko hotau ngaahi maatanga pea mo ho tau ngaahi me'a fakafonua, ko e toki tu'uaki eni ia ko e tu'utaki 'e he tama na'a ne fakaanga'i e me'a kotoa 'i Tonga ni, uki mo e tutu pea ako'i mo e kakai kenau lea ta'eufi 'a eni ku tau sio pe he ngaahi 'aho ni. Kuo ha'u ia ke ne tu'uaki atu 'a Tonga ni? Pea kuo tala ko e beginning of excellence? Faka'ulia 'ene vikia pe 'eia ia. Ka ne ko ha fakamole eni oku fakahoko e ha toe Palemia ange, ko e PM pe koeni 'e lele takai ke faka'ilo pea uki mo ha laka fakahahaa, ta'aki atu mo e haafua ki muli. Pe oku fefe e sio he taimi ni, oku ne fai a e mea oku fehangahangai mo e me'a na'a ne fa'a mateaki'i pea 'ikai lea atu ha taha? Pe oku fefe leva mo hono kau poupou he fo'i me'a koeni? Taukave'i ai pe? Faka'ofa lahi ka ko kitautolu hono pehe'i ...
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Tuku a mu'a PM e lohi pango mo e fkoli. Ko e Forbes ko ena kuke fkmatala kiai 'oku kehe 'aupito ia meihe kautama ne nau omai o fk'eke'eke koe.
Te'eki ai tete sio he valikai... 'ene matolu pehee fau. 'Ai keke 'ilo e kehekehe e Forbes Custom meihe Forbes. Fielau he he ne lahiange pe ho taimi he lautohi pule'anga moe ngutu piva