TONGA – Tonga’s Sports Minister says the country can’t afford to lose hosting rights for the 2019 Pacific Games.

The Pacific Games Council has warned Tonga that they are in danger of losing hosting rights to the Games if political infighting continues.

The Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva has sacked Lord Sevele as CEO and chair of the local organising committee.

However the Pacific Games Council said Lord Sevele must remain in the position as the government didn’t have the authority to make changes.

Previously, the Council warned the government not to interfere saying its hosting agreement could be cancelled.

Pohiva has shrugged off the threat saying if that happened it would not hinder local sports or Tonga’s participation in other regional and international events.

Tonga’ Chief Secretary Palenitina Langa’oi also reportedly wrote to the Games Council saying the government would welcome a decision to cancel its hosting agreement and it was prepared to withdraw funding and its support for the Games.

However, Tonga’s Sports Minister Fe’ao Vakata has said that would be a blow for the kingdom.

“It will be a big deal and unfortunately if that is the Chief Secretary’s letter, she doesn’t speak for parliament. It will be a big, big issue for Tonga and for myself personally if the hosting of the Pacific Games 2019 is taken away from Tonga.”

The Tongan government says it will not submit to the wishes of the Pacific Games Council when it comes to who sits on the local organising committee for the Games.

The Prime Minister’s Office last week released a statement saying a government authority, chaired by ‘Akilisi Pohiva, had approved the sacking of Lord Sevele as CEO and chair of the committee.

However the Organising Committee says that Lord Sevele’s contract is continuing.

The Committee says the Pacific Games Council is the only body that can terminate the employment of the Lord Sevele.

The Chairman of the Pacific Games Council has previously warned the government not to interfere with the organising committee and said it could start looking at cancelling Tonga’s host country agreement.

However the government says, as a sovereign state, it will not submit to the Games Council when it comes to deciding who to employ to facilitate the 2019 games.

Tonga’s preparations have been plagued with administration and financing issues but up until now the Council had been satisfied with progress there.

In December, Pohiva initially demanded Lord Sevele’s resignation over alleged failings and delays in Games preparation.

Last month Pohiva issued a letter recommending Sevele’s termination.

Lord Sevele said any Games event should be free from political interference.

“The Games are Tonga’s, not any government’s or any organisation’s. All the constitution parties to making the Games happen should all work together. We have been doing that well.

“It was only when the prime minister took over the chairmanship of the Audit and Authority Committee earlier this year, that things changed for the worse.”

Responding to the suggestion that government has no control over the organising committee, Pohiva said Tonga is a sovereign state and it wouldn’t submit to the council on its decisions.

Pacific Games Council Chairman Vidhya Lakhan said the issue was not about sovereignty.

“Tonga might be sovereign, but we would expect sovereign states to honour and deliver on contractual agreements that the sovereign state might enter into with other parties,” Lakhan said.

Lakhan says neither the government nor Pohiva’s committee, have the right to remove Sevele without consulting the Council.

In another development, Radio Australia has reported that Parliamentarian Lord Fusitu’a has claimed Tonga’s parliament could move to overturn Lord Sevele’s dismissal.

Pacific Beat reported Lord Fusitu’a as saying Tonga’s reputation was endangered by the row. - PNC sources