This RNZ.co.nz new is republished with permission
The National Emergency Management Agency and GNS Science say they are assessing whether a tsunami warning needs to be issued in this country after a big 7-point-9 magnitude quake close to New Caledonia.
Photo: 123rf
They say if any tsunami from this area – southeast of the Loyalty Islands – were to affect New Zealand, it would not arrive for three hours.
The quake happened at 20 minutes past 2 o’clock this morning.
Minister of Tourism ‘Akosita Lavulavu has scolded a critic after she was tagged on Facebook with photos showing rubbish left inside the Teufaiva National Stadium last week.
The photographs were taken after a rugby tournament.
The photos have attracted strong public reaction condemning the action as folly and idiocy.
The post was shared by My Tonga Facebook group which tagged the Minister with a warning.
The group regularly posts information and shares news that supports the PTOA Party and the democratic movement.
The post read in Tongan:
“To the Minister of Tonga Beautiful programme. There is a growing number of photos shared on internet of some important places in Tonga being left uncleaned by the Minister of Tonga Beautiful ‘Akosita Lavulavu, and not keeping it clean and beautiful. In comparison with the previous government the capital town was well cleaned up and the important locations in Nuku’alofa central were kept cleaned by the former Tourism Minister Semisi Sika and his Tonga Masani (Magnificent) programme. Please Minister of Tonga Beautiful come and pick up the rubbish to make good use of your salaries from the country’s taxes”.
Responding in Tongan the Minister wrote on her Facebook page:
“To this page what’s the purpose of photographing it and sharing it here? Why do you yell it out here without you cleaning it up as you were right there? Make your heart, mind, and soul “beautiful”. If you love your country than use your good conscience, two hands God has given you to clean up the rubbish and put them in the rubbish bin. It’s important for us to live a life which tends to cleaning and keeping things clean. This was after the Tonga Rugby League Cup 1 Tournament at Teufaiva Stadium on Saturday last week.”
The posts have divided Tongans online.
Supporters of the Minister said the people who tagged her “asked for drama and it was good the Minister has lectured them.”
“That is what is called unloving Tongan. Love Tonga and pick up your rubbish and take them to the rubbish bin.”
Another critic said: “People are so dumb that they threw their trash after drinking and eating. They should have taken them to the rubbish bin. If not put them in your pockets and take them home because you have been dumb for a long time.”
A supporter of the post said it was good for the photograph to have captured the situation and shared it on internet. He said Tongans should feel embarrassed when they compared themselves with Samoans who knew how to use a rubbish bin. Nuku’alofa was uniquely clean during the previous government because their Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva took the lead and picked up rubbish in public places,” the supporter wrote.
The late ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s government campaigned to keep Tonga clean and beautiful through a programme initiated by the Ministry of Tourism known as Tonga Masani or Magnificent Tonga.
When the Tu’i’onetoa government took over they changed the name from Tonga Masani to Beautiful Tonga which was made known as Tonga Beautiful.
Both programmes aimed at making sure the country was clean and beautiful. They also aimed at encouraging people live and stay a hygienic life.
A Tongan journalist hopes that when royal assent is given for the Internet Abuse Offences legislation it will allow her to be free of the distress she claims is the result of cyber-bullying by the Prime Minister.
Ms Salamo Fulivai, a former Chief Reporter at Tonga Broadcasting Commission, claimed Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa harassed, abused and bullied her on the internet several times when she tried to question him about stories she was working on.
She hopes to use the new legislation to take the Prime Minister to court.
Fulivai sent a number of questions to the Prime Minister last year in her capacity as a reporter for the Kele’a Newspaper.
She claimed that instead of focusing on the issues being raised, the Prime Minister belittled and ridiculed her.
Fulivai e-meailed questions to Hon Tu’i’onetoa including one which asked the Prime Minister whether it was true the government was starting its own new airline and if he can tell her about the motive behind the move.
An e-mail from Hon. Tu’i’onetoa to Fulivai seen by Kaniva News says: “Stop being nonsense and making questions that were meaningless, your questions showed you were a repeated class six failer. It wasted my time to answer such meaningless questions.”
Fulivai responded to the Prime Minister, saying: “A repeated class six failer level could be shown by the language one used to speak to somebody.”
“It should have been easy for you to answer me by saying yes or no. But for you to sidestep it and used such language your state of mind and the environment in which you have been brought up will then be called into question.”
“Thank you, pastor,” Fulivai said, referring to the Prime Minister’s religious background, which includes a Doctorate of Christian Ministry from Faith Evangelical Lutheran Seminary in the United States.
The e-mails between Fulivai and the Prime Minister went back to November 2019.
In another email on May 2020 Hon Tu’i’onetoa said: “Salamo, do you think that all I do is answer questions with nothing else to do. Stop your nonsense!”
“Where did you do your training as a reporter?”
Fulivai told Kaniva News she found it difficult to do her job because of her situation.
“I am grateful and elated that the Prime Minister and his Cabinet have passed this law so that the voice of victims of cyber bullying could be heard,” Fulivai said.
“The fact is I did not know Tu’i’onetoa before. I just came to know him when he was the Prime Minister.
“The language he has used showed he looked down on me.
“It’s discouraging and offensive and it greatly affected me.”
While Fulivai hopes the Internet Abuse Offences legislation will give her legal redress against the Prime Minister, any legal action on her part will have to wait until the new law actually comes into effect.
As Kaniva News reported yesterday, the Internet Abuse Offences legislation was passed by Parliament last year, but is still waiting for the king’s signature.
Hon Tu’i’onetoa told us last year the new law was aimed at addressing the use of any communication platform to abuse, harass or otherwise harm another person.
Kaniva News has contacted the Prime Minister for comment.
FAKAMATALA FAKA-TONGA
‘Oku ‘ikai kei fa’a tatali ‘a e faiongongo ko Salamo Fulivai ke fai mo paasi mei he Tu’i’ ‘a e lao ‘a Tonga ke tapui hono pā’osi’i ‘o ha taha ‘o ngāue’aki ‘a e ‘initaneti’. Ko e lao ‘eni ne ‘osi paasi ‘i Fale Alea he ta’u kuo ‘osi’ ka kuo kei tatali ki ha fakamo’oni huafa a e Tama Tu’i’. ‘Oku tukuaki’i ‘e Fulivai ne fakamamahi’i ia ‘e he ‘Eiki Palēmia’ Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa mo lea tukuhifo’i he ‘initaneti ‘i ha’ane tali ki ha ngaahi fehu’i ne ne ‘eke ki ai tu’unga ‘i hono fatongia fakafaiongoongo’. Pehē ‘e Fulivai, ne ‘īmeili atu pea ‘ikai tali mai ‘e Tu’i’onetoa ia ‘ene ngaahi fehu’i kae hanga mai ia ‘o ngāhi’i mo fakama’ama’a’i ia hangē ko ‘ene tala ko ngaahi fehu’i ne ‘oange ‘oku ‘asi ko e tokotaha kalasi ono tu’olahi ia. ‘Eke pe na’e ako faiongoongo ‘i fē. Ne toe tala ‘e he palēmia’ foki ‘oku maumau taimi ‘ene fehu’i’. Kaekehe, ne toki paasi e lao ‘a e pule’anga’ ko ‘eni’ ‘i ‘Okatopa. Fakahā ‘e Fulivai ki he Kaniva’ ‘oku uesia lahi ‘ene ngāue pea pupuiva he me’a ne hoko’ ka kuo’ ne fiefia mo fakamālō kia Tu’i’onetoa he’ene fa’u mo fakapaasi ‘a e lao’ ni kae lava ke ‘eke’i ai ‘ene totonu’ he fakamaau’anga’.
The man who led police on a chase into a bush allotment near Tu’atakilangi was given full suspension of his imprison term after he was charged with two counts of possession of illicit drugs.
Ue’ikaetau Tapa’atoutai must not commit any further offences punishable by imprisonment during the period of suspension.
He has to be placed on probation, undertake and complete the drugs and alcohol awareness program by the Salvation Army and complete 40 hours of community work under the direction of the Probation Officer.
In his second arraignment, Tapa’atoutai pleaded guilty to both counts of possession of illicit drugs namely 0.08 grams of
methamphetamine and possession of a Class B drugs namely 0.43 grams of cannabis.
The Supreme Court was told that on 3 February 2020, officers of the Drug Enforcement Taskforce were returning from Tofoa after responding to a drug related matter.
On their way back to the Nuku’alofa Police station, they drove through a short cut into Tu’atakilangi to get to the Bypass Road.
They saw the Accused walking towards them and when they slowed down the accused turned and ran.
Suspecting that the accused had something unlawful on him, the police chased after him.
As he was running, the accused threw something into the bushes before he was caught and brought back to the vehicle.
The police searched the area where the accused had thrown something into and found one test tube containing one pack of cannabis and one pack of methamphetamine.
Sentencing Tapa’atoutai, Justice Langi said that on the count of possession of a Class A drug the accused is convicted and sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment.
On the count of possession of a Class B drug the Accused is convicted and sentenced to1month
imprisonment to be served concurrent to Count 1.
“The sentence is fully suspended for 12 months”.
“As requested by the Crown, I further order that all illicit drugs seized from the accused be destroyed,” Justice Langi said.
Government schools across Tongatapu and ‘Eua have closed for Tuesday, Feb 9 as Tropical Depression 09F could develop into a tropical cyclone west of the Niuas.
Tonga Met Services said this morning at 6am that a gale warning is now in force for all of Tonga land areas and coastal waters.
It said a heavy damaging swell warning is now in force for all of Tonga coastal waters.
A heavy rain warning and flash flood advisory remain in force for all of Tonga land areas.
A small craft advisory remains in force for all of Tonga coastal waters.
“Please note all government primary and secondary schools in Tongatapu and ‘Eua are cancelled today due to the heavy rain resulting in flooding in some low lying areas,” the Ministry of Education and Training said in statement this morning.
“No cancellation of primary and secondary schools for Ha’apai, Vava’u, Niua Toputapu and Niua Fo’ou, they will continue school as usual for today.
“Teachers will report to work at their respective schools.”
Tonga have added another week to its mandated 14-day Covid-19 living in a managed isolation facility for repatriated passengers, MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma‘u told Matangi Tonga online.
The new variants of Covid-19 and increasing issues raised about repatriated nationals being sent to home isolations after their 14-day living in managed isolation facilities have led the government to introduce the new measure.
Meanwhile all 114 international passengers who arrived in Tonga on February 4 have tested negative for covid-19.
However, passengers of the upcoming repatriation flights will be quarantined for 21 days at the managed facilities.
“Now all 21-days will be carried out at quarantine, there will be no more home isolation,” Paula local news media.
“This is extra measure for the outbreak of Covid-19 variants already in Australia and New Zealand and to strengthen monitoring.”
He said there had been various issues with home isolation.
Tonga is still Covid-19 free.
A new law in Tonga that would address the use of any communication platform to abuse, harass or otherwise harm another is awaiting the king’s signature to become law.
The Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa told local radio FM 89.5 recently the Legislative Assembly has passed the Bill and it is now still at the king’s office.
As Kaniva News reported previously, Tu’i’onetoa said the government wanted to make it an offence to post content that’s offensive, threatening, defamatory and that caused distress.
He said the so-called Internet Abuse Offences legislation was “a very important bill for the poor people of the nation.”
He said people had been bullied and intimidated on social media by others creating fake Facebook accounts to hide their identity.
The Prime Minister’s revelation came after another Bill the government said last year was aimed at gagging Tongan civil servants on criticising the government.
As we reported in November this was part of an attempt by the government to limit the right of civil servants to freedom of expression, even, apparently, when they are speaking in a completely private capacity.
Attorney General Linda Folaumoetu’i reportedly said civil servants could be punished under the law for defamation in writing or emojis.
The law can be used against civil servants who support a group on social media whose political views go against the government and could cause disorder.
Mrs Folaumoetu’i said civil servants must maintain high standards of behaviour and treat political and civil service colleagues with respect.
“They have to be politically independent.”
This TVNZ story is republished with permission
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has today described arriving home from Waitangi to find a letter from US President, Joe Biden, wishing the country well as it commemorates the historic signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
“Just got home from Waitangi to find a letter from President Joe Biden to mark Waitangi Day,” Ardern said in an Instagram post.
“Given it was intended for everyone, I thought I’d share it here,!” she said in her post.
“Dear Prime Minister. The American people join me in offering warmest regards to the people of New Zealand on the occasion of Waitangi Day on February 6,” the letter from Biden read.
“New Zealand is one of our closest friends and partners. The unbreakable bond we share was established when the first US Consul to New Zealand was on hand to witness the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on February 6, 1840.
“We have since partnered together to build the multilateral framework that benefits our nations as well as the global population. I look forward to strengthening the US- New Zealand relationship and cooperating to overcome the greatest challenges of our time…I have fond memories of my trip to your country in 2016 when New Zealand’s legendary reputation for friendliness and hospitality was on full display.
“I wish you and all New Zealanders well on this Waitangi Day. Sincerely Joseph R Biden.”
Biden touched down in Auckland for a brief visit in July 2016, when he was then vice president to Barack Obama.
He met with then New Zealand Prime Minister John Key as part of America’s renewed focus on the region.
This RNZ.co.nz news is republished with permission
Dr Giulio Masasso Tu’ikolongahau Paunga has been appointed acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific following a full day USP Council meeting today.
Paunga, who currently holds the position of Deputy VC Regional Campuses, Estates and Infrastructure, was appointed today following the deportation of Vice-Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia.
Professor Aluwhalia and his wife were arrested at their Suva home on Wednesday night, told they were deemed a threat to the Fiji public, and swiftly deported to Australia.
The USP Council has this afternoon released a statement saying they were not consulted over Professor Pal Ahluwalia’s deportation.
The Council states that it has not dismissed Professor Ahluwalia and expressed disappointment that it was not advised, as his employer, of the decision by Fiji’s government to deport him.
The Council has established a Sub-committee, chaired by the President of Nauru including the Council Representatives of Australia, Tonga, Niue, Solomon Islands, Samoa and two Senate Representatives to look into matters surrounding the controversial deportation.
The meeting today also discussed the possibility of a Vice-Chancellor being based in and operating out of another country apart from Fiji.
The sub-committee is to bring recommendations on these matters to the Council as soon as possible.
The Commissioner of Police has suspended a Senior Police Constable in Vainī from his duty after being charged with child abuse, domestic violence and cruelty to children.
The 34-year-old father was arrested on Wednesday after he allegedly committed the crimes on his nine-year-old son on Monday.
Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell said the child is now in a safe place.
“Tonga Police is committed to reducing the harm of family and domestic violence. We therefore recognize that first we must set a high standard for responding and investigating family and domestic violence by ensuring systems, resources and people are continuously developed to effectively meet the drivers of family and domestic violence.”
The accused remains in police custody to appear at the Magistrate’s Court on a later date.
The incident came after a woman was arrested and charged with assault, abuse and causing bodily harm related to an alleged severe abuse of her female toddler last month.
At the time, Police removed the child from her mother and placed her in the care of a family member.
