NUKU’ALOFA: Prohibited and ordered by the Prime Minister, Lord Fakafanua, to the Ministers of the Cabinet, as well as the CEOs of the Government, CEOs of all Government Businesses, and the Chairmen of government board, of the year 2026 that it will no longer be allowed for anyone to answer a question, or make any further statement, or release a statement outside regarding anything related to:
- Land in Matatoa where MEIDECC was leased.
- Any aspect regarding the issue of the Fanga’uta Bridge, from ‘Umusī to Folaha.
Only One Mouth Shall Speak
Only the Prime Minister alone is allowed in the Government of Tonga to speak on it, and he alone is allowed to answer a question on it. He does not want, no matter who it is in the Government, to have a second mouth explaining; but only one mouth is allowed to speak to represent the Government in answering anything regarding these two major issues.
Therefore, only the Prime Minister alone is allowed to speak or answer a question regarding anything related to the MEIDECC Building at Matatoa, or the lease of TPL, or the sublease of MEIDECC. It is strictly forbidden for anyone else from the government to answer any kind of question from outside or from the media. For any other special interview with a media organization in Tonga here, he alone is allowed to speak.
Everyone else—reaching to all Ministers of the Cabinet, CEOs of government ministries, or anyone from a business board of the Tongan government, or a public servant—are all already forbidden from speaking on anything regarding the Bridge from ‘Umusī to Folaha and Longoteme.
Banning of 88.1fm and the Tonga Chronicle
At the same time, it has already been ordered that it will no longer be allowed for 88.1FM People’s Radio and the Tonga Chronicle to participate further in any Press Conference of the Office of the Prime Minister.
It was also ordered yesterday, 19th of August 2026, that it will no longer be allowed for anyone employed by 88.1FM or Tonga Chronicle to enter the government office at St. George Building at any further time. They have been completely prohibited from entering further at the inside door, whether there is a press conference being held or not. It has been ordered to forbid them from whatever they may require from any of the offices inside this government building.
The St. George Building was built by aid from the government of China to the people of the country. This building is occupied by these major offices:
- Office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet (and the conference room and meeting room of the Cabinet).
- Office of Local Government, which has all district officers and town officers of Tonga here.
- Office for the Ministry of Finance, which houses the Minister of Finance, CEO, and all their high-ranking officers.
- Office for Passports and immigration services.
- Office of National Planning of the Government of Tonga.
These are services restricted by the Prime Minister for anyone employed by 88.1FM / Tonga Chronicle to have access to.
The Questions from the People of the Country
Emerging from the progression of this order, are the following questions from the people of this country:
- Which section of the law in the Constitution of Tonga, or any other law, gives that authority to a Prime Minister to stop anyone from speaking or making a statement about any issue concerning the land at Matatoa and the cancellation of the sublease by him and his Cabinet of 2026?
- Which section of the Constitution or the laws of Tonga authorizes the Prime Minister to stop the Minister of Lands, CEO, or the workers and surveyors of the Ministry of Lands, Deputy Chairman of a Board of a government enterprise, from speaking or answering questions related to the lease of TPL and the sublease of MEIDECC in Matatoa? Meanwhile, it stands in their job description as minister, CEO, Deputy Chairman or worker, and their legal duty to answer the question from the people and journalists related to their duties for which they are employed. These officials possess the legal authority to speak on actual events, whereas a Prime Minister should not be performing the functions of the Ministers, the CEOs, Chairmen of the Board of any of the government enterprise and/or public sector employees. It is wrong ethically, legally, and morally.
- Public discussions have intensified around reports that the Prime Minister and Cabinet are preparing to seek an audience at the Palace to formally present a traditional apology (hū louifi) and petition for an opportunity. Why has the people have not yet received a direct press release from the Office of the Prime Minister, on the reason they are preparing to go to palace to hū louifi?
- Why has the government been closed-off and official communications centralized solely under the Prime Minister regarding the Matatoa and Fanga’uta Bridge issues? What is the reason you are trying to close any other person to speak on it? What are the basis? Are there areas that the public needs to be concerned about?
- What is the close-off timeframe period on the issue in Matatoa and the Fanga’uta Bridge?
- Are there undisclosed details or lack of transparency regarding the Matatoa project and the Fanga’uta Bridge construction that are being withheld from taxpayers, and if so, what do these entail?
