The Prime Minister was responding to allegations made on a Facebook livestream report by the PTOA Party’s social media reporter, ‘Asiata Māsima, who goes by the Facebook name Fakafehi Lola.
He said Māsima alleged that Afā and its overseas residents had complained that the wharf was launched unfinished because the government knew they would be rewarded with Tongan goods and seafood during the celebration. The Prime Minister denied this.
Māsima told Kaniva News he got the information from Afā residents.
He said the timing of the launch just a few days before the election showed the Prime Minister was doing everything he can do to make sure he did not lose his seat.
The Prime Minister’s actions in his electorate, where his rival candidates did not have the same benefit of being able to cite governments development projects, was criticised by veteran journalist and media commentator Kalafi Moala as bullying.
Moala compared the situation to the battle of David and Goliath in the Holy Bible.
The revelation of the selective lifting of the curfew came after Tongan Police arrested 124 people for breaching restrictions and curfews during Tongatapu’s one-week lockdown. This included 36 people who gathered at kava sessions
There were also reports of police closing down street markets during the lockdown.
In April 2020 Tonga Police arrested 568 people for breaking the night curfew after the kingdom’s state of emergency was declared in March.
Of those arrested, 357 had allegedly breached the lockdown rules or obstructed officers.
Meanwhile, the Tu’i’onetoa government is being criticised for unfairly wooing voters after workers with truckloads of rocks and tar were spotted this morning sealing roads in his Lapaha electorate.
Tongatapu 7 Candidate for the PTOA Party, Piveni Piukala, said the government should act as a caretaker at this state and should not be seen working on these projects in their constituencies.
Piukala said it appeared there was a legal issue.
Reports of government ministers distributing water tanks and renewing water supplies in their constituencies, including one in Tongatapu 6, was also criticised for being scheduled in the days before the elections
There are 222 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today.
The Ministry of Health has also announced one new Covid-19-related death.
Yesterday, there were 173 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand – 163 in Auckland, seven in Waikato, two in Northland and one in Lakes District – plus one found in Wairarapa that came in too late for the day’s official tally.
The government announced yesterday that booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine will be available in a fortnight for people who got their second dose more than six months prior.
From today, no one can work in healthcare or schools if they have not had one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine unless they are exempt from the government’s mandate.
There has been a total of 207 new community cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand today, with one new death at North Shore Hospital.
The new cases today include 192 cases in Auckland, seven in Waikato, two in Northland, three in Taupo, one in Rotorua and two in the Tararua district. A further Rotorua case will be included in tomorrow’s official numbers.
In a statement, the Health Ministry said a woman in her 90s died in North Shore Hospital last night. The woman had a number of underlying health conditions and had Covid-19.
“Her underlying health conditions and the state of her health meant it was not clinically appropriate for her to receive ventilator or ICU care.
“Her family was regularly updated and had the opportunity to speak with her regularly by phone. The family has been offered cultural support by the DHB.”
The Ministry said the woman was admitted on 6 November from Edmonton Meadows Care Home where there has been an outbreak with 25 cases of Covid-19 in staff and residents.
There are 90 people in hospital with the coronavirus, including one case in Whangarei and one in Dargaville. Seven are in intensive care.
Fifty of the cases in hospital are unvaccinated or not eligible.
There were also two cases reported in managed isolation today.
Of the seven new cases confirmed in the Waikato overnight, six are known contacts. Three of the cases were from Hamilton, two from Te Kuiti, one from Ōtorohanga, and one from Ngāruawāhia.
One of the two new cases in Northland being reported today is a close contact of an existing case and investigations are continuing to determine how the other case is linked to the outbreak.
There were no cases reported in Taranaki today and all of the five close contacts identified at this stage have tested negative.
“However, Public Health Officials are continuing to encourage anyone with Covid-19 related symptoms, no matter how mild, to get tested.”
There have now been 5578 cases in the current community outbreak and 8331 cases in New Zealand since the pandemic began.
The Ministry said 26,996 vaccine doses were administered yesterday – 7149 first doses and 19,847 second doses. Ninety percent of New Zealanders have had their first dose and 81 percent are fully vaccinated.
The All Blacks have been beaten 29-20 by Ireland in Dublin, their third defeat to the Irish in their last five tests.
The All Blacks led 10-5 at halftime.
Ireland scored three tries to the All Blacks two and kicked several penalties to secure the nine point win.
Ireland’s New Zealand born wing James Lowe scored the first try of the test, while hooker Codie Taylor, who was yellow carded in the first half, and wing Will Jordan scored tries for the All Blacks.
It’s the All Blacks first loss of their Northern Tour.
Ireland dominated most aspects from start to finish with another superb performance against the All Blacks.
Ireland, who had never beaten New Zealand until five years ago, were hammered 46-14 in their last clash two years ago but tries from Lowe, Ronan Kelleher and Caelan Doris delivered a thoroughly deserved victory.
“Such a special feeling having a full crowd back, we waited for it for so long,” man-of-the-match Doris said in a pitchside interview.
After the first full house at the Aviva Stadium in 21 months tried to drown out the Haka with a rendition of ‘The Fields of Athenry’, Ireland responded by showing their intent to play the kind of fast-paced rugby that hit Japan for 60 points last week.
They were not afforded the same kind of space and it was the All Blacks who came closest to opening the score through the electric Will Jordan before Codie Taylor’s yellow card for a high tackle on Johnny Sexton handed the hosts the initiative.
That was to be New Zealand’s last attack for most of the half as Ireland took advantage with ruthless precision, going for the corner rather than the sticks with the resulting penalty and when their pack could not quite make it over the ball was spun out wide for Lowe to score against his native New Zealand.
Ireland remained camped in the All Blacks half, even when the visitors returned to their full complement of players, and somehow wound up trailing 10-5 at the break
After Tadhg Furlong had a try disallowed, New Zealand took the lead out of absolutely nowhere.
Dalton Papalii broke from the back of a lineout into a gaping hole in the Irish defence and Taylor was beside him to finish.
Ireland again came within inches of scoring just before the break, this time through Sexton, but the resolute All Blacks went into halftime ahead having make 160 tackles to Ireland’s 37 in the first 40 minutes.
The onslaught continued in the second half and the dam broke when hooker Kelleher’s 44th minute try levelled the score.
The early defensive effort was taking its toll on New Zealand, who also lost first-five Beauden Barrett to a head injury in the first half, and Ireland flanker Doris broke through to add a third try shortly afterwards.
Sexton’s first conversion of the day and a quick additional penalty put the hosts 20-10 in front before Jordan’s 17th try from 11 caps set up a tense final 20 minutes.
But Ireland stood firm with replacement first-five Joey Carbery knocking over three late penalties, one from the halfway line, before the packed house erupted on the final whistle.
COMMENTARY: Writing 2000 years ago, the Roman poet Juvenal famously asked: “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?”
The phrase translates from Latin into English as “Who will guard the guardians?” It is generally used to raise the question of how to control the actions of people in positions of authority.
Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa. Photo/Kalino Lātū (Kaniva Tonga)
If people have power, who will keep them accountable and ensure that there is no conflict of interest or taint of corruption in government or politics? Or even the faintest hint of such things, for mere suspicion is enough to taint a government and its leaders.
The Roman poet and his question came to mind this week after Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa appeared on his official Facebook livestream with Radio FM 87.5 and shifted his previous justification about conflict of interest from claiming there was nothing in the Tongan law to stop it into saying that Cabinet Members giving a contract to someone or a member of their family were okay if they were the suitable people to do the job and that the due process allowed it.
No doubt he thought it’s timely to raise this issue again before next week’s election in case the electors continue to be troubled by the stink that hangs over the disbursement of funding and jobs in the Prime Minister’s much vaunted road programme.
“Ministers must ensure that no actual or reasonably perceived conflict exists (or appears to exist) between their public duty and their private interests. Private interests that could give rise to conflicts could include, for example, a Minister’s business interests, a Minister’s family’s interests, association with non-public bodies, receipt of gifts or fees. Appearances can be as important as reality in conflict of interest issues and must be considered in establishing acceptable behaviour.
It goes on to say in paragraph 95:
“In practical terms, Ministers should ensure that any possible conflict of interest is promptly addressed. The Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet should be kept informed and the Prime Minister advised. If in doubt about the appropriate course of action, Ministers should consult the Prime Minister or Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet.”
This is all well and good, but what happens when the conflict of interest- or even the appearance of it – stems from the actions of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet itself? Or as Juvenal asked, who is keeping an eye on those in power and who can control them?
In paragraph 96 the manual warns: “There is a somewhat grey boundary between conflicts of interest and corruption. The association between the two means that great care must be taken by Ministers and officials to deal openly with any conflicts of interest.”
These are warnings that Hon. Tu’i’onetoa should read carefully. He has been very vocal recently in trying to defend his government again from the claims that he was practising favouritism after he declared publicly that his government only prioritised the needs of constituencies of Cabinet Ministers because they were the ones who supported the PM and the government’s policies.
It is clearly improper for the leader of the government to indulge in such practice. His duty is to provide for the needs of all the people fairly. The payments for these projects come from a national budget funded by overseas donors and all the people in Tonga. It was not only funded by the people in the Ministers’ constituencies.
Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said the rest of the MPs who were not Cabinet Ministers and did not support his Cabinet did not support his multi million roading project either, so that’s why the roads in these constituencies were not repaired.
Clearly the Prime Minister has failed to grasp the fact that the MPs were not elected to all become ministers according to the Tongan political system. The MPs who were not selected to government remain in parliament as lawmakers. This means they have no right to hand out favours or government contracts as they see fit, or any obligation to blindly support the government.
The Prime Minister should also remember that his job is to rule for the benefit of all Tongans and for the good of the kingdom, regardless of whether they voted for him, or support his policies.
So let him open his copy of the Cabinet manual and turn to page 27, where he will find the reminder he needs of how he is supposed to behave.
Let him also remember that today, when we ask who will control those in power we have an answer: The voters.
——————– FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA ———————–
Kuo toe hā mai mei he palēmia’ ‘a e palopalema ko e feheke’aki ‘ene faka’uhinga’ ‘o ‘ikai ke pau ki ha me’a. Na’a’ ne fai lahi’i ‘eni ‘i he keisi ‘a Akosita Lavulavu’. ‘Uluaki ‘ai ‘ene fo’i faka’uhinga, pea fakatonutonu atu ngali ‘o ne ‘ilo kuo’ ne hala’ pea hiki leva ‘ene fakatonuhia’ ki he toe ‘uhinga ia ‘e taha koloa pe ke fakatonuhia’i ‘ene tōnounou’. Na’e ‘uluaki fai e tipeiti mo ia he conflict of interest pe ko ‘ene foaki filifilimānako mo hono pule’anga’ ‘a e ngaahi sēvesi mo e faingamālie mei he pule’anga’ ki honau fāmili pe tautonu kau ai mo honau ngaahi vāhenga ‘i ha founga ne mātu’aki fehu’ia lahi. Ko ‘ene tali na’e ‘omi tonu ki he Kaniva’ he ‘aho ko ia’ ne ne fakamamafa’i ‘o pehē na’e ‘ikai ha lao ia ‘e maumau’i. Ka ko e me’a ke ne manatu’i’, ‘oku ‘i ai pe lao ia ki ai he founga ngāue ‘a e Kapineti’ pe ko e Cabinet Manual peesi 27. Uike kuo ‘osi’ kuo ne liliu ‘ene fakamamafa ko ia’ ‘o pehē kapau ‘oku ‘atā pe ia he founga ngāue pe due process pea ‘oku sai pe ia. Ka ne ‘osi fehu’ia ‘a e founga ngāue due process ‘a e pule’anga’ heni pea ne lāunga lahi ai ‘a e kau piti ki he ‘ū konituleki ko eni’ ‘o pehē ne ‘ikai pe fea hono ‘ofa ‘o e ngaahi ngāue’. Hanu mo e ngaahi vāhenga kehe’ tautefito ki Tt 1 mo Tt 2 ko e mata ia e fonua’ hono li’ekina kinaua’. Ko e fatongia ‘o e pule’anga’ ke ne vahevahe taau e ngāue’ ‘i Tonga kotoa pe ‘oua ‘e hala ha vāhenga tu’unga he pehē tokua ‘oku ‘ikai poupou ange honau fakafofonga’. ‘Uhinga hala lahi ‘aupito ia he me’afua ‘o e pule lelei (good governance) pe fakamaau totonu pea mo hono fakatonuhia’i ki he kau totongi tukuhau e to’o fatongia ‘oku fai ma’a kinautolu (accountability). Ko e me’a ‘eni ‘oku ui ko hono fakapolitikale’i e ngaahi fatongia tefito ki he kakai ‘o e pule’anga’. ‘Oku tānaki tukuhau tatau pe ngaahi vāhenga ‘e 17 kae filifilimānako e pule’anga’ ni hono tanu honau ngaahi hala’ mo e ngaahi langa fakalakalaka ‘oku’ ne fai’. Ko e pehē ko ē ‘e toki hoko atu kia kinautolu he toenga ta’u ka hoko’ ko e fo’i kemipeini fakapolitikale ia pea ‘oku hala ia ke fakapolitikale’i ‘a e kaveinga ‘o e vahevahe taau o e koloa fakafonua’. Kaekehe, ko e Cabinet Manual pe tu’utu’uni Kapineti ke muimui ai e kau minisitaa’ ‘oku’ ne fakatokanga mamafa ki he kau minisitaa’ ke fakamama’o mei he Conflict of Interest. ‘Oku te’eki ai pe ke mau sio atu kuo ‘i ai ha fo’i faka’uhinga lelei mo ‘ēfika ‘e taha ‘a e palēmia’ ‘e ‘omai ke ne fakatonuhia’i’aki ‘ene founga filifilimānako ‘i hono tufotufa taau ‘o e ngaahi monū’ia mei he pule’anga’ ki he kakai’. Feheke’aki ai pe he taimi kotoa.
There have been 175 new community cases reported in New Zealand today, with 93 people now in hospital.
There was no media conference today. In a statement, the Ministry of Health said there were 159 cases in Auckland, two in Northland, and eight in Waikato.
Nine of the 93 cases in hospital are in intensive care.
Close to 60 percent – 50 cases – of those in hospital with Covid-19 are either unvaccinated or not eligible. Eight cases in hospital are fully vaccinated.
It said the person’s four household contacts were being tested today.
There were also five cases in Taranaki added to the total, although these were part of the six Stratford cases revealed on Thursday night.
The ministry did say there are five other close contacts of the Stratford cases – three have returned negative results, including two people who had been in Wairarapa, and results on the other two are pending.
The one Taranaki case who had been admitted to Taranaki Base Hospital for Covid-19 related reasons has now been discharged and is at home isolating with the five remaining cases.
The two new Northland cases have clear links to known cases.
Seven of the eight new cases in Waikato are known contacts and public health staff are today investigating the remaining case to determine any links to known cases.
Four of the cases are from Hamilton, three from Ōtorohanga, and one location is yet to be confirmed.
There were also two new cases of the coronavirus in managed isolation today.
There are 201 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today, including 15 in Waikato, one in Taranaki, four in Northland and the rest in Auckland.
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The six cases of Covid-19 in Stratford reported last night – five of which will be added to tomorrow’s total – have sparked a renewed push for people there to get tested and vaccinated.
Iwi in the Far North are disappointed by the government’s decision to move Northland down to alert level 2 overnight despite seven new cases there being announced yesterday.
Teachers could be fined if they try to turn up to class next week without being vaccinated.
And hospitals are making final efforts to see whether unvaccinated workers will change their mind before they have to be stood down from their jobs next week.
The Democrats’ (PTOA) Core Team disregarded a strong majority survey by Tongatapu 7 voters preferring PTOA candidate Paula Piveni Piukala to run for the electorate in next week’s general election.
Paula Piveni Piukala
The Core Team clashed over Tongatapu 7’s preference before they agreed to nominate independent candidate Sangstar Saulala to be their candidate.
The Core Team’s decision came after its leader Sēmisi Sika attempted to keep all members happy by contacting Saulala.
In a copy of what had been said to be the Core Team’s e-mail exchanges seen by Kaniva News the members were told their nomination for Tongatapu 7 was Piveni after a survey showed he was preferred by the majority of the constituency.
It appeared some Core Team members immediately opposed the survey result. It also appeared that some were still holding a grudge against Piveni after he took side with defected Siaosi Pōhiva and his brother Saia Piukala and formed up the new PTOA party known as PTOA People’s Board or Poate PTOA ‘a e Kakai’ early this year.
Interestingly, the Core Team members still agreed to nominate Siaosi as their candidate for Tongatapu 1 and Saia Piukala as their candidate to run for Vava’u 14.
Piveni, who was already nominated by the People’s PTOA Board as their candidate for Tongatapu 7, was vocal in criticising some of the Core Team members for their part in losing the government in 2019 after the death of the late Prime Minister and PTOA founder ‘Akilisi Pōhiva.
E-mails
A copy of the e-mails seen by Kaniva News read in Tongan: “Na’a’ ku fokotu’u atu ke tau fai ‘aki pe a Piveni ‘o makatu’unga ko e loto o e kakai (savea). Neongo oku tau lotomamahi kotoa he ngaahi uesia lahi oku ne fakahoko moe paati a Siaosi ki he kau poupou pea nau tukuhifo kitautolu moe poate pea nau faka’ikaii’i mo situ’a mei he tataki ‘a e poate pule ‘a e PTOA. Neongo ai ia, ka ko Piveni a e fili a e kakai mei he toko 3 na’e talamai ‘e he kakai o Tongatapu 7 oku nau falala ki ai”.
PTOA Core Team Leader Sēmisi Sika
The e-mail also revealed Saulala agreed the Core Team could nominate him as their candidate while Saulala would still run as an independent candidate.
In Tongan the e-mail read: “ Ne fetu’utaki mai a Sangster ‘o ma talanoa pea ne tali fiefia ‘a ‘eku fakaafe ke tau ngaue fakataha ma’ae paati PTOA pea ke hoko ko e fakafofonga ma’a Tongatapu 7 ma’ae PTOA neongo ‘e lele tau’ataina pe”.
Saulala and PTOA
Saulala was elected into parliament in 2014 as PTOA MP. However, he later broke away and voted for the then Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakanō rescuing the noble-led government from being defeated in a Vote of No Confidence tabled by the PTOA party.
Critics believed Saulala’s nomination by the Core Team just a week before the election was a dangerous move by the Democrats as it could split the PTOA voters. The split will mean that the two PTOA factions will be fighting for the same vote while the independent candidates could see this as an opportunity for them to gain more votes.
As we reported previously, Tonga will go to the elections next week with the opposition strategically weakened by a split in the PTOA Party.
The PTOA – the Democrats who were led to two election victories by the late ‘Akilisi Pōhiva – have split into two groups.
It appears the two PTOA factions were trying to sort out their differences recently but what has actually been seen by the public now was that the solution they have come up with could cause them more troubles than good in next week’s elections.
Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa has disparaged the Opposition Leader Sēmisi Sika and accused him of being troublesome.
Dr Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa. Photo/Kalino Lātū (Kaniva Tonga)
He berated Sika and described his attitude in Tongan as attempting to disrupt what had been organised for the country.
Tu’i’onetoa said it was humiliating for him to see Sika and the PTOA party in disarray.
In a very strongly worded e-mail in Tongan, the Prime Minister described the Opposition Leader as was out of step with his party and being unable to make up his mind.
The Prime Minister warned Sika to be careful otherwise his indecisiveness would cause him trouble.
Tu’i’onetoa accused Sika of having an unclear vision for the PTOA.
E-mails / arguments
The Prime Minister’s outburst appeared to have been provoked by Hon. Sika’s e-mails to him including one in which he asked Hon. Tu’i’onetoa to clarify and update him on the new construction seen at Vuna wharf shores recently.
Sika reminded Tu’i’onetoa that the king had warned his government that business services should be given to private sectors.
Opposition Leader Sēmisi Sika
Sika argued that this area of the wharf should be reserved for tourist activities only and there was no need for the government to operate businesses there including night markets.
Hon. Tu’i’onetoa told Hon. Sika the construction was approved by the Cabinet in 2016 after an agreement with the Ports Authority to include a night market for businesses to operate there and pay fees to help pay Tonga’s loan from China.
He said the Ministry of Finance had estimated that these businesses could collect $300,000 a year to help pay for the loan.
Vuna wharf was funded from the multimillion loan from China to rebuild Nuku’alofa after the 2006 riots and the destruction of the capital.
Deplorable / lying
Hon. Sika forwarded the Prime Minister’s response to him to Kaniva News and described it in Tongan as degrading and deplorable.
Reponding to Tu’i’onetoa, Sika accused the Prime Minister of lying that he attempted to wipe out the Tourism Board, when he was the Minister of Tourism.
He asked the Prime Minister to calm down and stop being so emotional.
He asked Tu’i’onetoa to stop being hateful and let them talk in a good spirit for the benefit of the country.
The Prime Minister is no stranger to attacking his critics and media personally.
In March Sika accused Tu’i’onetoa of lying about him when the Prime Minister was interviewed about why the government did not repair damages to the roads after recent heavy raining and flooding.
Early this week Tu’i’onetoa was accused of attacking a female journalist who was trying to do her job and asked him during a press conference to give a financial statement about the government’s Covid-19 response budget.
