Cabinet rescinds the appointment of Piveni Piukala to Lead Government Technical Task Force Featured
Piveni Piukala
14 November, 2019. His Majesty Cabinet has rescinded on 13 November 2019 the appointment of Mr. Piveni Piukala to lead a Reform Technical Task Force for Planning, Budgeting and Aid at the Ministry of Finance.
The reform was to include the processes of E-Government, Digitization planning across Government.
The direction to appoint Mr. Piukala was made by the former Prime Minister’s Government on 30 January 2019.
It came to the present Cabinet’s attention that the appointment of Mr Piveni Piukala was politically motivated as he was handpicked without following due processes.
In addition, there was no agreed Terms of Reference in place not to mention the criticisms from the public.
It is alleged that Mr Piukala did not meet the set criteria of the World Bank, the funding agency for the project i.e. the educational and professional work achievements stipulated by the World Bank policy that the Lead Consultant should have.
The present Government regretted that this proposed appointment has to be rescinded in this way, but this World Bank project is so important for the government and the future of Tonga, and this decision has to be regularised.
