Home Blog Page 492

Pōhiva, democracy movement did not seek abolition of the monarchy; sought respect for the rights set out in constitution, says researcher

By
Philip Cass
-

The exercise of a power of veto by the king is contrary to what George V envisaged, according to former New Zealand High Commissioner to New Zealand Christine Bogle.

Writing in her doctoral thesis,  Democratisation in Asia-Pacific Monarchies, Bogle said an unsigned paper written  by King George said: “In line with the conventions of Constitutional Monarchy [the Sovereign] would withhold assent only where the legislation in question was an affront to the Constitution or an abuse of power e.g Parliament attempting to prolong its life beyond four years.”

The veto power had been exercised on several occasions by King Tupou VI, on the advice from his privy council about legislation from the governments of Lord Tu’ivakanō and ‘Akilisi Pohiva governments.

As detailed in earlier stories on Bogle’s research, the king has also used his powers to dismiss the government. In August 2017, King Tupou VI dissolved parliament and called elections for November 2017 on the basis of a number of concerns about the government expressed by the Speaker.

Bogle described the king’s actions as “constitutional, but hardly democratic.”

No abolition

However, despite the present monarch’s apparent opposition to the continuing development of democracy in the kingdom, as Bogle points out, the democracy movement did not seek the abolition of the monarchy, but rather a lessening of its involvement in politics.

“Nor did they urge a complete overhaul of the 1875 constitution, but rather respect for the rights and freedoms set out in it, and revision to allow greater political rights,” Bogle wrote.

“The democratic movement also expressed concerns about royal involvement in business – some (but not all) of them fairly dubious arrangements resulting from Tupou IV’s increasingly ambitious and unrealistic schemes to enrich the kingdom.

“Tupou IV was also prey to costly proposals from unscrupulous foreigners.”

Bogle described Hon. Pōhiva as a vocal opponent of the kingdom’s traditional system and the most high profile of the young activists who began working for democratic change.

Bogle said that overseas study, plus emigration and temporary work schemes, meant that Tongans had become familiar with the democratic systems operating in New Zealand, Australia, the US and elsewhere.

“From these beginnings a pro-democracy movement began in the late 1980s, originally seeking more accountability from the government,” Bogle said.

“His initial calls for more government accountability evolved into questioning the undemocratic political system itself.”

As well as ‘Akilisi Pōhiva and other young activists and People’s Representatives, the movement included forward-thinking church leaders, especially Catholic Bishop Patelesio Fīnau and Free Wesleyan Reverend Dr ‘Amanaki Havea, who spoke out against the lack of political rights of the people.

The pro-democracy movement also began to engage with the royal family, whose younger members were  becoming more conscious of the political stagnation in the country.

Cede powers

George V announced in September 2006 that he would give up his business interests, cede his executive powers, and lead the country towards a more democratic system. The process was interrupted by rioting in November of that year.

The Constitutional Reform Commission received submissions and produced recommendations, which were adopted by parliament in advance of elections under the new system in November 2010.

Since then the democratic party of Hon Pōhiva has come to power and won a second election, but arguments about the relative powers of the monarch and the government continue.

Bogle said this was illustrated by the uncertainty about the demarcation between the king’s and the government’s responsibilities for foreign affairs. In 2015 the Pōhiva cabinet, as the culmination of a long consultation process including the previous government, decided to sign the United Nations convention on the elimination of discrimination against women (CEDAW).

However, the government’s advice to the UN of its intention to accede was subsequently withdrawn after the ‘King in Council’ advised the government that decisions to sign on to international conventions were the prerogative of the monarch.

This was based on a contested interpretation of the constitution provided by the Law Lords.

The main points

  • The exercise of a power of veto by the king is contrary to what George V envisaged, according to former New Zealand High Commissioner to New Zealand Christine Bogle.
  • King George said: “In line with the conventions of Constitutional Monarchy [the Sovereign] would withhold assent only where the legislation in question was an affront to the Constitution or an abuse of power e.g Parliament attempting to prolong its life beyond four years.”

For more information

Former High Commissioner’s work highlights role of royal family in helping transition to democracy
King disappointed commoner not chosen as PM after 2010 election, says new research

Jason Taumālolo’s father wants to “leave son alone;” complaint letter was unsigned, says Television Tonga

By
Kalino Latu
-

The father of Jason Taumālolo, Va’ai Taumālolo has denied his son met with other Mate Ma’a Tonga players before complaints against the Tonga Interim National League board were made to the Prime Minister.  

Va’ai took to Facebook and wrote on the Tonga Rugby League page today saying he had questioned Jason whether it was true he had signed a letter.

He said his son said he had not signed the letter and admitted he never met with the players

Va’ai has called on those involved with the complaints to leave his son alone.

He said his son only joined the Mate Ma’a Tonga to play and if he was no longer fit to be selected than that was it.

He believed his son was used by some people to support what appeared to be a political “campaign.”

Va’ai said he believed the elected board members were the right people to do the job.

His comments came after Television Tonga reported on Friday that prop Andrew Fifita has complaint to the Prime Minister against the interim rugby league board.

The story was also carried by Kaniva news last night.

The TVT’s Friday report did not say that Jason or any of the Mate Ma’a Tonga players signed the letter, rather it said Fifita made the complaint to the Prime Minister on behalf of the Mate Ma’a Tonga team players.

Tonga Broadcasting Station Manager Setita Tau’i’onetoa told Kaniva news this evening she received a letter purporting to raise the issues revealed by Fifita’s complaint, but the letter was not signed.

It is understood the letter was sent  by e-mail, but the copy of the letter sent to us did not show the sender’s email address.  

The letter demanded that the interim board members must not be re-elected at the upcoming Annual General Meeting.

It was labelled “confidential” and addressed to Todd Greenberg – CEO National Rugby League, Nigel Wood – CEO Rugby League International Federation , Jeremy Edwards – GM Southern Hemisphere Rugby League International Federation, Ian Pendergrast – CEO Rugby League Players’ Association and Clint Newton – GM Stakeholder Relations Rugby League Players Association.

 “This letter is to state that we, the players representing Mate Ma’a Tonga, do not support the current TNRL Board of Directors led by Chairman George Koloamatangi and Secretary William Edwards,” the first paragraph read.

It raised a number of issues including claims that the players would withdraw from any further involvement with Mate Ma’a Tonga if the interim board members were re-elected.

“…we will be withdrawing from the World Nines to be played in October 2019 and considering a position for the upcoming Tests against Great Britain and Australia. We are also very concerned from what we are hearing from our families in Tonga, that the current Board are delaying the upcoming AGM. Our position on the World Nines and the Tests will not change if the AGM is not held and a fair selection process of a new Board does not occur before these events in October,” the unsigned letter said.

As we reported last night, the interim board has denied the accusations made in the letter and said it would respond to the complaints.

The interim board was appointed by the Tonga Supreme Court after it received complaints demanding an audit of the board’s financial matters.

An audit report was expected last month which would give way to the election of new board members in an upcoming Annual General Meeting.

The main points

  • The father of Jason Taumalolo, Va’ai Taumalolo has denied his son met with other Mate Ma’a Tonga players before complaints against the Tonga Interim National League board were made to the Prime Minister. 
  • Va’ai has called on those involved with the complaints to leave his son alone.

For more information

Andrew Fifita lodges complaints against interim National League board; players threatened to pull out of Mate Ma’a Tonga

Andrew Fifita lodges complaints against interim National League board; players threatened to pull out of Mate Ma’a Tonga

Andrew Fifita lodges complaints against interim National League board; players threatened to pull out of Mate Ma’a Tonga

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Mate Ma’a Tonga team has complained to Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva, saying they were dissatisfied with the interim National Rugby League Board.

According to Television Tonga, the complaint was submitted to Hon Pōhiva by prop Andrew Fifita on behalf of the team players.

They also complained to the Australia National Rugby League.

The players threatened to pull out from any further involvement with Mate Ma’a Tonga if their complaints were not resolved, it said.

The team players claimed the interim board had breached agreements they made in their first meeting.

The Mate Ma’a players were not happy after the interim board allegedly changed the coach for the World  Cup Nines 2019 next month.

The players claimed the board used the league funds deposited in bank accounts in Australia.

Response

The board has denied the claims to the Television Tonga and said action was underway to respond to the complaints.  

It said it used the money from the Australian bank accounts to fund necessary expenses for the Mate Ma’a Tonga team.

TVT has reported that it obtained a copy of an unsigned letter which purported to show some of the issues raised by Fifita.

The complaints have triggered calls from the public to return Deputy Prime Minister Sēmisi Sika to the League.

The Editor of Kele’a newspaper, Po’uliva’ati Havili, said on Facebook today there could be no denying the Mate Ma’a Tonga team was at the top while Hon. Sika was president of the League.

Havili said since the interim board began operating the League there appeared to be issues which led to Mate Ma’a Tonga fans losing their close affinity and support for the national team.

“These were the fānau who united the country and brought matchless warmth, but since the establishment of this board there appeared to be noticeably lack of supports and the players now are disappointed,” Havili said.

“Ko e kii fifili: Na kuo taimi nai ke fakafoki mai pe ‘a Misi Sika mo ‘ene timi ke fakalele ‘etau liiki?”

This translate into English as: “The question is – Was it about time to return Misi Sika (Hon. Sika) and his team to run the league,” Havili wrote in Tongan.

As Kaniva news reported, reports on the Tonga National Rugby League’s finances due last month was the key to the election of new board members.

The Supreme Court dissolved the TNRL board and ordered an election of new board members at a special general meeting.

Tonga to open first public library system with thousands of books donated from NZ

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Indira Stewart, RNZ

Thousands of books have been donated by more than 50 Auckland Council libraries among the hundreds of other items given by generous New Zealanders including bikes, laptops and more.

It’s the brainchild of South Auckland couple Kahoa and Brendan Corbett, who for the past year have been packing up donated goods almost every month to be shipped to Kolovai, the village where the library is located.

“That’s the non-fiction, fiction, there’s biographies there,” Mrs Corbett said, pointing to a stack of boxes at the Onehunga-based CFR Line shipping company inside which hundreds of books have been categorised and are about to be shipped to Tonga. 

It’s a dream come true for the couple, who visited Kolovai eighteen months ago after it had suffered some of the worst impacts of Cyclone Gita.

Children with books in Tonga

Children with books in Tonga Photo: RNZ

“I looked at the schools. It was just nothing left … I said ‘Well, we have to do something about this’ because there were no books.”

The couple helped in the clean up and restoration of the cyclone-ravaged village and over time, Mrs Corbett noticed an abandoned community fale, which sparked an idea. 

“The fence was totally ripped, the pigs were everywhere. So I just went straight to the town officer and I asked him ‘Hey, what are you doing with that house? Would I be able to start up a library in there?’.”

Now that idea is about to become a reality. 

While it may be a surprise for some that Tonga has never had a proper public library before, the little South Pacific kingdom is full of avid readers and has a 99 percent literacy rate. 

There have been other community venues open to the public with resources and various donated books but the Kolovai library is said to be the first to operate with a catalogued library system, allowing books to be issued and loaned out to members of the public – a system set up with the help of Auckland libraries in New Zealand.
 
The Corbetts explained that apart from what the kids learned in school, much of the island was limited to reading only the bible, with very little access to any other literature.

“The first thing I did was I called and I wanted to speak to the manager of the Auckland libraries because I said that I needed some books. I said I really want to start up a library. All of a sudden the emails, the phone calls arrived and it was just amazing. ‘Kahoa we’ve got books here, Kahoa we’ve got books there’. It came from everywhere.”

Fifty-two council libraries around Auckland have donated thousands of books since that call – but that’s not all that came through.

SkyTV donated 30 laptops, New Zealand bike company ONZO donated dozens of bikes, Bunnings Warehouse gave paint for the renovations and even Mr Corbett’s students pitched in to help.

“The books were pouring in but we had no shelves. So I was the Tech teacher at Southern Cross just up the road here and we needed a project for these kids so I said “Well, we’ll fund it. We’ll buy all the materials and we’ll get the kids to build all these shelves’,” he said.

“We built shelf after shelf after shelf and packed them all down and then loaded them into a container that was going up.”

To top off all the free donations, CFR Line Shipping company offered to send everything to Tonga at no cost.

When the containers arrived at the port in Nuku’alofa, Tonga’s capital, all the locals pitched in to help.

“We had the kids trained up with a laptop and a scanner trying to load everything in. They were loving it,” Mr Corbett said.

Local children shelving books in Tonga's first public library

Local children shelving books in Tonga’s first public library Photo: Kahoa Corbett

“When we got there the fence was all fixed up,” Mrs Corbett said.

“And they did the peitō, toileti and the ‘atō.” 

Those are the Tongan words for the kitchen, toilet and the roof. Mr Corbett is European but the couple shared much of their story in the Tongan language.

The couple have been back to the kingdom multiple times to help set up the library and they said every time they arrived, village locals always turned up to help.

“They all came, they all helped. They were like hammering away and the kids from the village helped. Brendan instructed them, he got the paintbrushes,” Mrs Corbett said.

“As soon as they saw all the power tools they just flocked in. It was like bees to a honey pot,” Mr Corbett said.

“It only took a couple of minutes for me to just show them. If I got one finished and they’d be like ” ‘Io, ‘ilo au Peni, ‘ilo au. Ō mai me’a ngauē!” (I know Peni, I know. Hand me the tools!) And they just went to town and built about seven of these things – all the same. And they just knocked them all together.

Children in Tonga put together shelves for Tonga's first public library

Children in Tonga put together shelves for Tonga’s first public library Photo: Kahoa Corbett

“They were like a bunch of contractors, they were so fantastic. Screwing all these shelves together and then they wanted to paint them. The shelves all got built and painted and they’re all perfect. It was hilarious.”

“Once we opened up all the boxes and started shelving the kids were gasping and pointing ‘Dinosaurs! dinosaurs! dinosaurs!”, Mrs Corbett said.

“They got very distracted, they started to read and they were always gasping in amazement. And they just keep coming and coming and I think the parents were looking for them but they were still at the library. It was amazing.”

The couple said some village adults were suspicious about the library at first because they didn’t understand what it was and didn’t see any point in it.

But over time, even they began taking an interest in the books too.

“There’s a women’s group – a mother’s group and they turn up with their little kids and you know, it’s a bit scary – the kids just wander around and the mothers get all absorbed in these books. So they’re pulling out books here and there.”

Others even made a detour to the library on their way to church choir practice.

“They stopping by, they were like looking at the library,” Ms Corbett said.

“The cooking books are everywhere and they’re like – ‘Oh I like this!’ And there’s a couple of them just standing there flicking the pages.”

Local Tongan woman looking at books in library

Local Tongan woman looking at books in library Photo: Kahoa Corbett

Some of the elders, who had moved back to Tonga to retire after living overseas for many years, were rapt to see a library in the kingdom for the first time.

“One of the old uncles would come in everyday, Siola’a, and he goes ‘Peni, you got any John Grisham crime books?’ And so we start hunting through because it wasn’t quite catalogued then. So every time I came across a John Grisham while we were unloading books, I put it aside for Siola’a,” Mr Corbett said.

“The next day he comes back – ‘You got anymore? I finish that one’, he says, ‘I was here the other day and I saw something called mixing cocktails. I want to have a go at mixing some cocktails’.

“This is in the middle of a village in the most remote end of Tonga, you know. It’s awesome.”

As the library prepares for its official opening on October 11th, Mrs Corbett has been putting up framed pictures on the walls inside the library – they’re photos of successful Tongans around the world including many who have graduated with doctorates.

On the stands are biography books of Tongan legends such as Jonah Lomu and Valerie Adams.

Mrs Corbett said she hoped the library inspired the village locals, and especially the kids, to dream big.

“I feel really happy to see the reaction from the community, understanding why it’s important to have books. It’s opened them up to another world,” she said.

“It’s been a tough road and it’s been hard work but now we’re nearly there and I’m happy that we’ve done something for the community.”

USP to enforce report on mismanagement and abuse of office

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By RNZ

The University of the South Pacific says it will implement the recommendations of the independent investigator looking into allegations of mismanagement and abuse of office at the regional institution.

BDO Auckland was engaged to investigate alleged corruption at the university.

According to the Islands Business, the USP Council said in a statement the BDO report had resulted in a “range of findings and recommendations that will need to be addressed to ensure the sound operation of the university”.

However, the council did not say what the BDO’s recommendations are.

The allegations were raised in a paper by the Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia, titled Issues, Concerns and Breaches of Past Management and Financial Decisions.

Fijivillage reported a committee, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, will review the report.

The BDO report was received by the USP Council last week.

The Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Henry Puna, and Fiji’s Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum are also on the committee.


Tonga announces squad for Rugby World Cup

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The Ikale Tahi squad has been named for Rugby World Cup 2019, with players joining Tonga’s campaign from all over the world for the tournament in Japan kicking off in September.

Players from clubs in England, France, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, USA and one Tongan based player will come together to represent Ikale Tahi.

Tonga will face England, Argentina, France and the USA in the battle of Pool C.

Ikale Tahi Head Coach, Toutai Kefu said: “I’d like to congratulate all players who have been selected in our country’s squad for the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

“We’ve brought together some really exciting players who are all very passionate about representing Tonga and the red jersey on the biggest stage in our sport.

“Our squad is comprised of players who play in some of the top competitions around the world including the English Premiership, the Top 14 and Super Rugby; for us it is now about getting that time together and building towards that first game against England.

“We’ve got a big week of preparation ahead of us in Hamilton before we take on the All Blacks and we’re looking forward to continuing the hard work we’ve started.

“We take the responsibility of representing the people of Tonga either at home, or wherever they are in the world with a great sense of pride and humility and we look forward to doing them proud in our campaign.”

Tonga face the All Blacks at FMG Stadium, Waikato on Saturday 7 September before departing for Japan.

Tonga 2019 Rugby World Cup 

 Siegfried ‘Fisiihoi, Pau, Falaleu & ‘Utui (Vv) Vunipola Fifita, Brumbies, Kala’au And Malapo (Tt) Latu ‘Talakai, Eastwood, Leimatu’a (Vv) Paula ‘Ngauamo, Agen, Vaini, Kolomotu’a, Fasi & Kolofo’ou (Tt) Sosefo ‘Sakalia, Asia Pacific Dragons, Ma’ufanga (Tt) & Nomuka (Hp) Siua Maile, Shirley, Mata’aho (Eua) Siua ‘Halanukonuka, Glasgow, Hoi (Tt) Ma’afu Fia, Ospreys, Ha’avakatolo, Holonga (Tt) & Olo’ua (Vv)  Ben Tameifuna, Racing Metro, Pea (Tt) Sam Lousi, Hurricanes, Kanokupolu (Tt) & Leimatu’a (Vv) Leva Fifita, Grenoble, Neiafu (Vv)  Sitiveni Mafi, Castres, ‘Ahau, Kolovai (Tt), Sailoame, Talau (Vv) Sione Kalamafoni, Leicester, Matahau, Te’ekiu (Tt) & Otea (Vv) Maama ‘Vaipulu, Castres, Folaha (Tt) Fotu ‘Lokotui, Counties Manukau, Longoteme (Tt) Zane ‘Kapeli, Bay Of Plenty, Utungake (Vv) Dan Faleafa, Austin Elite, Kolomotu’a & Kolovai (Tt) Nasi Manu, Treviso, Vaini & Ha’ateiho (Tt) Sonatane Takulua, Newcastle Falcons, Lapaha, Ma’ufanga (Tt) & Niuatoputapu Leon ‘Fukofuka, Auckland, Ha’avakatolo, Fo’ui & Ha’alalo (Tt) Samisoni Fisilau, Auckland Marist, Longolongo (Tt) And Leimatu’a (Vv) Kurt Morath, Doncaster, Leimatu’a (Vv) James ‘Faiva, Silverstorm El Salvador, Ngele’ia & Kotu (Hp) Siale Piutau, Bristol Bears, Kolofo’ou & Folaha (Tt) Malietoa Hingano, Bayonne, Makaunga, Talafo’ou, Nukuleka, Holonga (Vv) And Utuali’i (Upolu) Nafi Tuitavake, Northhampton, Kolofo’ou & Fasi (Tt) Atieli Pakalani, Eastwood, Ha’ateiho (Tt) & Feletoa (Vv) David Halaifonua, Coventry, Fatumu & Tukulalo, Houma (Vv) Viliami Lolohea, Papatoetoe, Navutoka (Tt) & Niuatoputapu Cooper Vuna, Newcastle Falcons, Houma (Tt) Telusa Veainu, Leicester, Matahau (Tt) & Longolongo (Tt) 

2019 Tonga Rugby World Cup Fixtures  

Tonga v England, Sunday 22 September, Sapporo Dome, Sapporo  Tonga v Argentina, Saturday 28 September, Hanazono Stadium, Osaka Prefecture, Higashiosaka City Tonga v France, Sunday 6 October, Kumamoto Stadium, Kumamoto Prefecture, Kumamoto City Tonga v USA, Sunday 13 October, Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Osaka Prefecture, Higashiosaka City

Comancheros gang member Jarome Fonua on the run

By
Kalino Latu
-

A Comancheros member is still on the run  after he allegedly committed serious offences including assault, participating in an organised criminal group and possession for supply of meth.

Jerome Fonua ,24, is of very large build and can be identified by his facial tattoos, which include the word Comanchero under his right eye and a diamond with 1% under his left eye.

He also has the word “Parabellum” on the right side of his forehead.

He has links across Tamaki Makaurau.

Raids which led to Fonua and others being targeted while some were arrested by Police saw some $4 million of assets seized by police, including firearms and several luxury vehicles such as a Rolls-Royce Wraith and gold-plated Harley Davidson motorcycles, NZ Herald has reported.

Fonua – along with Connor Clausen, 28, Tyson Daniels, 30, and Pasilika Naufahu, 31 – have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

During the Operation Nova raids, four Range Rovers worth $150,000 each were seized by authorities as well as the family home of the lawyer alleged to have laundered $2.4 million for the Comancheros motorcycle gang.

The lawyer, 40, has name suppression.

He is charged with money laundering and cocaine possession. 

A $10,000 gold chain and a $13,000 Louis Vuitton bag were also seized.

Anyone who sees him should contact 111 immediately. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact Police on 09 259 0666 or you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

OPINION: King must be partner in democratic reforms to honour his late brother’s plans and reflect the wishes of the people

By
Kalino Latu and Philip Cass
-

Recent stories in Kaniva News on the role of the Tongan monarchy in the democratic reforms have underlined just how far – and just how little – the kingdom has come.

The stories have been based on research by former New Zealand High Commissioner to New Zealand Christine Bogle whose work examined the function of monarchies in Tonga, Bhutan, Nepal and Thailand.

While her academic focus has been on the royals, there can be no denying the changes were also the work of commoners, politicians and the media working in an unspoken partnership.

Unfortunately, that partnership has faltered.

If democracy is to prosper and progress in Tonga that partnership must be reignited and the onus for doing that lies with the monarchy.

READ MORE:

King George V’s support for the 2010 political reforms reflected a forward looking vision that showed a sincere and genuine desire for the government to be led by the people

Unfortunately, the present monarch does not seem to have the same commitment.

The late King George V’s political reforms were transitional, meaning more reforms and improvements were expected later.

Those reforms can only come with the support of King Tupou VI, who still holds  most of the political powers in Tonga.

However, Tupou VI’s actions have not encouraged the belief that he favours democracy.

He has shown no great love for the democratic governments of ‘Akilisi Pohiva and his political stance. Pōhiva was a fierce political rival of his father, the late King Tupou IV.

King Tupou VI’s dissolution of Parliament in 2017 at the behest of Lord Tu’ivakanō, underlined his apparent dislike of democracy.

After the dissolution and the democrats’ subsequent re-election, the king refused to meet with the PM, despite the fact that the constitution stipulates that he and the Prime Minister must meet on regular basis to discuss government matters.

His reluctance to support the six new bills submitted by the government, which would bring more necessary democratic power to the executive, appears to have been influenced by the only people he meets regularly, the nobles and the law lords.

There are still more reforms to be made and still more work to be done on the constitution.

The Pursglove report and comments by Dr Rodney Harrison about the constitution and some illegalities regarding the king’s and his council’s powers are crystal clear.

King Tupou VI, who ordered the Ombudsman and the Attorney General to investigate the Pōhiva government after receiving a series of petitions, should come forward and say something about these important issues.

It is time for the king to work with the government as a partner in the continuing process of democratic reforms.

That way he would honour his late brother’s plans and reflect the wishes of his people.

Fiji too strong for Tonga in final World Cup warm-up

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By RNZ

Fiji rounded out their preparations for the Rugby World Cup with a 29-19 victory over Tonga in the second game of the Pasifika Challenge in Auckland on Saturday.

‘Ikale Tahi captain Siale Piutau opened the scoring with a third minute try but Fiji capitalised on a Tongan error six minutes later to launch a long-range raid that ended in Josua Tuisova scoring to level the match at 7-7.

Tongan hooker Paula Ngauamo scored through an impressive rolling maul to put the kingdom back in front midway through the first half but despite having close to 90 percent possession in the opening quarter, Tonga were unable to convert most of that pressure into points. It was Fiji who pounced on another turnover four minutes later as Vereniki Goneva scored another thrilling try against the run of the play to tie the match at 12-12.

The Flying Fijians then scored either side of half-time, through former sevens star Semi Kunatani, who impressed throughout, and captain Dominko Waqaniburotu.

The 12 point buffer was extended when hooker Sam Matavesi scored Fiji’s fifth try of the day before the hour mark.

To complete a fine day for hookers, replacement Sefo Sakalia scored for Tonga early in the final quarter to close the deficit back to 12 points but Fiji’s defence held firm for the rest of the match.

Flying Fijian coach John McKee said it was an area where they performed very strongly.

“We knew we were in for a physical encounter and certainly we got that,” he said.

“I thought our defensive effort tonight was very good. We worked very hard in defence – in our phase defence and our goal-line defence at times – so that aspect of our game was for me very positive.

“I thought there was some good individual tackling as well so that worked well for us,” McKee said.

Tongan coach Toutai Kefu was pleased with the way his team started the match but said a string of turnovers and a failure to execute on attack proved too much to overcome.

“Turnovers killed us today,” he lamented post-match.

“I think we got about 15 turnovers so just being a little bit more clinical in attack, making better options (and) probably executing some simple stuff as well,” Kefu said.

“Bar probably three or four moments there we could have been 18-0 up but we made a few mistakes, they got two easy turnover tries but that’s Fiji.

“I thought there was enough good there to keep pressing on and enough there to keep the group positive.”

Tonga will announce their Rugby World Cup squad on Monday and Kefu said the coaching staff were still sorting through some of the final selections.

“We’ve got a squad of 33 so we’ll drop two out and we’ll just discuss like at the moment we’ve got nine front-rowers so we might even discuss whether we take one less and gamble on the props to allow maybe another back to come in so we’ll have those discussions later.”


Tongan church elder keen to highlight impact of measles as free vaccinations launch

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By Jessie Chiang, RNZ

A Tongan church elder in Auckland says there needs to be more awareness in the community about the seriousness of measles.

Free vaccinations are being offered in South Auckland today as a part of the response to the growing outbreak.

Free clinics are also operating at the Clendon Shopping Centre in Manurewa and Middlemore Hospital.

There more than 920 cases of measles across the country prompting outreach programmes like the one at the Free Church of Tonga in Māngere.

A church elder, Reverend Ifalame Teisi, said the church is concerned about what’s happening.

He said people need to get immunised and it’s important to spread the word.

“They need others to raise awareness; to talk to them and make sure they know this is serious in regard to their health and they need to make use of the opportunity we have here today [for vaccinations]. But there’ll be more people coming in.”

A community nurse says it’s important to have drop in centres for measles vaccinations to encourage people to get immunised.

There are now 778 in Auckland. Nationwide that number is more than 920.

That’s prompted vaccinations being offered without charge at three locations in South Auckland today.

Community nurse Sita Moala said it was important to have the drop in centres. More places where people could get vaccinated was crucial, she said.

She was working at the drop in centre at the Free Church of Tonga in Mangere today and said they had been busy.

“Some people because they are busy with working, and going to the doctors can be hard sometimes can be hard because you have to wait in a long queue and have to pay for it, but they come over here and we vaccinate and it’s free,” Ms Moala said.

The majority of the measles cases – 762 – are in Auckland.

The outbreak has caused the cancellation of a high school rugby league championship this weekend and health officials fear that herd immunity to the disease may already be lost.

School Sport New Zealand said 79 tournaments involving 20,000 students are being held around the country next week. They are in regular contact with health officials and will notify people if there are any cancellations.

Yesterday, the government announced it had activated a National Health Coordination Centre in response to the measles outbreak.

The centre will help coordinate the response to the outbreak and provide a single point of contact for district health boards.

1...491492493...958Page 492 of 958