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Democrat supporters warn Tapueluelu after he posts online comments ahead of Monday’s protests against visit by PM Tu‘i‘onetoa

By
Kalino Latu
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Protesters who are expected to take to the streets in South Auckland to demonstrate against Prime Minister Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa next week have sent a strong message to controversial figure Kelekolio Tapueluelu, warning him to avoid interfering in their protests.

The warnings came after Tapueluelu released a short live Facebook video clip  attacking the demonstrators.

The retired policeman and undercover officer, a staunch supporter of conservative politicians, said in Tongan he had just arrived from Tonga to meet the protesters.

He warned that he wanted to meet with the person who made the online threats against Hon. Tu’i’onetoa last month.

But  Tapueluelu, who is also known as Kēnolo (the Colonel)  said the person, who he referred to as ‘Moana,’ has done this twice to him, but did not explain what he meant.

Tapueluelu’s online comments provoked strong reactions on internet from the PTOA supporters, with many warning that he would face the consequences if he tried to intervene without being invited.

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The organisers said the demonstrations would be peaceful and they had contacted police and Auckland council about their planned action.

The protests are organised by the supporters and activists of Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands in New Zealand, widely known as PTOA.

PTOA spokesperson Lihai Lui told Kaniva news he has responded to Tapueluelu’s comments and warned him to keep away from them.  

He said the group held a meeting in Māngere yesterday as part of the preparation for the demonstrations and the turnout was encouraging.

He said a number of church ministers have attended the meeting.

The organisers said New Zealand was a democracy and allowed them to exercise their freedom and rights to protest.

The protesters said they wanted to show Hon. Tu’i’onetoa they were disappointed that he had  been elected to the Tongan Parliament as a PTOA candidate, but then crossed the floor after Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva died.

He and others who crossed the floor sided with the nobility and independent MPs to take control of the government from the Democrats.

Tapueluelu assaulted in 2017

In 2017 Tapueluelu was attacked after he threatened Hon. Pōhiva during a press conference in Nuku’alofa.

As Kaniva news reported at the time, Tapueluelu told Hon. Pohiva during the press conference he intended to disturb “fakahoha’asi” him until he changed his mind and reinstated the 2019 Pacific Games which Tonga had been going to host.

He told Hon. Pohiva he was ready to die as long as he achieved his mission.

Following his statements, some PTOA supporters went looking for Tapueluelu and when they found him an attack ensued. Tapueluelu was reportedly injured during the attack.

Two men were arrested and charged with assault. The charges were later dropped after Tapueluelu left for New Zealand and did not return for the court hearing.

As Kaniva news reported in January this year, Tapueluelu alleged he had been assaulted  during a party in Papatoetoe.

Tapueluelu, who appeared in bloodied clothes and hands in a video clip, said he wanted to help a friend but another person in the party confronted him.

Complaint

Last  month chair of the Tonga Advisory Council in Auckland, Melino Maska, laid a complaint with police following threats to kill PM Tu’i’onetoa.

Maka said he took the action after being approached  by angry members of the Tongan community.

He told Radio New Zealand there had been bitter criticism at the Prime Minister and one of his advisers, Etuate Lavulavu.

Following an investigation, New Zealand Police said they concluded the person who made death threats against Tonga’s Prime Minister meant no harm.

Man threatens to “disturb” PM Pohiva over Games decision allegedly injured in altercation

Ha‘apai nurse under investigation after reports patient information was posted on social media

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga’s Ministry of Health is investigating reports that details of a patient’s records were posted on Facebook.

A nurse in Ha’apai is at the centre of the investigation after information about a patient from Fotua was apparently posted on Facebook, the Kakalu ‘O Tonga newspaper reported this week.  

The Kakalu quoted the Ministry’s CEO, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola, as saying the case could be taken up with Police.

It is understood the person under investigation has deactivated her Facebook page and apologised to the patient’s family.

The Kakalu said the family of the patient was disappointed after they heard that medical information had been posted online.

Dr ‘Akau’ola reportedly said the investigation could be hindered by legal issues because the leak was made on social media.

He said if laws had been breached the nurse could be dismissed.

The Ministry’s head office in Tongatapu has treated the breach seriously and demanded its Ha’apai main office conduct an urgent investigation, the paper said. 

A recent report on the state of the Tongan health system’s information systems by the Asian Development Bank said the kingdom’s legal, policy, and strategic framework did not reflect current technology developments.

The ADB said the kingdom needed a legal framework to safeguard sensitive patient data from unauthorised access, use or disclosure.

The ADB said the Public Health Act (1992) and the Births, Deaths, Marriages Registration Act 1926 needed to be updated and new laws drafted.

Standards

In 2016 RNZ reported the then Chief of Nursing Dr ‘Amelia Tu’ipulotu as saying 70 percent of nurses were yet to reach the national professional standard.

It quoted Dr Tu’ipulotu, who is now Minister of Health as saying a survey showed an urgent need to improve nursing standards.

The report infuriated the nurse community in Tonga.

However, the then Minister for Health, Hon. Saia Piukala, told Kaniva News at the time he was certain  Dr Tu’ipulotu, did not intend to insult members of the profession.

Tonga’s waste service must look after workers better and buy proper truck, says Ombudsman

By
Kaniva Staff
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Tonga’s garbage collection service must protect its workers better and buy proper garbage trucks, the Ombudsman has recommended.

Following an investigation into safety concerns , Ombudsman ‘Aisea Taumopeau said Waste Authority Ltd should buy proper compactor trucks and equipment tailor-made for waste collection suitable for Tonga’s environment.

WAL should also provide its garbage collectors with proper protective gear suitable for Tonga’s weather and make sure it was used.

The CEO of WAL should report back to the Ombudsman by the end of January.

The Ombudsman  said he launched the investigation into the health and safety of WAL workers after seeing WAL workers collecting rubbish with limited protective gear and riding on top of open rubbish trucks.

Taumopeau asked WAL to provide information on its waste collection processes, equipment used and any financial issues and  information on safety policies.

The investigation found most WAL workers worked six days a week for a total of 60 hours.

The Ombudsman said WAL could not afford to buy proper equipment.

He said the Authority should review its monthly fees which had not been changed since 2008.

Aurora ends year that saw growing enrolment with Christmas party; promise of chance for families to share skills and knowledge

By
Kalino Latu
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The Aurora Home-based Childcare Services in South Auckland have announced a dramatic progress in their operations since their establishment.

The Tongan-owned and Otara-based services now have more than 100 children enrolled and there is a waiting list.

Last year the school enrolled 90 school children.

The development comes three years after the school was established. Students are mostly Tongan children and a number of children with Maori and other ethnic backgrounds.

Directors Siale Heitonga and Hulita Kaati Tangitau Heitonga hosted a Christmas farewell party with multi-cultural entertainment to send off with the children and their parents this afternoon at the Wiri Community Hall.

The celebration began with a prayer led by Rev. Kelemeni ‘Otuhouma before the children performed cultural activities. They were presented with Christmas gifts followed by lunch prepared by the host and a closing speech by Siale.  

Siale revealed new educators will begin working at the Aurora next year and talks were underway to recruit more of them.

” We are currently undertaking restructuring to better meet the demands of a growing organisation,” Siale said.

Helping each other and working together with the Aurora community and stakeholders helped ease barriers, which Siale described as normal in any school operations. 

He said Aurora has followed its strategic vision which was set until 2021.

Parents and children during Aurora X-mas party. Photo/Kalino Lātū

The vision included the organisation striving to become a provider of high-quality home-based early childhood education services that were inclusive, culturally competent, flexible, and responsive to the needs of the children and their families.

It also undertook to allow greater participation and involvement of families and whanau to share and contribute their knowledges and skills.

The school also embraced and promoted cultural diversity, facilitated multi-cultural learning and made educational opportunities equally available to everyone.

Aurora Home-based Childcare Services logo. Photo/Kalino Lātū

It also continues to retain qualified ECE co-ordinators and educators and supported educators to achieve higher qualification such as ECE level 4.

Siale said Aurora was in a strong financial position and operating under effective governance and management.

Calls for peaceful protests when PM Tu‘i‘onetoa meets with Tongan community in Auckland next week

By
Kalino Latu
-

Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands (PTOA) activists have urged their supporters to demonstrate peacefully next Monday, December 16, during a meeting with Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa in Auckland.

A large turnout is expected and organisers want the pro-democracy demonstration to show Tu’i’onetoa the movement still has strong momentum.

Banners are expected to be displayed outside the hall of the United Church of Tonga Taufa’ahau Tupou IV at Grey St and the group’s supporters are expected to ask tough questions during the meeting in Mangere

The group members were unhappy after Hon. Tu’i’onetoa and some party MPs crossed the floor in September and formed the new People’s Party before they won the premier election.

Hon Tu’i’onetoa defeated Hon Semisi Sika of the PTOA Party, who the late leader, ‘Akilisi Pohiva, wanted to succeed him as Prime Minister.

The Party members were also disappointed after Tu’i’onetoa publicly announced that the PTOA Party was no longer active after leader Pohiva died in September.

Tu’i’onetoa also claimed the Party belonged to the  Pohiva family and questioned why was it not registered as a lawful body with government.

One of the group’s activists, Lihai Lui, appeared in a live Facebook video this morning and urged their members to make sure they demonstrated legally and peacefully.

The clip was shared on PTOA Facebook pages and groups and it was widely supported by members.

A by-election for the seat left vacant by the death of Pohiva has been won last month by his son, Siaosi Pohiva.

For the PTOA party, the win is a life-line for the party’s future, after it lost the premiership election. 

Last week Hon. Tu’ionetoa and New Zealand Deputy PM Winston Peters signed a  Statement of  Partnership between Tonga and New Zealand in Wellington.

The details of the agreement have not been revealed, but Peters said the agreement set out joint priorities for cooperation out to 2023.

“We welcomed Prime Minister Tu‘i‘onetoa on his first visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister,” Peters said.

“Tonga is one of our closest neighbours and we look forward to working with Prime Minster Tu‘i‘onetoa and his new government

“We discussed a range of bilateral issues including security co-operation, economic development, health and education, as well as regional and global challenges such as climate change.”

The planned demonstration came after New Zealand Police investigated threats against Tu’i’onetoa on Facebook after a member of the public laid a criminal complaint.

In a recent statement, police said they spoke to the person involved and found they were “remorseful and meant no harm.”

A police spokesperson said threatening a person was a serious crime that could result in prosecution.

“This is true regardless of who is making the threat or what medium they use. Making these threats can cause serious harm to the victims, whether it is acted upon or not,” police said.

Three Tongan men killed in Highway 24 car crash in Orinda, US

By
Kalino Latu
-

Three men were killed in a single-car crash early Saturday morning on Highway 24 in Orinda when their red 2009 Nissan Versa slammed into a tree, California media have quoted the California Highway Patrol as saying.

Siaki ‘Ete’aki, a paternal uncle of one of the victims, has confirmed to Kaniva news these men were Tongans.

Siaki has identified the men as his nephew Molomona ‘Ete’aki, 31, Sione Vaitafa (age still unknown) and Mauni Pāhulu, 22.

Siaki said the trio were returning home on Highway 24 after a kava party in Concord.

The agency reportedly said the car veered off into a tree-covered hillside north of the highway.

The car then crashed into a tree, killing the three men inside, it said.

Officers arrived to the scene at about 3.07 am and pronounced the three men dead, the agency said on Facebook.

Anyone with information is asked to call the CHP in Martinez at 925-646-4980.

Anthony Joshua defeats Andy Ruiz to reclaim world boxing heavyweight titles

By
Kalino Latu
-

Anthony Joshua defeated Andy Ruiz winning back the WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles Saturday night to again become the heavyweight champion.

All three judges in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, had it 118-110, 118-110 and 119-109 for Joshua.

Joshua has displayed a disciplined performance and kept his opponent at distance and was barely troubled by Ruiz.

“He shed 11lbs for the fight, looking for agility and speed over power. And it was that lightness on his feet that won the day.”

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said: “Tonight he becomes a two-time heavyweight champion of the world and that is beautiful.

“They all wrote him off and he came back, give him the respect.

“We wanted the undisputed for years and years, don’t worry about that. Tonight he’s the king, they wrote him off.”

This is breaking news …..more to come

Bitter relationship between former Minister and Agricultural CEO revealed as PSC hits back against accusations of inefficiency

By
Kalino Latu
-

The CEO of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Dr Viliami Manu failed to obey directions from former Minister of the ministry, MP Losaline Ma’asi, it has been claimed.

MP Ma’asi also alleged that Dr Manu did not sit down with her as required by the Public Service Commission Acts, in a face to face interview to complete his assessment.

MP Ma’asi claimed Dr Manu did not provide important information she needed to help her prepare speeches she had to deliver to the United Nations and the World Food Organsation.

She said she felt the CEO was not cooperative.

As a result, the Minister recommended the Public Service Commission not to extend his contract on October 9, the same day her own position ended when the new government took office.

Hon. Ma’asi accused the PSC of inefficiency and failing to follow procedure.

She said she was surprised when she was told by the new Minister, Lord Tu’ilakepa, that Dr Manu’s contract had  been extended by the PSC.

She questioned the basis of the extension given that the reports on which the PSC based its decision must those she had prepared about Dr Manu.

She said there was no time for Lord Tu’ilakepa to do these reports as he had just became minister in the week Dr Manu’s contract was extended.

Ma’asi told the TBC she sent Dr Manu’s reports to the PSC before recommending his contract not be extended.

Ma’asi told the national broadcster she was baffled by the PSC’s move and asked whether it applied the same standards to all civil servants.

“On which assessement and PMS reports did the PSC base its decision?” Ma’asi has asked during the TBC interview. 

“Misleading and incorrect”

The PSC said Ma’asi’s allegations were misleading and incorrect.

It said the PSC also considered other performance measures routinely used for the overall assessment of all CEOs, which showed Dr Manu was performing well

It said the extension of a CEO’s contract was subject to the Public Service Act.

It said the MAFF CEO’s contract was extended in accordance with the law. The assessment of a CEO’s performance was conducted by the Commission in consultation with the Minister.

“As CEO, Dr. Manu’s annual assessment process included submitting his performance report to the former Minister,’ the PSC said in a statement.

“This gave her the opportunity to comment on his work and to endorse or not to endorse.

“Dr. Manu’s report was submitted to the former Minister. The legal process requires the Minister and the CEO to jointly discuss the report. The former Minister did not meet with the CEO to jointly discuss the report.

“The former Minister failed to submit it to the Commission in time. Six weeks past the deadline, and just before she had physically vacated her Ministerial office, she finally gave the CEO PMS report to the PSC, stating her dissatisfaction with the CEO’s performance.

“The former Minister did not give the CEO the opportunity to discuss her dissatisfaction with his performance report, a requirement of natural justice.

“MP Losaline Ma’asi was Minister over Dr. Manu for only four of the 12 months of his annual performance period. “

The PSC said former Minister Semisi Fakahau, who was the responsible Minister for the rest of the period, found Dr. Manu was performing well.

“At the same time, the PSC also considered other performance measures routinely used for the overall assessment of all CEOs,” the PSC statement said.

“This included the MAFF’s procurement performance; budget performance, HR performance, Revenue targets, Ombudsman report, HR and Audit records.

 “All these performance indicators showed the MAFF CEO was performing well. The PSC also conducted an in-depth interview with the CEO as part of the normal process, and he also confirmed in detail the performance and work of the Ministry.

Corrupt Auckland cop who sold police database information to gangs jailed

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By Catrin Owen, Stuff

A former police officer who admitted illegally accessing the police database to leak information to an organised criminal group has been sentenced to 2 years and 2 months in jail.

Vili Mahe Taukolo, 31, previously admitted accessing the police’s National Intelligence Application (NIA) for a dishonest purpose between February 2018 and March.

On Friday, he was sentenced to 2 years and 2 months in jail by Judge Phillippa Cunningham at the Auckland District Court. 

She ordered he must be kept in segregation until he is assessed as being safe in the general prison population. 

Marie Dyhrberg QC acting on behalf of Taukolo sought permanent name suppression, which was opposed by David Johnstone acting on behalf of the Police and also opposed by Robert Stewart acting on behalf of Stuff and NZME.

The police NIA system stores the personal information and criminal histories of about 40 per cent of New Zealanders.

Taukolo began working for the police in 2015 as an authorised officer before becoming a sworn officer in 2016, Judge Cunningham said. 

At the time of the offending he was a constable working in Auckland Central. 

“You found yourself in the company of organised criminals who kept asking for further information, what might have been a one-off assistance to an old friend, turned into an endless cycle,” Judge Cunningham said. 

Johnstone said Taukolo broke his police oath by illegally accessing the database for the purposes of assisting organised crime groups and then made a personal profit of tens of thousands of dollars in cash.

He said the offending spanned a full year. Taukolo went into the NIA application and moved beyond the first page where it warned about potential criminal ramifications about misusing the information.

Johnstone said the corruption was driven out of personal gain.

Taukolo searched the database more than 20,000 times over a 16 month period. 25 per cent of those were made on a day off, which in itself is not allowed by the police.

While Taukolo was on leave or unwell, he made about 1200 searches. Some of the searches included finding details on 34 of his colleagues, himself and his family members. 

The court heard he made a profit of $70,000 and when police conducted a search of his home found $30,000 cash in his bedroom. 

In October 2018, he searched for details on a high profile police investigation which involved a methamphetamine importation case in Christchurch.

Irregularities in Taukolo’s searches prompted police to audit the NIA searchers which prompted the investigation.

Johnstone said the former cop would look at addresses before then looking up interested persons.

Dyhrberg QC accepted there had been a serious breach of trust and Taukolo accepted he’d brought the police into disrepute.

“He did have a great fall from grace…but the defendant here did not become a criminal,” she said.

“By using his own name it was going to come out. He just kept looking over his shoulder and when it suddenly came to an end, he knew where he was heading…but he was able to get rid of awful anxiety and breaching of who he really was,” Dyhrberg QC said.

Police previously confirmed civil restraining orders had also been issued against the police officer, in accordance with the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.

The Act allows for the forfeiture of assets derived directly or indirectly from significant criminal activity, or which represent the value of a person’s unlawfully derived income.

Taukolo was also convicted on Monday for wilfully damaging the Femme Fatale brothel in September and fined $250.

Police said he was “too intoxicated to make a statement” at the time after he broke a glass panel in a door and a window of the brothel, which had shut. 

“He was told by staff he couldn’t come in and pushed passed them to gain entry,” Judge Cunningham said. 

“DISGRACEFUL”

Auckland City District Commander Superintendent Karyn Malthus, said Taukolo’s actions were “disgraceful” and Police staff “rightly feel betrayed by him”.

“To say that I am disappointed in his actions is an understatement,” Malthus said.

“He has broken not only the high level of trust we place on our own employees, but also the trust that is rightly expected of Police by the public,” Malthus said. 

Malthus said the investigation was exhaustive and spanned months. 

“Not only did his actions amount to a breach of privacy for these individuals, which included some of his own colleagues in New Zealand Police, he committed a serious criminal offence each time,” she said. 

Every one of Taukolo’s NIA transactions over the period of his offending were analysed individually to assess whether it was a legitimate or illegitimate query,” Malthus said. 

“No safety concerns were evident for the vast majority of individuals searched following an analysis of these transactions. If Police have serious concerns for a person’s safety, we will contact those affected.”

Malthus wanted to reassure the community that Police took immediate investigative action when this offending was first discovered, and self-reported the matter to the Independent Police Conduct Authority.

​As a result of the incident, a comprehensive internal review has been conducted to examine the police’s processes and establish if there are any changes it can implement to prevent this type of offending from taking place in the future, and this work remains ongoing, Malthus said.​

PREVIOUS NIA BREACHES

In May 2013, former police prosecutor Timothy John Russell Sarah was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to three charges of supplying methamphetamine, one of possessing the drug and a representative charge of dishonestly accessing the police computer – the National Intelligence Application.

Sarah had accessed the police computer system more than 80 times, gleaning information from the database, which he then passed on to drug-dealing contacts.

The crimes took place between 2010 and mid-2011 and were uncovered as a resulted of Operation Ark – a wider police investigation resulting in multiple arrests.

Data obtained by Stuff showed 89 officers misused the NIA database in the past four years.

Nearly two million people, just over 40 per cent of the population, appear in the NIA with an alert against their name.

The alerts range from flags for firearms licence holders, to warnings the person is a known paedophile.

Police can access the database from their mobile phone or via a computer.

Superintendent Barry Taylor, the national police professional conduct manager, said random NIA audits were conducted each month on around 90 users.

“The user and their supervisor review the transactions with the user explaining or justifying their actions where necessary.”

Since 2015, 184 police staff have been investigated for possible misuse of the database.

Eighty-nine of the allegations were upheld.

As of October, 33 investigations had been launched into alleged police misuse of the NIA in 2019.

Of those, seven had been upheld while 22 were ongoing.

Formal complaint against Electoral Commission alleging it allowed unlawful voters

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Tongatapu 1 by-election has turned nasty, with a supporter of unsuccessful candidate Dr Netatua Pelesikoti Taufatofua lodging a formal complaint alleging that more than 20 new voters unlawfully voted.

Supervisor for Elections, Pita Vuki, has confirmed to local media he has received the complaint and will look into the allegations. 

‘Eliesa Fifita alleged that the election administrators allowed people to vote without sighting their identifications, the Matangi Tonga Online has reported.

The paper has quoted Fifita as saying, they have evidence that a lot of people who were allowed by the election administrators to vote without sighting their identifications.

“These people are prepared to provide affidavits to this effect if required. Once again we believe that the Electoral Commission Election administrators invited the public to join them in breaking the Electoral Law.”

Fifita also alleged a page with Siaosi Pohiva’s name was being displayed on election day, on the administrators desk at Hala-‘O-Vave polling.

“He claimed, voters had reported when they approached the voting table at the Hala-‘O-Vave booth, they saw a sign with Siaosi’s name on the table. This is regarded as advertising Siaosi on the By-Election Day, by the election administrators,” the Matangi Tonga has also reported.

He also alleged there were threats and intimidation of voters on Facebook by the PTOA supporters of Pōhiva.

“’Eliesa alleged that since the By-Election campaign started, they posted life-threatening remarks to Dr Netatua and her supporters violating Section 22 (1) (2) (3) of the Electoral Act 2012.

The complaint was also sent to the Attorney General, Ombudsman and Prime Minister.”

As Kaniva news reported last night, Dr Taufatofua has announced on Tuesday she will not pursue a recount.

She said it was a very close race and upon weighing all her options and meeting with her election campaign committee it’s unlikely she will make up the 16 votes.

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