Lord Speaker offended by ‘slanderous’ support of Kelley

© Tevita Motulalo 

The Speaker of the House, Lord Lasike, is still pondering why “chiefs” came to be involved in internal matters of Police, raised by civil society organisations in support of Police Commissioner Chris Kelley as petitions from within police called for his immediate replacement.

“This is but a blind attack on the structure of the Tongan society,” said Lasike.

“As a Noble representative, it’s offending to me and the people I represent,” he said, “Not only is it inaccurate, it turns us Nobles into a perception of uncivilised and barbaric ‘chiefs’.”

The Civil Society Forum of Tonga released a statement supporting Police Commissioner Kelley when members of Police called for his removal by Cabinet.

In it, the CSFT notes that Kelley has shown significant commitments for the civil society organisations.

One of Kelley’s successes, according to the CSFT, was he “Spearheaded the fight against drugs with the investigation and apprehension of Chiefs involved in drug abuse.”

“Firstly, it was an Australian Federal Police  operation and Chris Kelley happened to be Police Commander when it happened,” said Lasike.

“Secondly it only involved one individual, not a group of ‘chiefs’, and thirdly the alleged violations are actually about drug trafficking not ‘drug abuse’.

“Besides, that matter is pending in court. Bringing the case out like that suggests the guy has been convicted in court, jeopardising justice and contempt of court,” he said.

“I demand the CSFT retract their comments and apologise for the insult, and in the public interests of factual information to please correct all the errors it contains. It is slanderous,” he said.

“I don’t care about Kelley. And that’s the point, how did the nobles come to be involved in internal disputes of police,” he said.

He thinks the CSFT are trying to “use” the particular noble’s case for their political arguments.

“I have no problem with their political beliefs, just as long as it does not defame and is in goodwill for the sake of the common good.”

Lasike also pointed out another interesting portion of the CSFT statement, which he says has proven the CSFT is overrunning their mandates.

The statement continued that Kelley was successful in “Sensitivity in and avoiding the un-necessary handling of pro-democracy groups during the 2006 riots, taking an unbiased stance and responding to illegal action over perceived perceptions of political groups.”

“How did Kelley do that, when he wasn’t even in Tonga in the first place?” Lasike said.

“If that’s the case, how can I trust the whole document at all. They should retract and correct it,” Lasike said.

CSFT Director Siale ‘Ilolahia told Tonga Chronicle she isn’t sure who proposed the said ‘points’ included in the statement.

“But I’ll check and get back to you,” she said, and hasn’t since.

More than 150 members of Tonga Police demanded the repeal of the new Police Act 2010, and the replacement of New Zealander now Police Commissioner Christopher Kelley.