Tonga's Finance Minister says he is confident allegations calling for an investigation into himself and six of his cabinet colleagues will be satisfactorily answered next week.
Tonga's Finance Minister says he is confident allegations calling for an investigation into himself and six of his cabinet colleagues will be satisfactorily answered next week.
Nuku'alofa's main street Photo: RNZ Pacific / Koro Vaka'uta
Pohiva Tu'ionetoa is named in a petition tabled in parliament which alleges the ministers breached the Constitution and acted illegally.
The petition also accuses them of bad governance and misuse of government properties and taxpayers' money.
An audit has also been requested but Mr Tu'ionetoa, who is a former Auditor-General in Tonga, said he could explain why there may have been issues surrounding his work.
"My annual report from my previous portfolio, the Ministry of Labour and Commerce, was late, but because when I came in there were four years from the previous minister where they did not prepare annual reports so I had to do all those four years and when I came to my year the House was dissolved and then when we came back I became the Minister of Finance."
The petition contains more than 3000 signatures and was tabled in the House last week.
Mr Tu'ionetoa said he was not overly concerned about it.
"Only that we have to explain to the people but nothing serious in those allegations.
"My name is in that petition but it is not clear and there is no particular charge against me."
Mr Tu'ionetoa said once the Budget was passed the accused would get a chance to answer the allegations in the House.