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Former NRL star Willie Tonga shares battle with depression

By
Kaniva Staff
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by Matt Collins, South Burnett Times

A former Cherbourg resident and NRL legend has opened up about his bout of depression and he wants others to be brave enough to share as well.

Willie Tonga retired from professional sport more than a year ago.

This has meant starting a new life away from the sport he loves.

The transition has proven a struggle to come to terms with.

“It has never gotten to the point where I’m thinking of suicide, but it does put me in dark places,” he said.

“The thing is, I am only starting to become comfortable talking about it.

“Whereas before I would come home and sit in a dark room and it would just be myself and my thoughts.”

“That is not a good place to be in.”

Tonga, who played in several NRL teams as well representing his state and country, said having his time over, he would’ve placed more of a priority on life after football.

“I thought I was invincible and rugby league was going to last forever,” Tonga said.

“When you’re in your early 20s, life after football is the furthest thing from your mind.

“There are welfare officers who will help, but ultimately it is your decision whether you want to start a course or whether you just want to go home and play Xbox and sit in front of the TV.

“Sadly, I chose the second option.”

Since retiring from professional sport, Tonga is now in an office environment and he said the transition was the hardest thing he has had to face.

“I have been retired for a year now and I am still trying to find my feet,” he said.

The former State of Origin star said his mental anguish was obvious to see for his new office colleagues.

“I was a couple of weeks into the new job and the lady that sits next to me, she came over and sat down and said ‘Will, are you ok?’,” he said.

“I said ‘yeah’ and she said ‘are you sure?’, because she knew I wasn’t.

“I had only known this lady for a couple of weeks and she picked up on it straight away.”

It wasn’t long before other people in the office would mention it as well.

“I didn’t want to show people I was vulnerable and weak,” Tonga said.

“I got angry at myself because I was allowing the signs to come out.

“I would then think I need to hide it more, I need to be even tougher.”

Tonga stressed the importance of asking the question if you think someone is struggling.

“I make a habit of sending a text message every day to people just to ask how they are going,” he said.

Tonga has had close dealings with depression and suicide in the past which were widely publicised after he saved the life of his former team mate and close friend, Reni Maitua.

After a game in 2013, Maitua’s severe depression had gotten too much and he attempted to take his own life.

Tonga believes if he had gotten there 10 seconds later, Maitua would not have survived.

“Reni and I were best mates and I knew he was going through some stuff but because I knew him so well I didn’t see any change in him,” he said.

“I think a lot of people who go through it (depression) are able to mask it so well and put on a brave face in front of the world but then you never know what they are going through behind close doors.”

The support of other players has been a big reason why Tonga has opened up about his mental struggles.

“The one person who has helped me be more comfortable speaking up about it is my good mate, Sonny Bill (Williams),” he said.

“He is encouraging me to bring it to light.”

Tonga will play for the Cherbourg Legends at the Legends of League game in Cherbourg on February 9 and he is excited to give back to the town that he owes so much to.

“I am very proud to go back to Cherbourg after the career I’ve had,” he said.

“There were times when I made the rep teams and we didn’t have the money to pay for it, so the Cherbourg council stepped in and would help me and my family out.”

Tonga said he still has lifelong friends who live in Cherbourg and can’t wait to stand beside some of his former Cherbourg team mates and battle it out against the Australian NRL Legends.

“The Cherbourg boys have something they want to prove,” he said.

“A lot of those boys should’ve made it (to the NRL), 100 per cent.”

NATIONAL 24/7 CRISIS SERVICES

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78

beyondblue: 1300 22 46 36

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800

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

By
Philip Cass
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Tonga could have its cable connection repaired within two weeks, Tonga Cable Director Paula Piveni Piukala said today.

As Kaniva News reported yesterday, the kingdom’s only internet and mobile phone providers, Digicel and Tonga Communications Corporation, were cut off about 8.30pm on Sunday.

Tonga currently had no other internet or mobile phone cable connection to the outside world.

It has been confirmed that the undersea cable has been cut.

Tonga Cable has a marine maintenance contract with TE Subcom.

The cable ship Reliance is docked in Apia and can reach Tonga in two or three days.

Tonga Cable CEO Edwin Liava’a said restoration could be completed within one or two weeks.

At worst, it could take two to three weeks.

Meanwhile, Tonga Cable was using the local Internet Service Provider (ISP) Easynet via Kacific Satellite.

“Kacific’s satellite service ensures that essential services can be maintained as we work to resolve the issue,” Piukala said.

Liava’a previously said people experiencing slow connections should understand this was a matter for TCC or Digicel.

He said Tonga Cable Ltd functioned only as a wholesaler of capacity.

The main points

  • Tonga could have its cable connection repaired within two weeks, Tonga Cable Director, Paula Piveni Piukala said today.
  • As Kaniva News reported yesterday, the kingdom’s only internet and mobile phone providers, Digicel and Tonga Communication Corporation, were cut off about 8.30pm on Sunday.

For more information

Tonga’s communication outage “a problem that was out of their control”

Tonga’s communication outage “a problem out of their control”

Teens plead guilty to brutal rape of 53-year-old Tongatapu woman

By
Kalino Latu
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Two teenage boys have pleaded guilty to repeated raping of a 53-year-old mother before allegedly fleeing with food from her kitchen fridge.

Henelī Valele, 18, and Tīmote Kaufusi, 17, have been ordered to reappear in court on February 8 for sentencing.

The sexual assault had been described by local newspapers as brutal and vicious.

A local paper said in its report this week it has decided not to publish the details of the brutality for what it has described as breaching of the Tongan cultural taboo of faka’apa’apa.

The accused men had been charged with indecent assault and burglary.

As Kaniva news reported last year, the court was told the duo had been drinking before they went looking for more alcohol.

They allegedly broke into a retail shop before they escaped with goods.

They then stalked the shop’s next door neighbour which was the victim’s residence before raping her.

The victim, whose name was reportedly suppressed by court, was home alone when the incident occurred.

Tribunal grants residence visa to Tongan family, describes them as “well-settled”

By
Philip Cass
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The New Zealand Immigration and Protection Tribunal has ordered that a Tongan man and his family be granted residence visas.

The Tribunal said the appellants had exceptional circumstances of a humanitarian nature which would make it unjust or unduly harsh for them to be deported from New Zealand.  

The Tribunal considered the length of time they had been in New Zealand, the wife’s family connection to New Zealand, the husband’s financial obligations to his family in Tonga, and the best interests of the children in remaining in New Zealand.

The husband had lived in New Zealand for 13 years and the wife and her two daughters for more than nine years. 

The husband and wife had seven children between them from their previous relationships.  The husband had three children from his first marriage who lived with their mother.

The wife had four children, two of whom were included in the appeals.

The husband first entered New Zealand in September 2005 and was granted a series of visas to work in the forestry industry until June 2014.  During that time he also made efforts to obtain residence in New Zealand.

 However, his two registrations under the Pacific Access category ballot were unsuccessful.  His application under the Family (Sibling and Adult Child) category was withdrawn before it was finalised.

The husband’s last application for a work visa was declined with no reasons given. There was however a record made on his Immigration New Zealand file that he had previously failed to declare two convictions for careless use of a vehicle and one for excess breath alcohol.

The wife arrived in New Zealand with the two children in 2009.  They were granted one-month visas.  They do not appear to have been granted any further visas until June 2018. 

The husband and wife began living together as a couple in 2012, with the wife’s two children living in the same household.

The Tribunal said the husband and wife had formed a functional, loving family unit with the wife’s daughters.

“The wife has a strong family nexus to this country through her sister, the couple can adequately provide for their children here which would be difficult in Tonga, the husband is sending remittances back to Tonga, the wife is concerned to avoid contact with her former husband there and, as parents, they consider staying here to be in the best interests of their children,” the Tribunal said. 

The Tribunal also considered the fact that the two children were nearing the end of school and the fact that the wife feared returning to Tonga where her first husband was liking because he had physically abused her in the past.

“The appellants are longstanding members of a New Zealand-based church and active in their local Tongan community.  They can be considered well-settled in this country,” the Tribunal said.

“The Tribunal finds that the appellants’ lengthy settlement and the wife’s relationship with her sister who is her only living immediate family member, the husband’s difficulty providing for the children on return to Tonga after a 13-year absence and the consequent cessation of his financial contribution to his family there (and to his three children in New Zealand), and the best interests of the two children in remaining in their settled life in New Zealand, cumulatively establish exceptional humanitarian circumstances.” 

The main points

  • The New Zealand Immigration and Protection Tribunal has ordered that a Tongan man and his family be granted residence visas.
  • The Tribunal said the appellants had exceptional circumstances of a humanitarian nature which would make it unjust or unduly harsh for them to be deported from New Zealand.  
  • The Tribunal considered the length of time they had been in New Zealand, the wife’s family connection to New Zealand, the husband’s financial obligations to his family in Tonga, and the best interests of the children in remaining in New Zealand.

Tonga’s communication outage “a problem out of their control”

By
Kalino Latu
-

Digicel and Tonga Communication Corporation (TCC) customers across the kingdom were without internet amid a lengthy outage since Sunday 20 at about 8.30pm.

Digicel and TCC were Tonga’s  only two internet and mobile phone providers.

The outage has been described as out of control.

Authorities said the outage was ongoing and no time frame was available for restoration of Tonga Cable’s service.

Tonga Cable Director, Paula Piveni Piukala reportedly said “Tonga currently has no other internet or mobile phone connectivity to the outside world.”

“Kacific’s satellite service ensures that essential services can be maintained as we work to resolve the issue,” he told zdnet.com.

The president of Tonga Chamber of Commerce Paul Chapman said on Facebook today that “Tonga Cable was working hard to rectify the issues, out of their control, with the cable.”

He said Tonga Communication Corporation teams had been working with their providers to increase capacity and working with their satellite provider and TCL and EziNet.

He said TCL and TCC were trying to connect domestic fibre and increase satellite brand width as an option.

“End of the day, all teams working on a solution, for a problem that was out of their control, but hope to have something in place. Meanwhile we still have internet at sites for #PTH #DatelineTransam via #EziNet (Tonga’s Satellite connection via Kacific)” he said.

Zdnet said the subsea cable providing Tonga with broadband, the Tonga Cable, has been out since 20:30 local time on Sunday night, with the nation now relying on satellite internet instead.

“Provided by Kacific, the nation’s digital connection to the outside world is now a Ku-band satellite accessed through local ISP Ezinet.”

Facing death in Tonga, man with kidney failure ordered to leave New Zealand

By
Kalino Latu
-

The New Zealand Immigration and Protection Tribunal has ordered a Tongan man with kidney failure to be deported to the kingdom.

Treatment for kidney failure which mostly led to dialysis treatment is not available in Tonga.

53-year-old Sōsefo Lakalaka who is also known as Siliva Lakalaka, along with his 12-year-old son were ordered to leave New Zealand no later than May 2019.

Sōsefo was being treated for end-stage kidney failure secondary to polycystic kidney disease. 

He had a successful kidney transplant in September 2009 but the kidney has developed progressive structural damage which means its function has reduced over time. He now has stage four kidney disease and requires regular supervision from a renal physician in New Zealand.  

The extent to which this could be managed from Tonga, with changes to medication being facilitated through a blood-testing regime, is uncertain, the Tirbunal said. 

Sōsefo has been given a six months’ working visa before leaving New Zealand.

He had appealed against a deportation order. Included in the appeal was his 12-year-old son.

Sōsefo made brief visits to New Zealand in past years.

He has been in New Zealand since May 2006 apart from a brief visit to Tonga in 2013. 

He was unlawfully in this country from 2007 until he was granted a limited purpose visa in August 2009. 

This was extended several times until 28 October 2011. 

After a brief period of being unlawfully in New Zealand again, Sōsefo was granted a series of limited visas to receive medical treatment over a two-year period until 17 November 2013. 

His subsequent attempts to be granted a temporary visa were unsuccessful.

His 12-year-old son, was living with him and attending school in New Zealand. 

Sōsefo and his wife have five children whom they have raised by customary adoption.  At the present time, the appellant’s wife, two daughters and a son remain in Tonga. 

In its report on the decision, the tribunal said it accepted that the appellant required a continuation of the treatment he has been receiving in New Zealand for his kidney disease. 

“Without this treatment, which is presently well-controlled, his health will deteriorate. The appellant’s renal physician has indicated that with treatment it may be some years before he requires dialysis.” 

It also said that “although the appellant does have exceptional circumstances of a humanitarian nature in terms of the statutory test that would make it unjust or unduly harsh for the appellant to be deported from New Zealand, the Tribunal is not satisfied that it would not, in all the circumstances, be contrary to the public interest to allow the appellant to remain in New Zealand.”

“After weighing the positive public interest considerations, including alleviating the family’s anxiety regarding the threat of the appellant’s immediate deportation, against the significant cost of his ongoing treatment in New Zealand, the Tribunal finds that it is not satisfied that it would not be contrary to the public interest for the appellant to remain in New Zealand.”

It also said the appellant’s son does not have exceptional circumstances of a humanitarian nature. 

“An appeal must fail if there are no exceptional circumstances of a humanitarian nature,” the Tribunal said.

The Immigration New Zealand records said that the appellant’s kidney transplant has been funded but he remains liable for the ongoing monitoring costs of about $20,000 annually, according to the Tribunal.

Sōsefo currently has a debt of $15,958.20 (as at 1 August 2018), and has arranged regular repayments of $20 commencing on 7 August 2018.

The Tribunal ruled that the appellant and his son’s appeal against an existing deportation order should be declined.

The Tribunal ordered a grant of a work visa for six months for Sōsefo only, commencing on the date of this decision. 

The work visa will enable him and his family in Tonga and New Zealand to make the necessary arrangements for his departure from this country.

Man hospitalised with facial injuries after alleged brawl in Ha’apai

By
Kalino Latu
-

A man has been taken to Niu’ui hospital after suffering what appears to be serious facial injuries following an alleged fight in Ha’apai, reports said.

Unconfirmed reports said the victim was injured after an alleged brawl which involved a gang of youths last week.

Photos shared on Facebook obviously  by family members had attracted a number of comments which said the injured man is Tēvita who is also known by the name Noa.

Family and friends who apparently lived abroad shared their supports on Facebook.

A commentator sent their love to the victim’s mother Falesipi and said they were with her in this time of difficulty.

Some said prayers and wished he could be recovered and discharged soon.

Authorities could not be reached for comment.

Car hits power pole in Tongatapu

By
Kalino Latu
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A photo shared on Facebook this morning shows a mini-car has crashed into a power pole.

A report by radio Broadcomfm Broadcasting FM 87.5 on Facebook said, Hahake, a large area of Tongatapu is without electricity after a car struck a rural power pole.

Authorities  could not be reached for comment.

Complainants have shared their concerns on Facebook after the incident.

A Vaini commentator said she was halfway through doing his washing when the power went off.

One commentator wanted to know whether the driver was intoxicated.

Another online writer said she hope the driver did not fall asleep behind the wheel.

Morbidly obese woman undergo surgery after begging gov’t for help

By
Kalino Latu
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By LAURA HEDGES FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

A morbidly obese Indonesian woman has undergone life-saving weight loss surgery after begging the government for help.

Titi Wati, 37, from Palangka Raya City in Central Kalimantan, weighed an astounding 220kilograms and was unable to move, sit or stand on her own.

She had been spending her days lying on her stomach on the floor, but on Tuesday she underwent a medical procedure – funded by the government – to put her on the path to a healthier future.

The operation took place at Palangkaraya Regional Hospital and lead surgeon Dr Gede Eke Rusdi Antara told local reporters Ms Wati’s stomach had shrunk by up to 60 per cent following the surgery.

‘Titi Wati has now come to and is in the Intensive Care Unit for close monitoring for the next 24 hours,’ Hospital Director Yayuk Indriarti told local news outlet Antara.

‘We pray that her condition improves and stabilises after undergoing bariatric surgery.’

Ms Wati had been living off a diet of Indonesian gorengan – a range of different sweet and savoury foods being coated in batter and fried – as well as fizzy drinks and other unhealthy snacks.

Mr Indriarti said Ms Wati’s diet would be controlled post-surgery until she was stable and safe.

If the 37-year-old follows the advice of doctors, she is expected to lose 15-25kg per month.

Ms Wati said she wasn’t always this size, noting that she ‘was slim and had long hair’.

‘But for more than six years, I have only been able to lie on my stomach,’ she said.

‘Whenever I try to get up, I feel cramp-like pain in my legs, then I feel pain all over my body.’

Ms Wati is looked after at her home by her only daughter Herlina, 19, who feeds and bathes her, while her husband Edi works as a carpenter.

Over the years, Ms Wati had tried other methods of losing weight, including consuming herbal drinks which did have an effect.

However, these drinks were expensive and with her husband’s income alone paying for their rented accommodation and daughter’s studies, they were unable to afford them long-term.

When they first approached the government for help, the main issue they faced was how to get Ms Wati to hospital as she could not walk.

The head of Palangkaraya’s Health Agency, Dr Suyuti Syamsul, said they had considered using a forklift to carry her.

‘We need to disassemble the house door, or we can get her out through a window, as long as her family allows it,’ he said.

Visitor arrested with two others at scene of drug investigation in Tongatapu

By
Kalino Latu
-

A visitor to a location in which Police were currently conducting an investigation of illicit drugs had been arrested.  

Police also arrested two other men aged 31 and 32 while they were searching a location at Hauloto on Sunday morning.

Police seized 446 grams of cannabis, 7.97 grams of meth packed ready for distribution and cash.

The visitor was arrested with one pack of methamphetamine on his person, Police said.

The three suspects were in police custody and were expected to appear at the Magistrate Court on Monday 14 .

“Tonga Police are committed to disrupt and detect the supply of drugs where thereby preventing the harm this illegal activity causes. Since the launch of the Drugs Enforcement Taskforce in April 2018 a total of 114 people have been arrested,” said Deputy Commissioner Pelenatita Fe’ao Vaisuai.

“Police will continue to work with the community to prevent the harm illicit drugs cause and the ongoing criminal activity associated with their use.   

“We encourage anyone who may have information about drug related offending to contact their nearest Police station, or ring 23417 or 922.”

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