A charity says families displaced after a fire destroyed temporary homes behind a South Auckland Church will need lots of support this holiday season.
The fire at the Māngere Bridge church complex destroyed transitional homes, residents’ belongings and a car. (Source: rnz.co.nz)
Two weeks ago, a fire ripped through the Akoteu Faka Kalisitiane Ko Namoa church complex at Māngere Bridge.
The blaze destroyed four cabins on the complex, where families in need of housing have been living in temporary accommodation.
Dave Letele from the charity Buttabean Motivation has been supporting the ten affected families, who are still living temporarily in the main church hall.
“We got reached out to right after it happened, for support with food and more, and we always think if you can help, you should.”
He said the community has been rallying around the affected families who had lost everything in the fire, and were doing it tough, especially in the lead up to Christmas.
“We are just one out of a number of groups that are supporting and doing the best we can. It’s tough times for a lot of people and for this to happen just leading up to Christmas, it’s heartbreaking really.
It was earlier reported by FENZ that there were no sprinklers and no evidence of smoke alarms in the church buildings housing the families.
The Tongan church said the revelation was concerning.
No one was injured in the fire but FENZ said the families are lucky to be alive.
Fanaika Mateaki, 26, on the left faces first-degree murder charge and Paea Mateaki, 19, faces an attempted murder charge.Photo/Hawai’i Now
Two brothers of Tongan decent could face life imprisonment without parole after their indictment in the shooting death of a co-worker at Kakaako, Honolulu.
Fanaika Mateaki, 26, was charged Monday with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder and four firearms offenses, Hawai’i media reported.
The second suspect, Paea Mateaki, 19, was charged with second-degree attempted murder and two firearms offenses.
Fanaika allegedly shot to death his former co-worker — Ikaika Stone — last Friday and tried to shoot another man, but failed.
Prosecutors say Paea then grabbed the gun and also tried to shoot the other man, but failed.
The brothers remain in custody at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.
They made their first court appearance on Tuesday.
A judge ordered a Tongan interpreter to be present at future court dates after the suspects failed to answer a question.
Fanaika’s bail is set at $1 million and Paea’s is $750,000.
The best option for Lulutai airlines is to write off its aircraft which had crash-landed at Fua’amotu domestic airport yesterday, an expert said.
The Saab 340B appeared to have suffered an apparent loss of hydraulic pressure and problems with the landing gear preventing the pilot from controlling it.
The aircraft then had to return to Nuku’alofa without landing at Vava’u according to its schedule.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage after it collided into a concrete structure off the runway at about 2pm.
Former Cabinet Minister Sangster Saulala who was in Vava’u at the time of the incident told Kaniva News the aircraft landed there at 10.30am yesterday before it returned to Nuku’alofa with passengers. It is understood that that was its flight number L812 and its returned flight from Vava’u number L813 at 12pm.
According to Lulutai airlines official schedules on its Facebook page the Saab was scheduled to return to Vava’u yesterday on its flight number L814 and it was expected to land there at 1pm. However, while it was about to land it suddenly changed direction and turned away from Vava’u.
Reports said the captain subsequently announced there had been a technical problem and they were returning to Nuku’alofa.
Cabin crew reportedly told the passengers there was a hydraulic problem.
Passengers reportedly said there was a massive boom when the aircraft landed before it went sideways, seats broke, then the aircraft suddenly stopped as if it had hit something.
All passengers were safely evacuated and no one injured but one man was reportedly carried off the plane in a stretcher.
In a press release the airline reported the aircraft had safely landed back and was taxiing to the terminal when upon turning the aircraft experienced a technical issue, turned and hit a cement block on the side of the apron with the right-hand wing becoming lodged on the cement block.
Previous damages
The aircraft was taken out of service earlier this year for an engine overhaul. Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku said at the time the government had been told to ground the aircraft.
At the time it was estimated repairs would take three to four months.
Our source claimed the cost of overhauling an engine for Saab was between US$780,000 and $820,000.
In May 2020, the aircraft had suffered a bird strike causing engine problems on departure from Vava’u. It returned for a safe landing, but appears to have been grounded before later taking into air again.
The Saab 340 is derived from a Swedish design which first flew in 1983. Several hundred of the aircraft are still flying.
Expert weighs in
An aircraft engineer who did not want to be identified told Kaniva News that from his experience the Saab had been extensively damaged after yesterday’s incident.
He said the cost to fix the hydraulic system could be around $100,000.00 but if Lulutai chooses to fix the structural damage the cost of repairs would be more than the aircraft is worth.
He believed the aircraft should be written off.
Airlines controversy
The incident comes in the wake of the government being accused of falsifying its budget to hide the investment of millions of pa’anga on Lulutai airlines and the purchase of its recent new aircraft. The Prime Minister denied this and said the purchase was included in the budget as “gifts and shares”.
It is understood the purchase included a loan from the National Retirement Fund.
The government was also accused of hiding behind the Companies Act to allow Cabinet Ministers to continue as members of Lulutai’s Board of Directors although the law says they can only retrain membership within 12 months.
Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku insisted that it was up to the government’s consideration to decide when it is fit to cease its membership.
The Lulutai airlines is fully funded by the government since its inception in 2020.
Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku was also accused of failing in his role as the chairperson of the airline’s board of directors by not responding to Parliamentary letters by people’s MPs asking for financial statements for the years 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/23 and 2023 2024.
His vote of no confidence motions, in which he had survived recently, said the government’s registration of the airlines under the Companies Act was unlawful because all government’s businesses must be registered under the Public Enterprises Act, something the Prime Minister has also denied.
Under the Companies Act the government does not have to provide Lulutai’s financial statements to the public or Parliament something the Opposition MPs argued it did not make sense. The Opposition also argued this was why the law requires all government businesses to be registered under the Public Enterprise Act so that the Parliament could access their records.
The government had put $10.1 million in its 2022/2023 and $3.3 million on its 2023/2024 budgets towards loan guarantees for Lulutai airlines’ maintenance services. As we reported previously, questions in Parliament about these budget allocations received vague responses from the Prime Minister and his Minister of Finance.
Operating at a loss
The Saab’s latest serious damage is a devastating news for the government’s attempts to revive the domestic services.
It has been estimated that the government had spent about TOP$18 million so far on the airlines after it replaced the Real Tonga Airlines in 2020, Kaniva News has learned.
A reliable source told us the airlines is currently operating at a great loss.
In 2021 the former Tu’i’onetoa government reached an in-principle agreement to sell the national airlines to the privately-owned Flyniu airlines.
Tu’i’onetoa had indicated at the time in an e-mail seen by Kaniva News the Lulutai airlines was available to be purchased by Flyniu.
However, the Tu’i’onetoa government was ousted in the 2022 premiership election.
Australian assistance
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs had awarded a tender for the maintenance of the aircraft.
The Australian government had also recently provided the Tongan government with AU$1.25 million to help with transporting of Tonga’s newly purchased aircraft, train pilots to fly it, purchase spare parts needed and ensure its smooth transition into servicing the people of Tonga.
Australia has been providing support to Lulutai Airlines since mid-2022 in critical areas, such as training for pilots and engineers, a wet-lease arrangement with Fiji Airways to operate regular flights while their fleet was grounded for maintenance, as well as regional cooperation and collaboration with other Pacific Island airlines.
They are also working with Lulutai Airlines to develop a long-term sustainable business plan to support fleet growth as well as good reservations and sales system enhancements.
Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku had stated recently that the new aircraft would help Lulutai meet the demands of local travel.
What is hydraulic failure?
Aircraft hydraulic failure is a critical situation that can pose serious safety risks to the operation of an aircraft.
The hydraulic system is a crucial component of an aircraft’s flight control and landing gear operation, as well as other important functions such as brakes, spoilers, and thrust reversers.
Hydraulic failure can result in the loss of these functions, leading to reduced control, increased workload for pilots, and potential catastrophic consequences.
Hydraulic systems are responsible for transmitting and controlling high-pressure fluid to operate various mechanical and electrical components.
They provide the necessary force to operate flight control surfaces, landing gear, and other critical systems. In case of hydraulic failure, the ability of the pilot to control the aircraft may be compromised, leading to loss of control, reduced maneuverability, and increased risk of accidents.
The Police Commissioner says he is committed to meeting the new government’s expectations for a crackdown on gangs.
In a letter to Andrew Coster, the new Police Minister Mark Mitchell said the force needed to use its full legal powers to stop gangs from taking over public roads, towns and spaces, and to significantly disrupt gang and organised crime in the community.
The minister also expected a back-to-basics approach with a highly visible presence in the community and a continued strong focus on youth crime.
Mitchell signed off his letter of expectation by saying meeting these expectations would require strong and decisive leadership.
Coster told Checkpoint frontline staff needed to be freed up “to focus on the things that only police can do”, and he was looking for the minister’s support in achieving that.
As for gangs gathering in public spaces, he said legislative changes would be key levers.
“At the moment, there’s no offence associated with gang members gathering and so the patch ban would potentially help us in that regard.”
Coster said he was providing advice to the minister on how police would enforce a ban on gang patches.
He could not say how effective the ban would be.
As for large gang gatherings moving forward, he said: “We will need to deploy very carefully to those events to achieve that outcome”.
There were several ways officers could enforce a ban on gang members gathering in public, including waiting until later to arrest people, he said.
“There are lots of ways for us to approach this … the tactics will depend on the situation, we need to make sure our people are well prepared and that our training is good. But in the end, those legislative levers are important for us.”
He said Police were prioritising more frontline officers and a stronger visibility in communities.
“The government investment and 500 new police officers will be a key part of that in terms of creating the peak presence that we will need around our town centres.
“We’re also considering how we’re organised in relation to gangs particularly, and making sure that we’ve got the necessary coordination that will be required to police these events and in a coordinated way.”
Coster said an increased effort was needed to recruit new officers.
A copy of a letter in Tongan purportedly sent from the Nuku’alofa Royal Palace office with incorrect dates has been mocked on social media.
Purported Royal Palace letter mocked for using dates that have not happened yet
The letter, which appeared to have come from the king’s secretary Sione Fifita, thanked the Tū family group for visiting the palace recently.
The members of the group identify themselves as royalists and have regularly clashed with supporters of the global online democratic movements and party known as PTOA.
Tū leader Pita Pua went live recently and challenged some democratic frontliners in Tonga to a physical fight.
In response, democratic activist ‘Asiata Masima went live on Facebook and told his supporters he was looking for Pua. The video showed Masima and his associate Vilison Tauelangi driving in a blue pick up van.
On the same day, Police arrested Masima and charged him with attempted murder. Police later arrested Tauelangi and also charged him with attempted murder.
The Police said at the time they made the arrests and the charges after they gathered evidence from the streamed video.
In a rare case, a livestreamed video was shared on Facebook this week which appeared to show Pua and some of his followers meeting with Masima and Tauelangi at a police station in Tonga.
The video appeared to show the meeting being chaired by a senior Police officer in what appeared to be an attempt to reconcile the two parties.
The people at the meeting were showed shaking hands and hugging.
The Tū group is based in Australia. They went to Tonga last month to join the commemoration of the Tuku Fonua ki Langi or the ‘Giving of Tonga to God’ service which King George I proclaimed in Vava’u in 1837.
Pua repeatedly announced that their attendance at the ceremony was part of their political agenda to urge the king to scrap the democratic reforms of 2010 and return political power to His Majesty.
Yesterday the Tū members took pride in the letter and shared it on Facebook, telling their critics the king was happy with their recent visit to Tonga.
However, the letter was dated December 12, 2023, which does not fall until next week.
It also thanked the Tū family in Tongan for visiting the palace on December 27, 2023, a date that occurs in three weeks.
Critics of the Tū have been poking fun with the letter, with many doubting its authenticity.
“Is this letter truly from the palace office or not?” a commenter wrote.
“What a silly mistake”, another wrote.
Some commenters suggested that His Majesty’s secretary intentionally misdated the letter to make fun of the Tū family.
The palace office could not be reached for comment.
Police acknowledge the guilty verdicts handed down in the homicide investigation into Meliame Fisi’ihoi’s death.
Mrs Fisi’ihoi was callously murdered in her Māngere home on the night of 15 January 2020 when she answered a knock at her window.
Yesterday, Viliami Iongi, 24, and Falala Iongi, 31, were found guilty of her murder.
Both were also found guilty of reckless discharge of a firearm, as well as wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm in relation to a separate incident in December 2019.
Manu Iongi, 22, was also found guilty of the manslaughter of Mrs Fisi’ihoi.
Detective Inspector Tofilau Fa’amanuia Va’aelua, of Counties Manukau Police, says the Operation Truro team worked tirelessly to put those responsible before the court, with arrests only made in April 2021 some 15 months later.
Meliame Fisi’ihoi, 57, died when she was shot at her home on Calthorp Close, Favona. Photo/Facebook
“It is pleasing to see verdicts handed down after a day of deliberations on the case,” he says.
“I would like to thank the community, particularly Calthorp Close residents, who assisted Police throughout our investigation and provided information to us.
“Their cooperation during the various area canvasses is greatly appreciated.”
Tonga’s Minister of Infrastructure Sevenitiini Toumo’ua has warned the former Minister of Finance Tevita Lavemaau of possible investigation about his role in the former government.
Minister of Infrastructure and Civil Aviation Seventeen Toumo’ua
The threat came after Lavemaau accused the Ministry of being slow in building houses for the 2021 tsunami victims.
Lavemaau was the Minister of Finance in the government of Late Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa which launched the TP$450 million roading project. The former PM said it had the biggest budget ever allocated for roading works in Tonga.
The project, which was set to run from 2020 until 2023, attracted a lot of criticism after what appeared to be favouritism and nepotism, including the way how the construction contacts were awarded to close friends and blood relatives of the Cabinet Ministers. Only roads in villages and electorates of the Cabinet Ministers were constructed and repaired.
One of the contractors was offered to fraudster ‘Etuate Lavulavu whose wife Akosita Lavulavu was a minister at Tu’i’onetoa’s Cabinet.
The Tu’i’onetoa government was ousted in last year’s premiership election.
As Kaniva News reported previously, the current Hu’akavameiliku government has dumped the roading project together with other community housing projects.
Hon. Toumo’ua claimed earlier this year that contractors who supplied rocks for Tu’i’onetoa’s government road maintenance had forged records to obtain millions of pa’anga each month.
Hon. Toumo’ua claimed that records of loads carried under the roading contract were falsified to obtain TP$1 million in one month.
He alleged that trucks transporting rocks for the roading site used two different registration plate numbers.
He said TP$18 million of taxpayers’ had already been paid. He described this as “imprudent.”
Last night Hon. Toumo’ua launched another attack against the unfinished roading project and other related schemes by telling Former Minister Tevita Lavemaau he should be arrested and investigated.
He said Lavemaau should be investigated for several contracts he was involved with, but did not give further details.
The Minister also questioned Lavemaau about contracts he claimed involved ‘Etuate Lavulavu. He also questioned Lavemaau about a project in which an impact crusher appeared to have been given to his constituency. He also asked Lavemaau about a voucher which he claimed was paid for a service by a truck he owned.
Former Minister of Finance Tēvita Lavemaau
“What about the ($12 million) vessel which could not travel to Ha’apai and Vava’u”, Hon. Toumo’ua asked in Tongan of Lavemaau.
The sudden angry outburst from the Minister of Infrastructure on Facebook last night appeared to have been triggered by a comment by Lavemaau criticising the Ministry over its poor handling of the new housing projects for the 2021 tsunami victims.
The post in question on the Ministry’s Facebook page said 28 houses were meant to be built at Nomuka, but only 12 had been built. It said the Ministry planned to finish three more houses before the end of this year and the remainder would be completed by next year.
In response, Lavemaau wrote under the comment section that he felt for the pitiful state of the people in the outer islands who were victims of the tsunami nearly two years after the tragedy and construction had yet to be completed.
“What is your problem MOI”, Lavemaau asked of the Ministry of Infrastructure.
He said the funds had long been in the Treasury for the work.
“It is about time for a commission to investigate the work you are doing,” he said.
A Ministry of Infrastructure on-line administrator told Lavemaau off.
“Tevita Lavemaau you should be the one to be arrested and investigated first to find out the country’s money, your contracts”, it said in Tongan.
“How about Lavulavu’s road construction contract?
“How about the impact crusher for ‘Eua?
“How about the voucher which was paid for your truck?
“How about the $12M for the vessel which could not travel to Ha’apai and Vava’u?”
Lavemaau told the administrator to come clean and show his true identity.
In response, the admin said he was the Minister of Infrastructure Sevenitiini Toumo’ua.
In Tongan he wrote: “ Ko au Sevenitiini Toumo’ua”.
Domestic rainwater tanks in Tonga are often contaminated and the water can be unsafe to drink.
Nine water tanks have been installed in Ha’apai by the New Zealand Defence Force. Photo: Supplied/NZDF
Matangi Tonga reports that is the finding of a recent study which showed that if tanks are not managed and cleaned regularly the water is often contaminated with E.coli.
The study was compiled by the Ministries of Health and Lands and Natural Resources with the aid of the Asian Development Bank.
Results have shown that sanitation and hygiene practices must improve with the study making clear that the only houses with tank water free of E. coli were those that had been disinfected as part of post-disaster activities in 2022.
The Tonga government has issued its “Guide to Safe Rainwater Harvesting in Tonga”, outlining the best practices for people to ensure their water is free of E.coli.
The guide is available in the Tongan language.
Disinfection tablets that residents can put in the tanks are also available from the Ministry of Health.
FENZ assistant commander Chris Delfos said there were no sprinklers and no evidence of smoke alarms in the church buildings housing families in need.
FENZ was concerned at the number of people staying in the buildings. Delfos told Midday Report they were more like garages, rather than houses.
“We didn’t see or hear any smoke alarms. There definitely weren’t any sprinklers in the building, either. It was very lucky that all of these people got out of the fire in time.”
Delfos said the blaze appeared to be an electrical fire.
The buildings are owned by the Akoteu Faka-Kalisitiane Ko Namoa church.
Meanwhile, public health officials are assessing the risk of asbestos to the Māngere Bridge community after the fire, because of the age of the buildings that were destroyed.
Nearby schools and an early childhood centre have been asked to keep their children inside until the risk is known and further advice can be given.
Namoa Pre-school, which is on the church’s site, is closed until further notice.
FENZ has dampened down areas close to the fire site to reduce any spread of asbestos fibres, if they are present.
Te Whatu Ora says that, combined with a lack of wind, meant there was a low risk for other Māngere Bridge properties.
