Tonga is a transit point for drugs in NZ: Shane Jones Featured
New Zealand Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones
19 May, 2018. New Zealand aid towards Pacific governance is essential because failed states in the Pacific were becoming gateways for methamphetamine, the associate finance minister says.
At a post-Budget breakfast in Wellington this morning, associate Finance Minister Shane Jones was asked to explain the government's Pacific reset strategy - where foreign aid was being boosted by roughly $700 million over the next four years.
Mr Jones said failed Pacific states were transit points for drugs, and New Zealand had to assist them in building and funding their institutions.
"Many of the problems that we are dealing with here, with P [methamphetamine] and drugs, where do you think that is coming from folks?" he asked.
"That is coming from closely failed states in the Pacific, that is the transit route where a lot of this drama that is costing good ordinary middle-class, upper-class, lower-class people inordinate fear and anguish," Mr Jones said.
He added that Tonga was a main culprit in the issue.
"Tonga has a frightfully high level of indebtedness. Tonga needs an enormous amount of assistance with its customs, it is a transit point. I can't say too much about what the police may or may not have shared with us when I was an ambassador," Mr Jones said.
"I have extraordinarily high fears about Pacific Island states being used as transit points for mischief and mayhem eventually making its way to New Zealand."
Massey University Pasifika Centre director Malakai Koloamatangi said the minister was exaggerating to refer to "failed states".
"We have states that are facing problems - some in terms of instability, some in terms of good governance, and development related issues - but there are no failed states," he said.
"To paint the picture that the Pacific is made up of nations that are failed and that drugs get in and out without any barrier is obviously mistaken."
-TVNZ
3 comments
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WHERE IS THE BEEF...THE EVIDENCE? How much drugs, who was caught transporting, and transferring payloads, and which islands, and exactly how much money? We are not stupid idiots to hear propaganda from government officials and believe it. Enough already. Show us the evidence.
As for highlighting the NZ associate Finance Minister Shane Jones making inappropriate remarks: "failed island states" is ignoring the root of the problem while accusing him of being an insensitive "xenophobic".
Well we all know his reference to "closely (or grossly) island states" is pretty accurate. Similar to U.S. President Trump's insensitive "sh*** hole" countries remarks, we all wish these unfortunate characterizations were untrue. Shall we call them "Paradise" instead? Not if you were poor and one of those 23,500 people living under the poverty level.
I would wager to guess that the metaphors were more about the leaders of those countries and islands. They skim off the riches of those countries and islands while the ordinary people are living in pig sties. -
Ko e palopalema lahi eni he fonua he taimi ni ae drugs pea kou pehee ko e issue eni ke prioritise hono feinga'i, tuku e feingai ia ki he mafai e Tu'i. Mou tu'u fakataha Kapineti mo e kau Fakafofonga e Kakai pehee ki he kau Nopele, fakakaukau'i ha founga ke tau'i e drugs ke fakasi'isi'i pe ta'ofi 'aupito 'ene 'asi 'i Tonga, he kuo hanga 'e he Drugs o faka'auha e fonua, ko e me'a kotoa pe 'e malava PEA TE TAU LAVA 'o tau'i e me'a ni 'i ha'atau fengaue'aki fakataha. Kapau 'e ngaue fakataha e kau Polisi mo e MP ae kau Sotia kou tui ko e ivi lahi ia kena ngaue ki hono fakafepaki'i e me'a ni.
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What the associate finance minister New Zealand , said about Tonga is true except for the part about Tonga being a failed state , well ! just not yet anyway.I'm wondering how the Tongan government will utilize $700 million to counter drug shipments finding it's way to overseas destination via Tonga according to the minister . So ! now with this huge amount of money to play with , whats the strategy? Poor people are being targeted by drug syndicate for their vulnerability, give . TP$1000 to a local fisherman to paddle a canoe carrying a box containing drugs with a street value of Millions of dollars , from a yacht to a remote island is a temptation too great to resist, and it's not even a days work. The problem facing island nation is the vastness of the area , where drug runners could cache their cargo ready for it's final destination.Policing this vast area, presents a dilemma for all concerned .That's for the government to solve .Until government start's weeding out the chaff from among it's own rank , all the AID'S assistance in the world will not change a thing.Tonga ! let's show the world we are still "the master of our fate" . Their should be some kind of incentive given worker's so as not to be easily persuaded to look the other way. It's easy to criticize, but it's about all one could do to remind those in power that all is not well in paradise . Tonga has an Army, Navy, Police and with aid money to combat illegal drug trafficking , should be able to put up a good show. Time will tell . God bless Tonga .