'Akilisi Pohiva offered no evidence for the claims made at a news conference on Friday afternoon.
Matangi Tonga said Mr Pohiva gathered the media by a swamp on the Nuku'alofa waterfront, where he told them he had nothing in particular he wanted to talk about.
He then went on to discuss the swamp area - an historic site and former landfill - and how he's ordered canals to be dug to beautify the area.
Mr Pohiva said he was managing the project himself, and there was no working committee or written plans.
