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Keni damages hospital, delays flights, but Tonga escapes major damage

By
Philip Cass
-

Tonga’s main island has escaped major damage from Cyclone Keni, which is expected to weaken as it moves south-southwest of the kingdom.

The cyclone damaged ‘Eua hospital and one person sustained minor injuries.

National Emergency Management Director Lēveni ‘Aho said Cyclone Keni brought down power lines on ‘Eua and some parts of Tongatapu, but power was expected to be restored within the next few days.

A few houses are believed to have been damaged at Angahā.

Tonga’s Meteorological and Coast Radio Services said at midday today that Keni was located 415 km south of Nuku’alofa, moving southeast at 43 kph, with average wind speeds of 110 kph.

Heavy wind warnings remained in effect for Tele-Ki-Tonga and Tele-Ki-Tokelau, while a strong wind warning was in effect for Vava’u and Ha’apai. A heavy rain and flash flood warning was also in effect for Vava’u, Tongatapu, and ‘Eua.

Heavy rains, strong winds, and rough seas are forecast to affect Tele-Ki-Tonga and Tele-Ki-Tokelau tomorrow (Thursday).

The cyclone has caused major disruption to flights across the Pacific, with passengers flying to and from Tonga today being delayed by more than nine hours on both outbound and inbound legs between Nuku’alofa and Auckland.

Air New Zealand’s flight to Apia tomorrow is expected to be delayed by four hours. The longest delay was almost a day for a flight from Auckland to Houston, Texas.

The cyclone caused flooding and structural damage in Fiji, especially on Kadavu where houses were demolished, trees uprooted and boats capsized.

Cyclone Keni is expected to merge with another low that is currently developing over the North Island of New Zealand, forming a cyclone around the Chatham Islands.

The main points

  • Tonga’s main island has escaped major damage from Cyclone Keni, which is expected to weaken as it moves south-southwest of the kingdom.
  • The cyclone damaged ‘Eua hospital and one person sustained minor injuries.
  • National Emergency Management Director Leveni ‘Aho said Keni brought down power lines on ‘Eua and some parts of Tongatapu, but power is expected to be restored within the next few days.

For more information

Tonga’s ‘Eua without power after Cyclone Keni

Air New Zealand travel alerts

A mixed week so far for Tongan athletes at Gold Coast Commonwealth Games

By
Philip Cass
-

Tongan athletes have been highly visible at the Commonwealth Games this week, regardless of which flag they are completing under.

Tongan born David Liti won gold in the weightlifting, competing for New Zealand.

Liti came to New Zealand with his family when he was six.

On Monday he set a Commonwealth Games record when he won the  gold medal in the 105kg+ division with a combined total of 403kg.

Meanwhile, Dame Valerie Adams, who is proud of her Tongan heritage, is preparing to defend her gold medal in the women’s shot put.

Adams’ four previous Commonwealth Games have yielded three gold medals and a silver.

She won silver in Manchester (2002) before winning gold at Melbourne (2006), Delhi (2010) and Glasgow (2014).

Elsewhere at the Games, members of Tonga’s own team have been competing steadily with one first, a number of placings and several losses.

In the lawn bowls Women’s Pairs (Section B/ Round 5) Caroline Dubois and Malia Kioa lost 12-20 to Canada today.

Yesterday they faced Fiji in the Women’s Pairs (Section B/Round 2), losing  11-21.

Later they went down 6-29 against New Zealand in the Women’s Pairs Sectional Play (Section B/ Round 3/Match 1).

On Monday Sateki Langi came 10th in the men’s 150kg weightlifting.

In the lawn bowls Women’s Pairs Sectional Play (Section B/Round 1/Match 2) Dubois and Kioa lost 10-21 to Norfolk Island.

In the women’s 50 metre backstroke (Heat 1) Charissa Panuve placed fifth with a time of 36:37.

In the men’s 50m freestyle (Heat 1) Finau Ohuafi came first with a time of 26:07.

In the men’s  110m Hurdles (Round 1/Heat two) Talatala Pooi came eighth with a time of 15:02.

In the men’s boxing 60kg Round of 16 Tuihalangingie Vea lost to Jean John Colin of Mauritius.

Tomorrow Ata Maama Tuutafaiva will compete in the Women’s Shot Put Qualifying Round Group A.

Medals

Tonga has not won any medals so far. Of the other Pacific nations competing, Samoa has two gold and two silver, Papua New Guinea has one gold and two silver, Fiji has one gold and one bronze and  Nauru has one silver.

The Cook Islands, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu each have a bronze.

The main points

  • Tongan athletes have  been highly visible at the Commonwealth Games this week, regardless of which flag they are completing under.
  • Tongan born David Liti won gold in the weightlifting, competing for New Zealand and Dame Valerie Adams is preparing to defend her shotput title.
  • Elsewhere at the Games, members of Tonga’s own team have been competing steadily with one first, a number of placings and several losses.

For more  information

David Liti’s remarkable journey from Tonga to Auckland to Commonwealth Games champion

Dame Valerie Adams on double duties at Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Games Tongan results

Missing man named as bad weather halts sea search

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The search for a man who went missing at the Blow Holes in Houma, Tongatapu on Sunday 8 has been suspended because of bad weather.

A handful of family, relatives and friends of Tēvita ‘Ekuasi ,21, from Kala’au gathered to hold a prayer vigil at the beach since Sunday. They were holding out hope that he will be found.

As Kaniva News reported on Sunday ‘Ekuasi and another man jumped into the water.

That man according to Police was Sione Toki, 32, of Vaotu’u. Toki managed to swim back to shore but ‘Ekuasi could not make it.

Police now said the duo were intoxicated.

Meanwhile, the Tonga Meteorological Service has warned that Category 3 tropical cyclone Keni could hit Ha’apai, Tongatapu and ‘Eua this week on its current track.

For further information

Reports of person missing at sea in Tongatapu

Damaging winds and rough seas predicted as Cyclone Keni moves towards Tonga

By
Philip Cass
-

The Tongan Meteorological Service has warned that Ha’apai, Tongatapu and ‘Eua could expect damaging winds by mid-week.

The warning was issued this evening as Tropical Cyclone Keni moves towards the kingdom.

The weather service warned that winds could reach 35-40 knots with gust of up to 50 knots by Wednesday.

By Wednesday ships will face rough to high seas and coastal areas will be affected by damaging northerly swells.

An immediate gale alert is in place for Ha’apai, Tongatapu and ‘Eua this evening, along with  a heavy rain alert and warning of flash flooding.

At 5pm Cyclone Keni was located moving slowly near latitude 16.6 south and longitude 172.0 east or 1430km west of Nuku’alofa

Winds at the centre of the cyclone average 35-40 knots.

It is expected to move southeast.

The forecast to midnight Tuesday for Vava’u, Ha’apai, Tongatapu and ‘Eua is for east to northeast winds gradually turning north with winds rising to 25 knots at times.

Seas will be rough with a moderate northerly swell.

The general weather forecast is mostly fine with some cloudy periods and possible showers.

For the Niuas, the weather service is predicting north to northeast winds turning northwest, with wind speeds up to 15 knots. It will be cloudy with a few showers and moderate seas.

By Wednesday the Niuas can expect damaging winds of up to 50 knots with rough seas. It is expected to be overcast with heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Damaging winds of up to 30 knots are predicted for Vava’u for Wednesday with damaging coastal swells and rough seas.

At 8.30pm this evening Radio New Zealand reported that Keni was moving east southeast of Fiji at 12 knots and continuing to intensify.

Winds close to its centre have reached 100 kilometres an hour.

The main points

  • The Tongan Meteorological Service has warned that Ha’apai, Tongatapu and ‘Eua could expect damaging winds by mid-week.
  • The warning was issued this evening as Tropical Cyclone Keni moves towards the kingdom.
  • The weather service warned that winds could reach 35-40 knots with gust of up to 50 knots by Wednesday.

For more information

Cyclone approaching Fiji now Category Two

Police name man killed after being hit by van

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Police have released the name of a man who died in a road accident on Tuesday 3.

51-year-old  Moli Vakalahi was killed after being hit by a van in Veitongo on Taufa’āhau road at around 11pm.

Acting Chief Superintendent Tēvita Vailea said the 60-year-old accused driver from Tofoa, was released on bail pending trial.

He was charged with reckless driving causing death.

As Kaniva News reported, Vailea said the driver, who was also a church minister, stopped and helped the victim before he was rushed to hospital.

Police arrested him after receiving a report of the accident at around 11.30pm.

Police believed “poor visibility due to bad weather” and high speed were factors in the fatal accident.

Police investigation continues.

The right to know, the duty to tell the truth without fear or favour

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The public needs to be more vigilant in consuming news from social media and mainstream media has to work hard to protect the Tongan public from fake news.

That’s the message from Sione Tu’itahi, Executive Director of the Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand, who said Tongans were becoming confused by fake news and biased, unbalanced stories.

He said these emanated from a handful of Tongan social media sources that acted as professional news outlets.

“This unfortunate situation happens at a time of significant transformation in Tonga society, a time when enlightened, robust and healthy public discourse that can lead to wise decisions, is sorely needed to ensure a relatively smooth change for the better in all domains of society, and for the collective good,” Tu’itahi said.

“It is timely then to revisit the role of the traditional and social media in society today.”

Writing in the latest edition of his series Talanoa Tufunga Fonua: Discourse on Nation Building, Tu’itahi said the primary aim of the media was inform, educate and entertain.

“The media’s task is to tell the truth as it sees it without fear or favour,” he said.

“Truth in this case is about accurate, full, and timely facts, told in balanced, fair and unbiased ways.”

He said opinions of the media should normally be kept to a clearly labelled space, such as the editorial page, so that facts are not diluted with its opinion, which can confuse the public or cause undue influence.

People had the right to know.

“It is the duty of the media to tell,” he said.

“It is a fundamental responsibility of policy and decision makers to inform its constituents with the whole truth in a timely manner. This is the virtuous cycle that can ensure a progressive society where truth is sought to enlighten decisions that can build and enhance a peaceful and prosperous community and nation.”

As the public platform for diverse perspectives that connected the views and voices of the rulers and the ruled, the media played a vital link and role in community and national building. More than any time before, the Tongan media must rise to the occasion in executing their duty with professional and moral courage in a small society where almost everyone is related to each other.

Nurses

“In 1979-1980, the nurses went on mass protest and later resigned, unhappy with a decision by the Government of the day over who their new manager should be,” Tu’itahi said.

“One of the only  two news media at the time, reported on the resignation in a biased manner, giving voice to the Government only. Amid public confusion and rising anger, the other outlet fortunately reported the story fairly, giving the views of both sides.”

At the end of the whole process, the Government listened to the nurses and changed its decision for the happiness and betterment of all. The nurses returned to work and the public was fully informed. It was a win-win situation after all.

“So what can be done to address these new media challenges?” Tu’itahi asked.

“How can we manage the opportunities and challenges of information technology and the social media?”

He said the Tongan news outlets and their journalists could strengthen their professional media association to train their members in the knowledge, skills and ethics of journalism.

“They must aspire to be exemplars in protecting their media freedom and the freedom of speech of the public, thus ensuring a healthy exchange of informed views in public discourse,” he said.

“They can investigate and expose those bogus, biased groups of media whose masquerades ruin their profession and propagate untruths that lead to unhealthy, uninformed, negative exchange in many Tongan social spaces.”

He said the public could be more vigilant in consuming the so-called news from social media outlets who propagate biased stories and false news.

“Consuming such information is like taking medical advice from a bogus doctor, and heading to the abyss in the darkness of night, with your headlights off. Faith and prayers cannot save you,” he said.

“In a strong oral culture like Tonga, where research-based literature has yet to become the foundation of community story-telling and social discourse, the media profession must be relentless in upholding its code of professional conduct, exposing the bogus media, educate the public on its role, and continue to maintain high standards in its duty to tell, and the right of the people to know.

“In the final analysis, no nation on earth, Tonga included, will last if it is built on falsehood and one-sided truth. As the mirror of society and the fourth estate, the Tongan media, must continue to lead by both words and action.”

The main points

  • The public needs to be more vigilant in consuming news from social media and mainstream media has to work hard to protect the Tongan public from fake news.
  • That’s the message from Sione Tu’itahi, Executive Director of the Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand, who said Tongans were becoming confused by fake news and biased, unbalanced stories.
  • He said these emanated from a handful of Tongan social media sources that d as professional news outlets.

Reports of person missing at sea in Tongatapu

By
Kalino Latu
-

A search is underway in Houma beach today Sunday 8 after a man was reported missing in the blow holes area.

Unconfirmed reports said the man and another man jumped into the water before he failed to resurface. The other man was reportedly rescued.

Police could not be reached for confirmation.

A spokesperson for Tonga Marist Rugby Club told Kaniva News the missing man was talented and had a successful career in rugby.

He said the man was a member of a team of rugby players who were selected to go to Romania last year.

Man convicted of incest loses appeal for reduced sentence

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A man who was convicted of incest after he maintained a relationship with his own daughter has had his appeal for a reduced sentence rejected on March 28.

Sunia Mailau was sentenced to nine years and nine months for crimes occurred in six separate occasions at a house in which he lived with the victim and his second wife.

During his trial the court heard that on the first occasion Mailau forced his daughter to smoke methamphetamine with him before subjecting her to oral sex and other indignities.

On the second occasion he attempted to strangle her with wire and threatened to cut her vagina with scissors.

On the remaining four occasions he raped her. She was a virgin and suffered physical pain and bleeding when he first penetrated her, the court judgement said.

Each time the intercourse was accompanied by indecent assaults including sucking the victim’s breasts.

Justice Cato convicted Mailau of five counts of serious indecent assault, four counts of incest and six counts of domestic violence. He pleaded guilty to a single charge of common assault.

The victim in each case was his daughter, then aged seventeen.

Mailau lodged an appeal in the Nuku’alofa Court of Appeal raising doubt against the Supreme Court judgement regarding the evidence presented against him.

However, the Court of Appeal judges said all decisions by the Supreme Court were consistent with their view that the starting point of eight years adopted by Justice Cato was not out of line with prevailing sentences for incest and entirely appropriate to the offending.

“It was brutal, callous and premeditated,” they said.

For more information

Incest and violence charges lead to long sentence in Supreme Court

Former hotel supervisor jailed for stealing from employer

By
Kalino Latu
-

A pay supervisor at a Tanoa hotel who stole $21,299. 00 pa’anga over a seven-month period to finance a luxurious lifestyle for herself had been jailed for two years.

Selemana Fonua, 40, who had worked for the hotel when she was 38 had dishonestly manufactured a false spreadsheet which included the names of a number of fictitious or “ghost” employees thereby inflating the wages bill for Tanoa (Tonga).

By ghost employees, the judge meant employees who  were not entitled to wages during the relevant period.

The court heard Fonua did not accept that she was guilty of any wrongdoing.

She suggested that others were responsible for the fraud, although Mr. Cato said she did not give any evidence herself or advance evidence to support it.

Justice Cato said he considered the starting point of two years and six months adopted by Paulsen CJ to be appropriate in Fonua’s case.

Mr. Cato took into consideration Ms Fonua’s persistent offending over the period, her disregard of her employer’s trust as well as her refusal to accept responsibility,

The final six months of her sentence of two years imprisonment was suspended on the condition that she committed no further offences punishable by imprisonment during her suspension.

Mr. Cato made no order for restitution.

“None was sought and I have no evidence that Ms Fonua is able to repay any part of the sum stolen, in any event.

“On the falsification charge, she is sentenced to 2 years imprisonment to be served concurrently with her sentence on the theft charge.”

Tongan athletes head into weekend after a day of mixed results in Gold coast games

By
Philip Cass
-

Tongan boxers Salote Huni and Samiuela Kei compete tonight on the Gold Coats, ending a day of mixed results for Tonga.

Huni is scheduled to compete in the women’s 75kg round at 6.3pm Queensland time (9.30pm New Zealand time) and Kei is scheduled to compete in the 91kg class at 8.17pm Queensland time (11.17pm New Zealand time)

Earlier today Charissa Panuve came second in Heat One of the Women’s 50m Freestyle at the Optus Aquatic Centre with a time of 30:34 seconds. She beat Bunturabie Jalloh of Sierra Leone, who had a time of  38.27. Maayaa Ayawere of Ghana came first with a time of 28.38.

In lawn bowls, Malia Kioa lost 4-21 to Colleen Piketh of South Africa. In her next match she did better against Catherine Beattie of Northern Ireland, losing 13-21.

Tonga is fielding a team of 13 athletes who will be competing in track and field, boxing, lawn bowls, swimming and weightlifting.

Yesterday Malia Kioa defeated Gertrude Siame of  Zambia 21-10.

She also faced Karen Murphy of Australia, who is the current world champion, losing 4-21.

Finau ‘Ohuafi came fourth in the men’s 50m butterfly with a time of 28:00.

In the 69kg bout in the men’s boxing, the judges awarded Stephen Newns of Scotland victory over John Moleni by a margin of  4:1.

Tonga’s swimmers and boxers will be back in the arena this weekend.

Tomorrow, Finau Ohuafi will compete in heat two of the men’s 50 metre backstroke.

Charissa Panuve will compete in heat one of the women’s 50 metre butterfly.

On Sunday, Magan Maka will compete in the first quarter final of the 69kgclass in women’s boxing.

Maka, 24, carried  the kingdom’s flag in the opening ceremony. In 2014 she represented New Zealand at the 2014 games in Glasgow.

The main points

  • Tongan boxers Salote Huni and Samiuela Kei compete tonight on the Gold Coats, ending a day of mixed results for Tonga.
  • Huni is scheduled to compete in the women’s75kg round at 6.30pm Queensland time and Kei is scheduled to compete in the 91kg class at 8.17pm Queensland time.
  • Tonga is fielding a team of 13 athletes who will be competing in track and field, boxing, lawn bowls, swimming and weightlifting.
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