Tonga mediators facing legal vacuum

Melino Maka

The lack of industrial law in Tonga will be among several challenges facing a New Zealand mediation team trying to resolve the civil servants' strike there.

The team, led by retired Employment Court judge Tom Goddard, arrives today in the South Pacific kingdom, where a bitter strike over wage disputes has dragged on for five weeks.

The chair of the Auckland-based Tongan Advisory Council, Melino Maka, said he was "quietly optimistic" that a resolution could be reached, as both sides had confirmed they would work with Judge Goddard.

But the mediation team would have a tough job, he told National Radio today.

"Tonga doesn't have industrial relations law -- so there will be some challenges for Judge Goddard and the team."

In the absence of legislation, Tonga usually referred to British law to cover a situation, he said.

There were "conflicted reports" coming from Tonga about the current state of affairs.

The industrial action was being organised by various groups and there was a lack of co-ordination and leadership, he said.

"If anything is really missing in Tonga at the moment, it's good leadership."

People were "quite impatient" and wanted to see faster change.

"But one of the things we are concerned about, is that if there's change in Tonga, what next?

"Because none of the people who call for changes have actually got to the stage of developing any alternative."

Tonga is ruled by 87-year-old King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV who appoints the government and allows only a minority of parliamentarians to be democratically elected.

The civil servants have been supported by teachers and health workers in their demands for pay rises of up to 80 per cent, refusing a government offer of up to 30 per cent.

The strikers say the claim is justified by the vast difference between their salaries and those of senior government officials.

Violence and unrest culminated in a suspected arson attack on one of the king's homes on the main island of Tongatapu yesterday.

The cause of the fire had not been determined; however, the incident follows last week's torching of four government cars in the capital Nuku'alofa and the smashing of a school's buildings and cars.

Tonga has been otherwise peaceful amid daily protests by strikers and their supporters.

However, the king has found himself under siege by compatriots at his Auckland residence, where he is currently staying.

In Auckland, Tongan demonstrators' demands for a meeting with the king have been rebuffed, leading to scuffles over the past four days with New Zealand police and the king's staff.

- NZPA