Investment companies are classified as non-bank financial institutions and are under the functions of the Reserve Bank to regulate and supervise under section 4A (k) of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga Act. We allege that some of these schemes are not licensed by relevant authorities to conduct business in Tonga. As such, the Reserve Bank cannot assure the public of the risks involved in investing with various schemes that are now being introduced around the country.
A Pyramid Scheme is an unsustainable business model that involves promising participants payment, services, or commissions, primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme or training them to take part. Pyramid schemes are illegal pursuant to Section 3A of the Financial Institutions Act, which states that;
Any person, who directly or indirectly, initiates, offers, advertises, conducts, finances, manages, supervises, or directs a scheme where profits earned by participants in the scheme largely depend on increases in the number of participants in the scheme or the size of their contributions to the scheme, commits an offense and such person shall be liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 years or both.
The Reserve Bank warns the general public against participating in any pyramid scheme. If you wish to still participate in such a scheme, it will be at your own risk.
Fakatokanga ki he kakai 'o e fonua fekau'aki mo e ngaahi palani pilamita
Kuo fakaa’u mai ki he Pangikē Pule Fakafonua ‘a Tongá ha ngaahi fakamatala ‘o fekau’aki pea mo e ‘alu ke tokolahi ange ‘a e kakai ‘o e fonuá ‘oku fakahū ke ma’u ha tupu ‘a ‘enau pa’angá ‘i ha ngaahi kautaha pe kulupu ‘oku hā mai ‘oku ne ma’u ‘a e natula mo e ‘uhinga ‘o ha ngaahi palani pilamita.
Ko e ngaahi kautaha Fakahū Pa’anga ke tupú ‘oku fakakalasi kinautolu ko e ngaahi kautaha fakapa’anga ‘oku ‘ikai ko ha pangikē pea ‘oku nau ‘i he malumalu ‘o e ngaahi tefito’i fatongia ‘o e Pangikē Pulé, ki hono pule’i mo tokanga’i ‘i he Kupu 4A Kupu Si’i (k) ‘o e Lao ki he Pangikē Pule Fakafonua ‘a Tongá. ‘Oku pehé ko e ngaahi kulupu ko eni ‘oku fakahoko ki ai ‘a e ngaahi fakahū pa’anga ke fakatupú, ‘oku ‘ikai ke laiseni ia ‘i ha ngaahi Ma’u Mafai Pule totonu, ke nau fakahoko ha ngaahi ngāue fakapa’anga pe fakapisinisi ‘i Tongaʹ ni. Ko ia ai, ‘oku ‘ikai leva ke malava ‘e he Pangikē Pulé ‘o fakahoko lelei ‘a hono fatongia ko hono fakamahino ki he kakai ‘o e fonuá ‘a e ngaahi fakatamaki ‘e malava ke hoko ki he‘enau pa’anga ‘oku fakahū ke ma’u mei ai ha tupu, ‘i he ngaahi kautaha pe kulupu ‘oku kamata ke hā mai mei he ngaahi tapa kehekehe ‘o e fonuaʹ ni.
Ko e Ngaahi Palani Pilamitá, ko e founga ia ‘oku ‘ikai ke tu’uloa ki hano fakalele ‘aki ha kautaha, ‘a ia ‘oku kau ai ha ngaahi palōmesi kia kinautolu ‘oku kau mai ki he fakahū pa’anga ko ’ení, ha totongi, sēvesi, pe ko ha vahe ‘oku makatu’unga lahi ia mei he tokolahi ange ‘a e kakai ‘oku fakakau mai ki he fakahū pa’angá pē palani pilamitá, pe ko hono ako’i e kakai e fonuá ke nau kau mai ki he fakahū pa’anga pē palani pilamita ko ení. Ko e Ngaahi Palani Pilamitá, ‘oku tapui ia ‘i he kupu 3A ‘o e Lao ki he Ngaahi Kautaha Fakapa’anga, ‘a ia ‘oku fakalea ‘o pehé:
Ko ha taha fakahangatonu pē ‘ikai fakahangatonu, ‘oku ne kamata’i, tu’uaki, fanongonongo, ngaue’i, fakapa’anga, pule’i, tokanga’i pe tu’utu’uni ki ha sino’i pa’anga ‘a ia ‘oku ma’u ai ‘a e ngaahi tupu ‘a e kakai ‘oku kau ki he sino’i pa’anga ko iá makatu’unga ‘i he tupu tokolahi ‘a e kakai ‘oku kau ki he sino’i pa’angá pē ‘i he lahi ‘enau tanaki atu ki he sino’i pa’angá, ‘oku ne fai ‘a e hia pea ‘i he halaia ‘a e taha ko iá, kuo pau ke tautea ia ki he tautea pa’anga ‘o ‘ikai laka hake ‘i he $1,000,000 pē ki he nofo pōpula ki ha taimi ‘o ‘ikai ke laka hake ‘i he ta’u ‘e 30 pē ki he fakatou’osi.
‘Oku fakatokanga atu ai ‘a e Pangikē Pulé ki he kakai ‘o e fonuá, ke nau faka’ehi’ehi leva mei ha‘anau kau atu ki ha kautaha/kulupu pe fa’ahinga palani pilamita. ‘Okapau leva teke fili ke ke kei hokohoko atu pē ‘i ha’o kau ki ha palani pilamitá, ko e ngaahi fakatamaki pē kanongatāmaki kotoa pē mei ho’o fili ko ení, te ke fuesia pē ‘e koe.
