Chinese vehicle not a kickback says Tini
Suspended CIIC CEO John Tini says the allegations from an unknown source about him taking a kickback from the Chinese are false.

Suspended CIIC CEO John Tini denies accepting a gift or a kick back in the form of a vehicle from the Chinese construction company which built the indoor sports complex.
The Times spoke to Tini on Thursday afternoon for his reaction to the media report on Monday which referred to an investigation being carried by Audit Office into a claim that the vehicle was an undeclared gift or kickback from the construction company.
Tini labeled the claim as false and said the whole matter could have been quickly cleared up if the Director of Audit and the reporter had contacted him.
Tini explained that the vehicle, a Suzuki Vitara, was owned by the CCECC. It had been used by their project management when the stadium was being built. Tini said when the project ended in August 2009, the Chinese asked him to look after the vehicle for them for one or two months while the management went home for a break. They were to pick up the vehicle from him when they returned for the next project involving the roadworks and water reticulation. Tini said delays in starting the project meant the vehicle being in his care for longer than anticipated. He said the Chinese entrusted the vehicle to him as they did not trust their own staff to look after it.
Tini’s comments regarding an issue of trespass cannot be printed as the matter is now before the court. The reporter involved appeared in court on Thursday and entered a plea of not guilty. The case was adjourned to 22 April for call over.
The Times view is that allegations of a kickback are very serious and will impact on our relationship with China at the diplomatic level. Such allegations will also raise interest internationally and as such are unlikely to please Chinese officials in the Embassy in Wellington. In view of these consequences, the enquiry should have been handled tactfully. The proper approach would have been to ask the Foreign Affairs Ministry to draw the Chinese government’s attention to the allegation and request that they make enquiries of the Chinese State owned company involved.

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