Tongan Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni has met King Tupou VI in Niuafo’ou as the two sides worked on ironing out differences that had surfaced in early February.
While there has been no official update from either the Prime Minister’s Office or the Royal Palace Office in Nuku’alofa, RNZ Pacific has confirmed that the meeting took place last Wednesday.
Accompanying Hu’akavameiliku to meet with the King were Nobles Lord Fohe, the Minister of Fisheries, and Lord Tu’i’afitu, the Minister of Lands, Dr Viliame Lasike Latu, the Minister of Trade and Economic Development, Dr Siale Akauola, the Minister of Health, Fekita ‘Utoikamanu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism and Paula Ma’u, the Chief Secretary to Cabinet and Chief Executive Officer at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The prime minister had requested the audience with King Tupou VI to clarify issues surrounding the King’s advise that he has withdrawn support for Hu’akavameiliku as the Minister of Defence and for ‘Utoikamanu as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Government, with the advise of the attorney-general, had responded to the correspondence and said both Hu’akavameiliku and ‘Utoikamanu will continue to serve in the portfolios.
That did not go well with MPs in the opposition and noble MPs as well.
The issue caused some heated debates in the Tongan Parliament in the last two weeks.
Hu’akavameiliku had asked Parliament that he be given time to meet with King Tupou VI before responding to questions again.
