© 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.
