Tonga's Prime Minister, Dr Feleti Sevele, is threatening to sue a Tongan newspaper in the New Zealand courts, claiming it has defamed him, the Solomon Star reports.
A lawyer for the Prime Minister, Mark Woolford, said the Kele'a newspaper published untrue and defamatory stories in its coverage of Dr Sevele's testimony to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the Princess Ashika.
Mr Woolford said the paper alleged that Dr Sevele had lied to the Commission, committing perjury and is criminally liable. He said this was untrue and demanded a retraction and apology or he would issue proceedings in New Zealand.
The newspaper has previously been caught up in controversy over journalists working on Sundays to meet a weekly deadline for printing in Auckland on Mondays.
The paper's editor, Mateni Tapueluelu, said the Kele'a rejected the Prime Minister's criticism and stood by its stories and editorials.
The newspaper was last year fined for defaming Prime Minister Dr Feleti Sevele and his economic advisor Rob Solomon.
Radio New Zealand International reported in July 2007 that the Tongan Government alleged the newspaper had mounted a "hate campaign" against the prime minister.
The Government complained that an editorial written in Tongan included language which described the prime minister and the then king as using arrogant tactics.
This was rejected by the newspaper, which said it criticised policies, not a particular person.
