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Tonga holds global health regulation workshop as WHO head issues pandemic warning

By
Philip Cass
-

Tonga holds global health regulation workshop as WHO head issues pandemic warning

Tonga was working with the World Health Organisation to strengthen its ability to respond to global health threats, the CEO of the kingdom’s Ministry of Health said today.

Speaking to Kaniva Tonga news, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola said the Ministry is running a workshop next week on the International Health Regulations (IHR) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.

Dr ‘Akau’ola  was responding to a warning from the WHO’s new regional director that Pacific nations must prepare for the threat of a pandemic from re-emerging diseases.

Dr Takeshi Kasai was confirmed as new head of WHO at the end of last month.

He said he would support in three key areas that Pacific member states had identified as priorities for the future: health security, non-communicable diseases and ageing and environmental and climate change.

Dr Kasai  said island nations must develop new approaches to cope with these challenges.

He said non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and diabetes were already the leading cause of death in the Western Pacific.

He said the WHO did not know when or where the next pandemic would happen, but  it would happen.

“We are well aware of this report from WHO,” Dr ‘Akau’ola said.

“Tonga is working together with WHO to strengthen our preparedness to respond to these global health threats.”

Dr ‘Akau’ola said the International Health Regulations was concerned with the prevention, detection and containment of public health risks, especially infectious diseases of pandemic potential, at source, before they spread across borders.

The main points

  • Tonga was working with the World Health Organisation to strengthen its ability to respond to global health threats, the CEO of the kingdom’s Ministry of Health said today.
  • Speaking to Kaniva Tonga news, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola said the Ministry was running a workshop next week on the International Health Regulations (IHR) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.

For more information

Dr Takeshi Kasai appointed WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific

https://www.who.int/westernpacific/news/detail/26-01-2019-dr-takeshi-kasai-appointed-who-regional-director-for-the-western-pacific

Pacific urged to prepare for threat of pandemic

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/381355/pacific-urged-to-prepare-for-threat-of-pandemic

Former Tongan Director of Health dies in Auckland

By
Kalino Latu
-

Former Tonga Ministry of Health director Dr Laumeesi Malolo has died aged 87.

A family spokesperson has confirmed his death to Kaniva news.

He said Dr Malolo died peacefully in his sleep at Middlemore hospital on Wednesday 30 at 5pm.  

Dr Malolo was Tongan-born New Zealand MP Jenny Salesa’s  uncle-in-law.

His wife Kasānita Malolo is MP Salesa’s aunt.

Fotofili will keep position despite suspension: “He’s still our captain,” says coach

By
Philip Cass
-

Despite being suspended after an on-field incident in Hamilton last Saturday, Tana Fotofili will lead Tonga in the Sydney Sevens this weekend.

Tonga will play South Africa on Saturday morning and Australia at Spotless Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

They will play Argentina on Saturday night.

Australia took out the  men’s and women’s titles in 2018.

Fotofili was suspended after he broke the jaw of American player Perry Baker during a dangerous tackle.

He was also named for an incident during their game with Kenya on Sunday, which they lost 19-12.

Fotofili, 24, was suspended for four games, which meant he was not captain when  the Tongan 7s team defeated Japan 31-7 and France 33-10.

Tonga finished 13th in Hamilton.

Tongan Rugby 7s coach Tevita Tu’ifua said Fotofili would retain his leadership role this weekend.

“He’s still our captain here in Sydney,” Tu’ifua said.

“He’ll be missing the first two pool games and will join in in the last pool game for Saturday.

“Our main target is for (the World Series Qualifier in) Hong Kong.”

The main points

  • Despite being suspended after an on-field incident in Hamilton last Saturday, Tana Fotofili will lead Tonga in the Sydney Sevens this weekend.
  • Tonga will play South Africa on Saturday morning and Australia on Saturday afternoon.

For more information

Tonga 7s stick with suspended skipper for Sydney

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/381359/sport-tonga-7s-stick-with-suspended-skipper-for-sydney

Pau‘uvale brothers cleared over iron pipe assault case

By
Kalino Latu
-

The three brothers in the serious bodily harm case of Dave Kanongata’a have been acquitted on all charges at Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa.

Chief Justice Owen Paulsen told Amoni, Tu’iano and Filipe Pau’uvale that they were not guilty of the charges and they were discharged accordingly.

It has been alleged in the indictment ‘Amoni  used an iron pipe, Tu’iano used a rock and Filipe used a piece of wood to inflict ‘wounds’ on Kanongata’a

The three accused entered pleas of not guilty and elected trial before a judge sitting alone without a jury.

Mr Paulsen heard testimony for three days from January 22-24 and decided to clear the brothers.

It was alleged that Kanongata’a had used a machete to hit ‘Amoni’s hand causing a deep laceration.

In a previous court case, Kanongata’a was acquitted on that charge.

Aside from this, however, Paulsen said he has not found a resolution of the case easy.

“Part of the reason is the failure of the Crown to call a number of witnesses who were present that night and were witnesses to the events.

“Also I am left in doubt as to whether prior to the wounding the accused as he had alleged, did in fact suffer an injury to the head from a steel bar carried at the time by the complainant, ‘Amoni Pau’uvale.

“The accused said in re-examination by his counsel, Mr. Tu’utafaiva, that he had taken a medical report to the police at the time it seems he lodged a complaint.

“The officer in charge was unable to confirm whether a complaint had been laid and nor did the Crown adduce evidence to refute that a medical report had been given to the police by the accused.”

Mr Paulsen said he was left in doubt whether Kanongata’a suffered a wound to his head.

Mr Paulsen also said he did not accept the evidence of Kanongata’a and his sister Sauni that the three accused jointly attacked Dave.

“The evidence satisfied me that Filipe, ‘Amoni and Solomone had gone to assist Tu’iano, who was fighting Semisi, and that only Filipe fought Dave and with his fists.”

“There were aspects of the accused’s evidence that I found surprising. For instance, Filipe said he did not see ‘Amoni with a pipe or Dave with the machete. “The judge said he found the Pau’uvales “to be generally credible witnesses.”

“ They said they had not been drinking that night and there was no challenge to this evidence. Their recollection of events was broadly consistent and in the main was plausible.

The prosecution case proceeded on a different basis than the indictments suggested would be the case in two respects.

“First, although the indictments allege that the three accused took part in a joint attack upon Dave and that each had used a certaln weapon (an iron pipe, timber or rock), at trial the prosecution evidence was that only the iron pipe was used on Dave. Also, the indictments allege the infliction of ‘wounds’ upon

“Dave (although this may be a typographical error) but at trial it was alleged that he suffered one wound to the head from being struck by the iron pipe wielded by ‘Amoni, albeit as part of a joint attack by all three accused.”

Lord Tu’ivakanō’s court case back in court

By
Kalino Latu
-

The king’s noble accused of committing passport offences, money laundering and bribery will be back in court after next month.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said,  Lord Tu’ivakanō’s arraignment is set for March 19.

The former Speaker and Prime Minister had been charged with 10 counts, including making a false statement for the purpose of obtaining a passport, perjury, acceptance of bribery and money laundering.

He was arrested on March 2018 shortly after Police Minister Māteni Tapueluelu had resigned citing disappointment over what he had described as lack of commitment in the way how authorities addressed allegations of corruption in the Ministry of Police.

“The case has been committed to the Supreme Court to be called on 19 March 2019 for arraignment,” the spokesperson said.

She said a trial date will be announced on that day.

The court case had been postponed repeatedly since the noble’s first appearance in court on March 2018.

The noble’s court case was expected to be heard on 9 August 2018 after it had been adjourned numerous times due to various filing of document needs and related matters 

‘Atonio Moeaki gets life imprisonment for brutal murder of dentist

By
Kalino Latu
-

‘Atonio Moeaki was on Monday sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a young dentist, Sione Feo Lau’i, outside a night club in Nuku’alofa in 2018.

Dr Feo Lau’i, 23, died in hospital on February 15, 2018, six days after he suffered from severe head injuries.

A seven-member-jury did unanimously agree to recommend the guilty verdict after Moeaki repeatedly struck Dr Feo Lau’i’s body with an aluminium baseball bat on February 9.

The court was told, Moeaki, 40, chased the victim down the road before brutally assaulting him following an argument outside Nauti Ruby nightclub. Moeaki was a bouncer at the bar.

Moeaki first pleaded not guilty to murder, manslaughter and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm when he first appeared in court on September 2018.

As Kaniva news reported at the time, Dr. Feo Lau’i was a dentist at Vaiola dental care services after returning from the University of the South Pacific in December 2017.

The attack resembled that of the assault on a previous victim, the court was told. But that victim avoided being killed in 2016.

Moeaki was fined TP$200 and a one-year probation was imposed at the Magistrate’s Court for that offence.

PSC picks Edgar Cocker as Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has picked the Ministry of Labour and Commerce CEO Edgar Cocker as Tonga’s new Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet, reports said.

The news came after the Prime Minister reportedly told local radio station FM 87.5 that Cocker has been elected by a PSC panel.

However, the Prime Minister’s media spokesperson Lōpeti Senituli told Kaniva news this morning the PSC has yet to officially inform the PM’s Office.

In an email, Cocker did not deny the news but said he has yet to receive the “official endorsement.”

The post became vacant in July 2018 after the former chief secretary and secretary to cabinet, Dr. Palenitina Langa’oi Tiueti, resigned to join her husband who was being sent to California by the United Methodist Church.

Cocker was appointed as CEO for the Ministry of Commerce, Consumer, Trade, Innovation and Labour on 30 October, 2017 and was expected to end in 2021.

Cable repair ship locates underwater problem as TCC increases satellite internet capacity

By
Philip Cass
-

The break in the underwater cable that has hampered internet operations in Tonga has been located.

However, there has been no indication of how long it will take to repair the break.

The cable repair ship Reliance located the fault and reported that the cable had moved south east from where it was laid.

The cause of the damage has not yet been determined.

The Reliance was docked at the Queen Salote wharf in Nuku’alofa last night.

Meanwhile, the Tonga Communication Corporation has engaged a number of satellite providers to increase TCC’s internet capacity.

TCC CEO Timote Katoanga said these included Spark New Zealand,  Intelsat, Speedcast from Australia and Ezynet in Tonga. 

Wi-fi

Katoanga, said there was no plan to increase the TP$3 charge for customers using its wi-fi.

He said the free wi-fi was provided because after the outage occurred the satellite internet was not immediately available through telephone lines and telephone calls overseas were also been cut off.

He said once the satellite internet became available for homes and businesses through landline and overseas telephone calls last week, the free wi-fi service was removed.

He said TCC first charged $2.88 and to make money changes easier they increased it to TP$3. 

The main points

  • The break in the underwater cable that has hampered internet operations in Tonga has been looted.
  • However, there has been no indication of how long it will take to repair the break.

For more information

Reliance locates international cable fault

http://www.gov.to/press-release/reliance-locates-international-cable-fault/

Internet blackout “emotionally distressing;” TCC ends free wi-fi link to satellite service

By
Kalino Latu
-

The internet blackout in Tonga is “emotionally distressing” for local people, a Kaniva Tonga correspondent has reported.

The loss of internet, which was caused when the undersea cable was cut, has affected everyone in the kingdom.

Most people found their restricted access to Facebook due to the outage disheartening as they struggled to keep in touch with their family overseas.

He said Facebook was the easiest and cheapest way for people to make contact with their family overseas.

Most schools started this week and many parents relied on their relatives overseas for the school fees and materials.

Lines of people queuing at Western Union, one of Tonga’s largest person-to-person money transfer services, following the backout, had been described as pitiful – ‘faka’ofa.’

There were complaints on social media by Tongan business owners who were overseas after the optic fibre was cut on Sunday, January 20, because they could no longer monitor their businesses from overseas.

The loss of the undersea cable link to Fiji, and the cable to the country’s outer islands, is now in its eighth day.

The repair ship Reliance is expected to arrive at the site shortly to begin repairs.

The impact of the outage on the government had been minimal, a government spokesperson said.

Free wi-fi ended

Meanwhile, a free w-ifi service which had been provided by Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC) to the public on Monday is no longer available.

TCC had charged each member of the public using its service TP$2 an hour on Tuesday. The cost went up to TP$3 on Wednesday, our correspondent said.

Only 15 customers were able to use the wi-fi at the same time at  the TCC offices due to the restriction of the capacity of the satellite internet currently being used.

TCC had been contacted for comment.

Our correspondent said when the wi-fi was active through the satellite operator, Ezinet, hundreds of people queued at TCC, vying for a chance to use the internet.

“Most of them wanted to make contact with their families overseas,” he said.

Ezinet links to Kacific Satellite, a satellite operator developing a high-speed broadband internet service for the South East Asian region with a special focus on the Pacific

Digitel Tonga

Digicel Tonga, one of only Tonga’s two internet and mobile phones providers, and TCC’s rival, said the company continued to face data connectivity issues because of the cut in the submarine cable.

Digicel Tonga has established 3G data connectivity nationwide that allows its customers to use the basic data services.

“All our customers can make international and local calls as well as send text messages both locally and internationally,” Digicel said.

“However, using data services will only allow you to use basic services such as browsing to stay connected with family and friends.”

Digicel Tonga was reducing its out of bundle charge from $0.25 to $0.05.

It is understood Digicel only provided wi-fi for its customers and not for the public.

The main points

  • The internet blackout in Tonga is “emotionally distressing” for local people, a Kaniva Tonga correspondent has reported.
  • The loss of internet, which was caused when the undersea cable was cut, has affected everyone in the kingdom.
  • Most people found their restricted access to Facebook due to the outage disheartening as they struggled to keep in touch with their family overseas.

For more information

Undersea line has been cut, but could be repaired within two weeks says Tonga Cable

Undersea line has been cut, but could be repaired within two weeks says Tonga Cable

Witnesses cite argument over bulldozer, but Rev says dispute with Lord Fohe was ‘minor’

By
Kalino Latu
-

The noble of Puke, Lord Fohe and his Free Wesleyan church minister had to be restrained during a dispute over damage to a fence, it has been claimed.

Local reports said the church minister was unhappy after a bulldozer destroyed the fence of the church’s residence for its ministers.

Lord Fohe is the estate holder of Puke.

According to the Kakalu ‘O Tonga newspaper, witnesses claimed there had been a dispute between Lord Fohe and the minister over the land.

However, the church minister said it was just a minor incident that had been resolved.

Residents in Tonga who live on nobles’ estate can be classified into three categories.

One category covers people who have registered and own their land with the approval of the nobles.

Another category is for residents who can lease land and this is mostly used by churches and businesses.

The other category is for people who the nobles allow to build houses in a town allotment and grow crops in a tax allotment. These residents have no control over the land. Once the noble wants them to leave they have to obey.

In 2017, 12 Puke residents took Lord Fohe to court after a dispute with another Puke resident, Monte Payne.

Payne was a registered holder of a tax allotment at Puke, according to a court judgement.

The defendants were living on his land. Payne sought an eviction order removing the defendants from the land.

The defendants pleaded that they were told they could live and build on the land by the then estate holder, the late Lord Fohe and that the plaintiff’s claim was time barred.

The former Lord Fohe died in 2009 and the title and estates remained vacant until November 18, 2016, when his successor, the current Lord Fohe, was appointed.

The defendants attempted in court to include the present Lord Fohe in their fight to stop them from being evicted.

However the court dismissed the application and ruled in favour of the plaintiff  saying the issues raised could be answered without joining the present Lord Fohe as a party. 

The main points

  • The noble of Puke, Lord Fohe and his Free Wesleyan church minister had to be restrained during a dispute over damage to a fence, it has been claimed.
  • Local reports said the church minister was unhappy after a bulldozer destroyed the fence of the church’s residence for its ministers.
  • However, the church minister said it was just a minor incident that had been resolved.

For more information

King appoints Lord Fohe

King appoints Lord Fohe
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