Tonga’s Chief Secretary, Dr Palenitina Langaʻoi, said she was upset by news stories that Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva has had cancer.
Langaʻoi expressed her concern during a press conference in Nukuʻalofa hosted by the Prime Minister on Friday.
Kaniva News has seen several posts on Facebook alleging the Prime Minister has had cancer.
The posts prompted Hon. Pōhiva’s supporters to reject the allegations.
Sione ‘Eniketi Tāufa, a diehard supporter of Pōhiva, said the Prime Minister went to the clinic for check-up and was not admitted to hospital.
“It was unfortunate that those at the radio put down the leader,” he said in Tongan on Facebook.
Tāufa alleged that one of the radio broadcasters in Tonga had announced the Prime Minister was hospitalised in Auckland.
This was denied by Pōhiva’s critics, who said the Tonga Broadcasting Commission did not say this when they announced the Prime Minister was in New Zealand for a health check-up.
“’Ave fakafalemahaki Palemia ki Nu’u Sila! Prostate cancer! Faito’o ‘aho ni!” Translated: (The Prime Minister is sent to New Zealand for medical treatment. Prostate cancer! He is admitted for treatment today”, posted Tongan correspondent Tevita Motulalo on Facebook.
The allegations were made after Hon. Pōhiva flew to New Zealand for a health check-up last week.
Dr Langaʻoi did not deny or affirm the allegation.
The Prime Minister returned to Tonga on Monday and returned to work.
Tonga’s Consul at the ‘Atalanga Royal residence in Epsom told Kaniva News the Prime Minister would return to Auckland for another health check-up in the coming week.
He said a routine health check would be conducted by Hon. Pōhiva’s specialist.
Hon. Pōhiva’s Kele’a newspaper ran a story about 10 years ago saying he had a health check up in Hawaiʻi to determine whether he had cancer, but was declared cancer free.
Drug smuggling
The Prime Minister told the media yesterday he was concerned that Tongan diplomatic passports were used by criminals to smuggle drugs from Tonga to New Zealand and Australia.
The Chief Secretary told the media yesterday they had the number of diplomatic passports used but when asked by the media, she and the Prime Minister declined to say how many.
Prime Minister John Key told New Zealand media Hon. Pohiva did not advise him that the Tongan diplomatic passports had been issued to people who trafficked drugs to New Zealand.
Key’s comments came shortly after Hon. Pōhiva left New Zealand in August after his first official state visit to the country.
He was responding to media questions after Pōhiva told the Tongan Parliament he was concerned that the diplomatic passports had been used by traffickers.
Allegations of the misuse of Tongan passports was a focus of the New Zealand media during Hon. Pohiva’s state visit.
Pōhiva confirmed at a press conference in Auckland his government was dealing with the issue.
He said some of the cases predated his government.
The main points
- Tonga’s Chief Secretary, Dr Palenitina Langaʻoi, said she was upset by news stories that Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva has had cancer.
- Langaʻoi expressed her concern during a press conference in Nukuʻalofa hosted by the Prime Minister on Friday.
- Kaniva News has seen several posts on Facebook alleging the Prime Minister has had cancer.
- The allegations were made after he flew to New Zealand for a health check-up.
