Tonga's Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva has dispelled rumours he has dismissed his Minister of Finance Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa from Cabinet.
The Prime Minister told Kaniva News last evening he was surprised when he was told by his personal secretary he received contacts from people asking to confirm whether it was true or not Tu’i’onetoa has been fired.
The Minister of Police Māteni Tapueluelu, who was in Auckland on his way to a meeting in Hong Kong, said he received text messages from staff at Parliament asking him if he was aware of anything about the Minister of Finance.
“There are few people who have nothing good to do,” Pōhiva said.
It was not immediately clear where the ‘fake news’ originally came from before it was widely shared on Facebook by some propagandist Tongan Facebook groups which campaigned against the government of Pōhiva.
The Prime Minister was in Auckland on leave and for a regular medical check up.
Asked about his health conditions Pōhiva, who looked happy and active, said his doctor in Auckland has declared him in “excellent health” after a short illness which caused him to be admitted to Vaiola hospital last month.
He said he is expected to return to Tonga next week.