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House where Fisi‘ihoi’s body found defaced with Black Power gang graffiti

By
Kaniva Staff
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A vandal defaced the house at south Auckland where the body of Meliame Fisi’ihoi was found dead last Wednesday morning.

A 54-year-old woman has been charged with wilful damage in connection with the defacing of the property.

She is due to appear in Manukau District Court on January 24.

The house was spray-painted with the words “Aroha Black Power” in white on a black shed beside the house on Sunday.

The 57-year-old Tongan mother was shot dead at the Calthorp Close, Favona property on Wednesday in the early hours of the morning.

In December, a man was seriously injured after being shot on the same road. He was taken to Middlemore Hospital for treatment.

Counties Manukau Acting Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers said the investigation into the death of Fisi’ihoi is ongoing and it was too early to say whether the two shootings were related.

Auckland man killed in Tonga car crash, wife remains in hospital

By
Kalino Latu
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A wedding celebration in which an opportunity for family members overseas were expected to get together and celebrate in the kingdom has turned into tragedy after a husband died and his wife was injured in a single car crash.

Mr Taniela Manu and his wife Lavinia Kitekei’aho Manu were heading to Houma, Tongatapu before their vehicle crashed on a road at ‘Utulau this afternoon, a cousin of Lavinia told Kaniva news.

Taniela reportedly died at the scene while his wife was rushed to hospital with injuries.

The Tongan-Auckland based couple have just arrived in Tongatapu from New Zealand to attend Lavinia’s cousin’s wedding this weekend.

Photos taken at the scene, seen by Kaniva news, appeared to show the vehicle was badly damaged after it obviously collided into a tree.

Police and ambulance staff attended the crash scene.

Some photos showed an uniformed police officer and what appeared to be members of the public carrying a stretcher while others were attending to what appeared to be one of the victims.

No further details were immediately available.

Tongan authorities could not be reached for comment.

Tongan teenager charged with murder in Melbourne to appear in court in March

By
Kaniva Staff
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An 18-year-old Tongan teenage boy accused of murdering 41 year old Timothy Williams is scheduled to appear at the Geelong Magistrates Court in March.

Setefano Pahulu Tupou did not apply for bail after facing the one count of murder. It’s believed the young man’s defence asked the court to note the client’s age, with no prior time spent in custody and that he had been prescribed prozac, Melbourne media reported.

Tupou of Tarneit had been charged with the murder of the 41 year old Colac man in Geelong.

Williams was last seen leaving a property at around 6.15pm on a Monday evening, and was not seen again until he was found unconscious in a Richie Boulevard car park in Eastern Beach just before midnight.

He was taken to University Hospital Geelong before being transferred to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with severe head injuries. He passed away from his injuries in October 2019.

Chinese ambassador praises royal family’s support for Taiwan policy; says China speaks for Tonga in UN Security Council

By
Philip Cass
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China’s ambassador to Tonga, Cao Xiaolin, has thanked the Tongan royal family and government for what he said was their support for the one-China Principle and China’s position on Taiwan.

Speaking at the launch of the Spring Festival festivities, the ambassador said China was fully convinced that Tonga would continue to uphold the one-China Principle and would not conduct any official exchanges with Taiwan in any form.

And he said that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China spoke “for Tonga and other developing countries with a view to safeguarding our common interests.”

He said China was committed to further enhancing its political mutual trust with the kingdom, by strengthening understanding and cooperation on issues concerning major concerns.

China would set up a Confucius Institute in Tonga in to help young Tongans to learn Chinese language and culture.

The ambassador described the aid provided by China to Tonga as “sincere and selfless.”

“The Chinese community here actively fit into the Tongan society and play a very important role in promoting our cooperation in economy and trade, agriculture and tourism,” he said.

“Their contributions are laudable.

“China and Tonga are like-minded partners in the international affairs. We share similar positions on many regional and international issues, and support each other on many important matters.

Ambassador Cao said the recent signing of the Phase One trade agreement between China and the United States would benefit all countries, including Tonga.

The ambassador said Sino-Tongan relationships had developed soundly.

The ambassador, who was posted to the kingdom as a junior diplomat in 1988, said the results of co-operation between the two countries were tangible.

“Our mutual trust has deepened,” Ambassador Xiaolin said.

“Both China and Tonga respect each other’s right to choose the development path suitable for our national conditions and we have established a comprehensive strategic partnership of mutual respect and common development.

“China views Tonga as an equal member of the international community as well as an important cooperation partner.”

“China is the largest developing country in the world, and Tonga is a very important country in the Pacific island region. China-Tonga relations have become a role model for the international community on equal treatment, friendly cooperation and common development.

“We have every reason to be proud of the accomplishments achieved in our bilateral relations so far.”

PM’s Media Questions: Road Construction Project funding sources; debate on claims PM was a traitor; Vava’u visit and dialysis facility

By
Kalino Latu
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Kiliki ‘i he halangaope ‘i ‘olunga’ ke ke fanongo ki he faka’eke’eke kakato ‘o e ‘Eiki Palēmia’ ‘i he lea fakaTonga’. For our Tongan readers here is the full interview audio in Tongan Language

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PM’s Media Questions: Road Construction Project funding sources; debate on claims PM was a traitor; why road project began with cabinet ministers’ constituencies jumping the queue for work in electorates, targeting voters claims, Vava’u visit and dialysis facility.

Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa was interviewed by FM87.5 on January 16. An audio was provided by the Prime Minister’s office and transcribed and translated into English by Kaniva News. Some of the content of this article had been abridged and rephrased (in English) to make it clearer to our English readers.

The interview:

FM 87.5: What is the government’s plan for Tropical Cyclone Tino as it is approaching Tonga?

PM Tu’i’onetoa: The government is ready to help the public when there is a natural disaster like Cyclone Tino. The Ministry of MEIDEC and Minister Poasi Tei, NEMO, the government CEOs are ready to help and I thanked them for their hard works. I would like to warn the public this is the season of tropical cyclones which will end in March and April. We have to keep safe and stay alert. Continue on praying to God and I asked church leaders and pastors to pray together with us so that God will protect our nation.

FM 87.5: The upcoming visit to Vava’u is important. What is important about this visit?

PM Tu’i’onetoa: This is an opportunity for me to be part of the the king’s visit to Vava’u to open the newly built  Vava’u Police station. That will be an opportunity for me to meet the governor, business community, church leaders and those who will attend and meet with me there. Most excitingly this will be an opportunity for me to meet the civil servants there. I will also visit the new road project and will talk to the people about their most urgent needs.

FM 87.5: You previously invited anyone from the PTOA party to hold a debate with you about their description of you as a traitor. Can you clarify that?

PM Tu’i’onetoa: That’s true. In one of our programmes I said I would welcome anyone who wanted to debate with me on the accusation laid against me saying I was a traitor. But I intended to hold the debate in Parliament as I have heard the topic was currently debated in other places. But in my view the right place for this debate is in Parliament. This programme we are doing I am just updating the people on what is currently happening. A journalist had contacted me and asked to come and recorded a programme with me on the new road construction project. But I told them I was fully booked for my work schedules. This included the government’s budgeting programme for 2020/2021, natural disaster planning, working with the Education Minister on the issue of school drop outs and the low pass rate for Tonga’s national exams in 2019 and the needs to speed up the work to establish dialysis facility in Tonga. I want it to be done as soon as possible so our dialysis patients overseas can return to Tonga. I also want to look at the policing plan and the fight against drugs and others. The New Zealand and Australian Prime Ministers recorded a programme in which they wanted to update the public using one  news media before sharing that programme with other media. I am doing the same thing here in Tonga.

FM 87.5: In the previous budgets the road construction policy allocation was increased  from TOP$5 million to TOP$10 million and former deputy PM (Sēmisi Sika)  commented on an estimate of TOP$500 million which was rounded up to an amount closed to TOP$492 million and TOP$611 million you mentioned in the last programme. You two have the same estimates. There were concerns whether the government has the money.

PM Tu’i’onetoa: I respect the former Minister of Infrastructure (Sēmisi Sika) and the former Minister of Police. It’s part of politics that  we have different opinions, talents, experiences and different ways of how we trust God. The Lord has given us various talents and various people to help us. I clearly understand that this was a huge project. The biggest road construction project ever held (in Tonga) was by former Prime Minister Lord Sevele’s government in 2006, as far as I remember. And this is the second biggest road project I am doing. We are talking about more than 2000 kilometres to be filled and constructed in this project. We planned for this. There were new roads included in the project which had not been shown in the Ministry of Survey’s land mapping like the ngutungutu roads (roads running between the land boundaries and its 50 feet mark distance from the sea.) These roads are important because they will become roads for tourists. When these roads are completed they will help boost tourism, and they also added economic values to lands and properties in these areas.   We were well prepared to implement this project right from the beginning when the People’s Party was established and it was written in our party’s constitution. I publicly announced this on the day I was elected Prime Minister. The Opposition MPs, including Sēmisi Sika, Penisimani Fifita, MP Mo’ale Fīnau and MP Veivosa Taka  declared their policy priorities (on the day of the premiership election)  and they were different from us. They did not include any plan to construct roads. These eight Opposition MPs agreed with the late Prime Minister that the most important project for the country was the Popua National Park, the new golf course and the six new bills the majority of the people did not accept. My priority was to have works to do and not to remove powers. The six new bills we are talking about were to remove powers. They wanted power while I wanted to work (for the country) and to do things to  meet the people’s urgent needs.

FM 87.5: You have been accused of using the government’s new road project to target voters in the next general election in 2021. Not only that but also there have been concerns after the government began constructing roads at its cabinet ministers’ constituencies jumping the constituencies’ queue. What’s is the truth about that?

PM Tu’i’onetoa: That was totally wrong. As I told Parliament on September 27, 2019, if I was elected Prime Minister this was what I was going to do. I said the road project could take four years and I have divided that into two-year terms. I  also said this will only happen if staff of the Ministry of Infrastructure follow through, otherwise it would cause problems to the project. Some of them appeared to have not believed in me and still trusted the former Minister. There was a need to change that and for them to follow our new government’s plans. We agreed with the late Prime Minister (‘Akilisi Pōhiva) when ‘Etuate Lavulavu was the Minister of Infrastructure, to approve TOP$164 million per year for new roads constructions and repairs. This meant the former government had approved a TOP$494 million estimate for the project’s three-year term. What the former minister (Sēmisi Sika) should have done was to continue on constructing the roads. We undertake to construct the roads even though we have not yet had the total amount of funding needed. It was in our heart and we prayed to God and asked for help. I and my cabinet and the people too  prayed for this very significant job.

FM 87.5: The road constructions began right from your constituency and constituencies of your cabinet ministers. We normally began government projects according to the order of the constituencies from Tongatapu 1 down to Tongatapu 17. Why is that?

PM Tu’i’onetoa: It is very difficult to work together with people whom we do not hold the same beliefs. We need to begin with people who believe in us and then end up with the unbelievers. The same thing applies to contractors for whom we outsourced the road project. We will use the contractors who we hold the same belief before those who we do not have the same belief. The same thing also went to civil servants like the Ministry of Finance’s staff. This does not mean they were bad. It just that the work could be dragged on if their views were different from us. This was the reason why we began the project from our own constituencies as we wanted to begin with the people who we have the same stance. This project belonged to everyone from babies to adults because everyone used the roads. It’s different from the Popua National Park because only some can go and use it. This project is not an election campaign tool. We are just implementing what I told Parliament on the day of the premiership election. Those who are working at the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Survey, Prime Minister’s Office and all services which have links to this project let’s work together to make it a success. Those of you who did not agree and did not believe just take a break. We have seen how people were happy with the project. They donated free meals for the workers and constructors that’s the kind of heart we need. When the roads are good the people can go to their plantations from which they can make money to build their families and tourism. This will open up various economical benefits to the country as a whole.

FM 87.5: Have you anything else to talk about?

PM Tu’i’onetoa: The former Deputy Prime Minister (Sēmisi Sika) said he was informed there was no money. Last year TOP$7 million was returned to Treasury from the Ministry of Infrastructure. The Ministry could not use that money for what it had been allocated for in the budget. Last year also more than $50 million was returned from other ministries for the same reason.  This showed we have plenty of money returned to Treasury. This project is being implemented within the laws. I would like to remind the public of my background.  I was an auditor and Auditor General for more than 30 years and there was nothing new to me when it comes to financial matters. Most of the financial forecast I made in the past had been succeeded. So I ask the people of the nation to trust me and give me your heart. Let’s allow Jehovah to lead our road construction project so that we succeed.

Heartfelt message sent to Fineasi Sila’s friends before his life support withdrawn

By
Kalino Latu
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A friend of a Tongan man who died at the Liverpool hospital in Sydney messaged their kava friends and told them to meet at the patient’s bedside to pray and wait until he was taken off life support.

Peni Na’a said in a Facebook status that this was an opportunity the family have arranged for Sila’s friends to visit him.  

Na’a told Kaniva news the deceased was working before he fell unconscious on Tuesday.  He said it appeared Sila suffered a heart attack.

He said they have the fakafāmili (prayer) with Sila at 7pm last night before the ventilator was turned off.

“It’s a pity he died,” Na’a said.

Some friends who could not make it to the hospital responded to Na’a’s message and sent their love to the deceased.

“Sad news. Kiss Fineasi for me,” a responder wrote.

“I could not make it. Send my love to Fineasi,” another wrote.  

The kava clubs with which Sila used to spend time were shocked by the news.

They described Sila as someone who was easy to get along with.

It is understood Sila’s body would be flown back to Tonga to his family.

US citizen arrested while picking up parcel of illicit drugs from Vava‘u Post Shop; two others arrested in separate incidents

By
Kaniva Staff
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An 66-year-old man with United States citizenship attempted to pick up a parcel with illicit drug from Neiafu Post Shop, police said.

Police seized the parcel and found 18.05 grams of cannabis oil in it.

A search warrant of the suspect’s residence at Tapana island resulted in seizure of 0.28 grams of cannabis.

On Tuesday 14 January police arrested a 64-year-old man from Leimātu’a and seized 1,430 of illegally imported ammunition.

A 59-year-old man from Ha’ateiho was also arrested on the same day from one of the bonded warehouse in Nuku’alofa with three firearms, a .22 long rifle and two shotguns.

All three accused have been charged accordingly and to appear at the Magistrate Court at a later date.  

Acting Deputy Commissioner Tevita Vailea says that Police are committed to disrupt and detect the supply of drugs and hold those responsible to account.   

“Police, Partner Agencies and Community together will win this war against drugs and safeguard our children and the future of Tonga from its ill effects.    We encourage anyone who may have information about drug related offending to contact 22782.”

Tonga draws Group D in Rugby League World Cup; will face Cook Islands, PNG and Wales

By
Kaniva Staff
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Tonga has drawn Group D in the 2021 Rugby League World cup.

Tonga has been described as one of the world’s best four rugby teams alongside England, Australia and New Zealand.

The kingdom’s team will  be grouped with fellow Pacific teams, the Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea as well as Wales.

The groups were announced by Prince Harry, who revealed the women’s and wheelchair tournament groups at Buckingham Palace.

Prince Harry is patron of the Rugby Football League, but it is not known how long he will continue in the role.

Ahead of this event, Prince Harry also introduced a new initiative to champion the importance of mental health for those who play rugby.

Tonga was represented at  Buckingham Palace  by Konrad Hurrell, who currently plays for Leeds Rhinos in the English Superleague.

Group A will include England, Samoa, France and Greece.

Australia, Fiji, Scotland and Italy will make up Group B.

Group C will include New Zealand, Lebanon, Jamaica and Ireland.

Fixtures dates for the tournament have yet to be announced, but English Premier League football grounds including Old Trafford (Manchester United), Anfield (Liverpool) and Emirates Stadium (Arsenal) will be used.

The main points

  • Tonga has drawn Group D in the 2021 Rugby League World cup.
  • Tonga has been described as one of the world’s best four rugby teams alongside England, Australia and New Zealand.

For more information

Rugby League World Cup 2021

Tongan mother killed in south Auckland “person of good character and loving others”

By
Kalino Latu
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FAVONA,NZ: Counties Manukau Police have named the victim of an apparent shooting incident at Favona as 57-year-old Meliame Fisi’ihoi.

Mrs Fisi’ihoi was located deceased at a property on Calthorp Close in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Search for her killer continues.

Police said they have since completed a thorough scene examination at the address.

A post-mortem examination has also been completed.

The victim’s identity was officially released this afternoon after police launched a homicide investigation following a report of a person hearing what they believed was a gunshot noise near the address.

Police previously said it’s too early to speculate whether this incident is linked to another shooting on the same street last month on December 4, where a man was left critically injured.

Acting Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers said there was no doubt that the incident is of concern to residents in Favona and wider community.

“In recent days our Communities staff have been speaking with key partners in the community to address any concerns they may have.

“Our team of detectives are continuing their work and will be following a number of lines of enquiry in the coming days.

“At this stage of our enquiry we are still unable to speculate whether an earlier incident on Calthorp Close is connected to this investigation or not.”

A friend of the deceased told Kaniva news Mrs Fisi’ihoi and her family lived in Gisborne before they moved to south Auckland.

Fine Lātū, who was shocked by the news, said Mrs Fisi’ihoi was a person of good character and loving others.

She said Mrs Fisi’ihoi helped Tongans who came to New Zealand to find jobs for them.

Tongan seasonal workers admit sex offence, abduction

By
Kaniva Staff
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By Rob Kidd, https://www.odt.co.nz/

OTAGO, NZ: A pair of orchard workers laughed as they sexually violated a woman they had dragged down to Lake Dunstan, a court has heard.

Suliasi Fangatua (30) and Taniela Siale (22) pleaded guilty to abduction and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection almost a year after the incident when they appeared before the Dunedin District Court yesterday.

The orchard workers, from Tonga, were understood to be nearing the end of their seasonal stint when they turned up to Cromwell’s Victoria Arms Hotel early on February 3.

Eight minutes later CCTV showed them leaving the bar.

The victim, a 35-year-old woman, could be seen talking to Siale outside the establishment.

Moments later, she was captured walking across the road to a car park with two men.

She had been told she could get a ride home.

Instead the pair dragged her over a grass bank, towards the lake, and her ordeal, which would last more than an hour, began.

The next day, a police sweep of the scene showed the path the group took.

The victim’s shoes were found in the car park, her jeans in some bushes, togs on a gravel path closer to the lake and her phone was in the water, metres from the shore.

As she was being hauled into the darkness by the burly men, she managed to call her partner.

He later retrieved the message and heard her repeatedly saying “help”.

Siale and Fangatua restrained her, one grabbing her upper body, the other her lower half.

Closer to the lake, further from any prospect of help, the defendants pinned her down on her back and removed her clothes.

“The victim was naked, but she continued to kick out, fight and scream,” the court heard.

Fangatua positioned himself by her head and put his hand over the victim’s mouth to stifle her calls for assistance.

Siale, meanwhile, violated the woman.

Fangatua only removed his hand from her mouth so he could kiss her.

“The defendants conversed in a foreign language and laughed together before continuing to sexually violate the victim in the same way for a period of time.”

Worried her life was in danger, the woman took a different approach.

She stopped fighting back, the court heard, and told the men she was not going to tell anyone about what they had done.

Siale handed over his grey hoodie when she said she was cold.

He had no idea at that point that it would provide crucial evidence in the case against them.

The victim bolted back up the path, made it back to the hotel and managed to rouse the publican.

Siale and Fangatua walked back to their accommodation.

Forensic analysis of the hoodie turned up DNA from both defendants as well as the victim.

A swab taken from the woman’s genitalia provided a match with Siale.

While the men refused to admit their involvement at the time, they were convicted following their guilty pleas yesterday and Judge Dominic Flatley gave them each a first-strike warning under the three-strikes legislation.

They will be sentenced in April.

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