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Visiting FIFA trophy will help publicise kingdom says Lavulavu

By
Philip Cass
-

Sports Minister ‘Akosita Lavulavu believes the inclusion of Tonga in the FIFA world cup trophy tour will be good for tourism.

The trophy was brought to Tonga yesterday January 31 as part of its world tour.

Tonga is one of the first countries on the tour, which began in Russia last September.

“This is great publicity for the kingdom,” Hon. Lavulavu told Kaniva News.

“I believe the uniqueness of our Kingdom is what made them want to bring the trophy
here.”

Tonga was a small island, but its people had big hearts and a passion for the sport.

This is the first time the FIFA World Cup trophy has visited Tonga since it began its campaign to qualify for a World Cup 22 years ago.

The tour will visit 51 countries across six continents, travelling 126,000 km in the nine
months leading up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia in June.

The FIFA World Cup Original Trophy is awarded to the winners of the FIFA World Cup while
remaining in FIFA’s possession.

The Trophy is made of solid gold and weighs 6.142 kg. It depicts two human figures holding
the globe above them.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy remains in FIFA’s possession and cannot be won outright.

The team winning the FIFA World Cup keeps the authentic original trophy for a short time
and is then awarded a gold plated replica.

Tonga has not qualified for the world cup since it began competing in 1998.

Customs confiscate container-load of counterfeit textbooks from China

By
Philip Cass
-

Customs have seized another container of counterfeit school textbooks at the wharf in
Nuku’alofa.

Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Commerce, Consumer, Innovation, Trade, and
Labour , Edgar Cocker, said the container contained materials designed to look like Warwick
Croxley Red exercise books.

Cocker told Kaniva News the book was an example of professional intention to counterfeit a
New Zealand idea and concept.

The fake textbooks were made in China.

“This is against the Consumer Act and therefore we have the right to hold the materials and confiscate,” Cocker said.

His department was working closely with the Customs Department on the matter.

“Tonga is now a victim of counterfeit and professional duplication,” Cocker said.

“The Ministry is now focused on stopping this illegal work by Asian and other developing countries.”

The container was imported by a Chinese businessman.

Fine

In 2016 Xiao Long Fang was fined TP$9000 for importing a large number of exercise books
which purported to have been printed by Croxley Stationary Limited.

“Potentially Croxley and other suppliers could have been very seriously affected had the
defendant succeeded in his object, but Customs seized the product on delivery in
Tongatapu and hence the defendant was not able to sell them,” Hon. Justice Cato said at
the time.

Last year Tonga’s Reserve Bank warned that counterfeit TP$50 notes were in circulation.

Emotions run high as body of dengue fever victim arrives in Auckland

By
Kalino Latu
-

Sounds of lamentation from family members were heard at Auckland International Airport
this morning as the body of Toafei Telefoni was carried off an aircraft from Tonga.

As Kaniva News reported on Monday, Telefoni died of what health authorities described as “dengue shock syndrome.”

Her mother, ‘Alavina Telefoni, found it hard to see her cousins and relatives who were
waiting at the airport for her and her dead daughter.

She hugged and kissed some of them in a moment some described on Facebook as
“lo’imata’ia” (full of tears).

Toafei’s body was taken to the Anns Funeral Home and Onsite Cremations in Wiri, Manukau city.

A failotu (prayer service) was scheduled to be held tonight at 7pm at the mortuary and her
wake will be held at the Free Wesleyan Church in Otahuhu on Friday night, a source very closed to the family told Kaniva News.

The family and relatives in South Auckland held a series of meetings since Monday to
discuss their cultural duties for the funeral, the source said.

They also held failotu in honour of Telefoni.

Tributes

‘Alavina came from Ha’ateiho and her father Sini Telefoni was from Hofoa.
Residents of the two towns as well as relatives of the couple paid tributes to Toafei on
Facebook.

“So so sad ….. if only they took her in to the (hospital) earlier she could
have had a chance but anyway fly high little girl,” a commentator wrote.

“Our deepest condolences Vina – wish we were there for you also – Ofa lahi Atu to you and
your beautiful family during this hard time xoxox,” one commentator wrote.

“My deepest condolences to you and your family – especially losing such a beautiful, young
angel. Xxx,” another wrote.

Parties in Land Court case told to find a way to share land peacefully after long running case

By
Philip Cass
-

The Land Court has told two rival parties in a dispute that they must learn to live together
on the same piece of land.

The order came as part of an adjudication on a multi-generational land dispute that has
been before the bench several times in the past few months.

The dispute centred on the rights to a town allotment in Kolomotu’a owned by Ilaisa
Ngininginiofolanga.

With Ilaisa’s consent, Sosefo Nginingini built a house on the allotment where he lived with
his wife Lupe and children for about 15 years. After his death Ilaisa granted a 99 year lease the allotment to his daughter ‘Alisi.

He also purported to gift the house to her. ‘Alisi demanded that Lupe move out of the
house and off the allotment, but he would not leave.

She asked the court to order Lupe to leave.

Lupe denied that ‘Alisi owned the house, arguing that the lease was invalid because the Minister failed to make adequate enquires before granting it. Lupe counterclaimed for the cancellation of ‘Alisi’s lease.

The case first came before Lord Chief Justice Paulsen in September last year. The case was
adjourned when it appeared the parties would settle, but this did not happen. The trial
resumed on 11 January 2018 and was completed the next day.

Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said he found Lupe to be a credible and honest witness.

“By comparison I did not find ‘Alisi credible and her evidence was neither compelling nor plausible.” The judge said.

In 1995 Ilaisa was registered as the holder of a town allotment at Tu’atakilangi,
Kolomotu’a.

He and his wife Ana had 11 children, of whom Sosfeo was the eldest son and heir.

Ana was employed as a maid for the Tu’ipelehake.

In 1997 Sosefo was unmarried and working as a seaman. Ilaisa allowed Sosefo to build a
house on his allotment.

Sosefo’s house was built and largely complete by 1999.

Sosefo married Lupe in 1999 and moved into Sosefo’s house.

In around 2000 Ana’s services were no longer required by the Tu’ipelehake. Her house at Fatai was moved to Ilaisa’s town allotment.

Ana moved into her house along with three of her children. Ana lived in her house until she
died.

‘Alisi married in 1997. In around 1998 ‘Alisi travelled to New Zealand with the
Tu’ipelehake and prepared his meals. Upon her return to Tonga she lived with her
husband’s family until they separated in 2005.

In 2010 Sosefo applied for and was granted a town allotment at Kolomotu’a.

“The circumstances that allowed Sosefo to apply for the allotment are not altogether clear,
but I am satisfied that when the allotment became available Sosefo took the opportunity to
acquire it for his second son and that he never intended to live on the allotment,” Lord
Chief Justice Paulsen said.

Sosefo never moved onto the town allotment.

Ana died away in 2014 and after her death ‘Alisi and her children continued to live in Ana’s house.

Sosefo died on October 23, 2015. From his death Sosefo’s eldest son became Ilaisa’s heir, entitled to succeed to his town allotment.

A dispute then arose between ‘Alisi and Lupe.

“My assessment is that ‘Alisi was of the view that Lupe should move out of Sosefo’s house and to his town allotment,” the judge said.

“Lupe made it clear that she was not going to move. Ilaisa was aware that a dispute
had arisen. Very shortly after Sosefo’s death he suggested to Lupe that he might
subdivide the allotment between Lupe and ‘Alisi, but Lupe did not agree to that.

“It is not hard to understand why, when her eldest son was the heir and entitled to
succeed to the entire allotment in due course.”

On November 16, 2015 Ilaisa agreed to grant ‘Alisi a 99 year lease of his town allotment.

The application for lease was processed by the Ministry with unusual haste. ‘Alisi knew the case officer at the Ministry of Lands which might explain this. Cabinet consent was obtained on December 4, 2015 and the lease was registered on April 5 the following year.

Lupe was not aware of the lease until it was registered.

On March 7, 2016 Lupe claimed her widow’s interest in Sosefo’s town allotment.

The application was granted on March 17, 2016. She remained living with her children in
Sosefo’s house.

“For what reason then did Ilaisa grant ‘Alisi the lease?” the judge asked.

“I find there were two reasons. The primary reason was to provide ‘Alisi with the means to evict Lupe and to take Sosefo’s house. The second reason was so that ‘Alisi could not be removed from the allotment upon Ilaisa’s death should Sosefo’s son inherit the land.

“ ‘Alisi has no intention of allowing Lupe to remain on the land or in Sosefo’s house. “
The judge said that if the owner of land requested another, or allowed another, to expend
money on the land under an expectation created or encouraged by the landlord that he
would be able to remain there, that raised an equity in the licensee such as to entitle him
to stay.

“It is an equity well recognised in law,” he said.

“The equity cannot be satisfied other than by allowing Lupe to remain in her home on
the land. It is correct that Lupe has other land she could move to, but at the cost of the
upheaval of her life and the lives of her children, considerable emotional distress and
financial loss.

“It would be unjust to require her to move. Lupe may remain living on the allotment for
as long as she wants whilst Ilaisa is the holder of the allotment.

“The more difficult question is whether justice also requires me to make an order
cancelling ‘Alisi’s lease.

“The lease was a device to evict Lupe and defeat her rights. The existence of the lease is
antithetical to Lupe’s continued occupation and might be dealt with by ‘Alisi or her  successors (for instance by assignment or mortgage) in a manner that defeats Lupe’s rights.

I intend therefore to direct the Minister to cancel the lease.

“It should not be thought either that this ruling means that ‘Alisi must herself move off the allotment.

Sosefo and Lupe have never enjoyed the exclusive right to occupy the allotment.
Lupe and ‘Alisi will need to find means by which they can both live peacefully on the land.

“For as long as Ilaisa is the registered holder of his town allotment Ilaisa and ‘Alisi are not to take any steps to evict Lupe or her children from the allotment or interfere with their occupation of Sosefo’s house.”

Ministry says no promise to open dialysis unit in Tonga, can’t endorse private clinic

By
Philip Cass
-

Tonga’s Ministry of Health says claims that 60 people have died from chronic kidney disease
are false and says it has never promised to establish a dialysis unit in the kingdom.

Speaking to Kaniva News, Dr Sione Latu said the claims of 60 deaths was an exaggeration.

He said the last clinical audit in 2016 showed 38 cases who would be on dialysis if they were overseas, of whom five subsequently died. This was in line with world statistics.

Dr Latu was responding to claims reported in the New Zealand media from a Tongan man who was admitted to Middlemore Hospital two days after he arrived in the country with end-stage kidney failure.

“There was never a promise to establish a dialysis unit here in Tonga,” Dr Latu said.

He said the Ministry had begun talks with the Tongan Dialysis Foundation (TDF) which wanted to establish a clinic.

However, he said the TDF needed to fulfil several requirements before the Ministry could
endorse plans to establish a private clinic in Tonga.

These included establishing links with kidney specialists, making a financial plan, proving the project was sustainable, addressing issues of financial transparency and addressing
suggestions that the Crown Prince be named as patron.

He said the TDF had not met the Ministry’s requirements.

“Sustainability is vital,” Dr Latu said.

“If MOH endorses TDF’s project, then when things go wrong we either get the blame or
clean up the mess which will likely incur huge costs to us.”

Dr Latu said the Ministry could not run its own programme because it would eat up 20
percent of the annual health budget for less than one percent of the population.

“This is not equitable distribution of meagre resources,” he said.

It cost about NZ$60,000 per patient per year for haemodialysis and NZ$35,000 per patient
per year for patients who could have a dialysis bag inserted.

With about40-50 odd patients with end stage kidney failure needing replacement therapy,
the final figure would be close to TP$5 million, without considering setup costs.

26 Tongan Students receive New Zealand Government Scholarships for 2018

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The New Zealand Government has awarded 26 Tongan students with tertiary
scholarships to study in New Zealand or Fiji commencing in 2018.

Twenty-one scholars have been accepted into New Zealand universities and six scholars will study at the University of the South Pacific or the Fiji National University.

The New Zealand Pacific Scholarships and New Zealand Regional Development Scholarships are funded through the New Zealand Aid programme.

Acting New Zealand High Commissioner, Nick Hurley, hosted a reception on Wednesday
evening to celebrate the students’ achievement and to welcome home returning alumni.

In his speech he congratulated the scholarship winners and encouraged them to “seize
this opportunity.

Be bold. Be brave. Challenge yourself. Remember always that you are ambassadors for your family, for your village, for Tonga.”

The 2018 King Tupou VI Coronation Scholarship recipient was also announced as
Maletino Taumu’alelei ‘I Loyala Mafi, of Houmakelikao, Ma’ufanga.

This Coronation Scholarship is offered annually to the Dux of Tonga High School. Maletino is the second recipient of this prestigious scholarship.

The Guest Speaker, the Hon. Penisimani Fifita, Minister of Education congratulated the
scholars on their achievements and encouraged them to aim for excellence in their
studies, not simply a pass grade.

He reminded them that the funding they received was a privilege and urged the students to study hard to respect the honour of their selection.

King Tupou VI Coronation Scholarship recipient, Maletino Mafi, gave an inspirational
speech, reminding the other scholars going to study in New Zealand and Fiji that hard
work and determination are needed to successfully meet their goals.

That theme was underlined in the remarks by one of the returning alumni, Annelise Halafihi, who offered advice on perseverance in the face of challenges in an unfamiliar environment, drawing on her own personal experience.

The 26 New Zealand scholarship recipients will be studying qualifications from bachelor
levels through to master degrees and PhDs across a broad range of subjects from health
sciences, information technology, accounting, business, energy, medicine, environmental
management, engineering, aviation, commerce, economics and maritime law.

Scholarships are awarded with the intention that the knowledge and skills of an individual
will enrich Tonga and their communities following their completion of study and return to
Tonga.

The New Zealand Government invests over NZ$3 million in tertiary scholarships
annually for Tongan citizens to study in New Zealand or in the Pacific Region.

Fatal bus crash driver sentenced to home detention

By
Kalino Latu
-

The driver of a  bus that crashed near Gisborne, killing three members of a Tongan school group, was sentenced to five-and-a-half-months home detention.

Talakai ‘Aholelei, 66, appeared for sentencing in the Waitakere District Court on Wednesday 24. He was also disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to pay $36,000 in emotional harm reparations.

‘Aholelei pleaded guilty in the Auckland District Court in October 2017.

He admitted to 27 counts of careless driving causing injury and three counts of careless driving causing death.

‘Aholelei was charged in April and initially pleaded not guilty in the Manukau District Court on June 9.

The bus was carrying the Mailefihi Siu’ilikutapu College brass band, which was on a tour of New Zealand to raise funds for the school’s 70th anniversary.

It was on its way to a concert at Gisborne’s Wesleyan Methodist Church when it crashed down a steep embankment on State Highway 2, 30km south of the town.

Student Sione Taumololo, 11, and Talita Fifita, 33, died in the crash.

School teacher Leotisia Malakai, 55, died later in Waikato Hospital.

There were 53 students, teachers and supporters on the bus.

Dengue confirmed as cause of death of 12 year old girl, Ministry confirms 19 more cases

By
Philip Cass
-

Dengue has been confirmed as the cause of death of a 12 year old Tongan-Auckland girl last week.

Medical authorities have confirmed that there have been 19 other cases of the disease,
which is also known as break-bone fever.

Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola, CEO of Tonga’s Ministry of Health, told Kaniva News today the influx of
returning students and visitors to Tonga during the Christmas Holidays had brought in a
large pool of dengue viruses which caused the outbreak.

Toafei Telefoni from New Zealand died in Vaiola hospital on last Tuesday, January 24.

She had been due to return home tomorrow Tuesday, January 30.

Dr ‘Akau’ola said the girl had presented with what he described as “an acute febrile illness.”

Hospital staff initially thought it was a form of flu, but her condition deteriorated rapidly and showed signs of what he called “dengue shock syndrome.”

Blood tests pointed to dengue and a sample had been sent to New Zealand for further
testing and serotyping.

Dr ‘Akau’ola offered his condolences to Telefoni‘s family.

The CEO said most of the other dengue cases had recovered and others were in a stable
condition and expected to recover fully.

He said people were being urged to use insect repellents and mosquito nets to keep the
mosquito away.

The Ministry had also told people how to destroy breeding sites of mosquitoes near homes
to stop them spreading the disease.

Indications of the disease included fever associated with vomiting, abdominal pain,
bleeding and inability to take in oral fluid. If these symptoms were present patients needed
to be supplied with plenty of fluid to stop them going into shock.

“There were a few cases of dengue in Tonga in December 2017, but they were clearly
imported cases so the focus then was to contain any outbreak from them,” Dr Akau’ola said.

“We thought we were successful since we had taken similar action throughout 2017 when
sporadic import cases of dengue came into the country from other Pacific Island countries.”

Tonga suffered a major dengue outbreak in 2015 when, Kaniva News reported, there were
33 confirmed cases.

Dengue workshop

Meanwhile, Tonga has been represented at a workshop in Auckland which looked at new
technology that can be used to track mosquito borne diseases.

The workshop, organised by the US consulate, featured a number of items which have been
successfully been used in the Caribbean.

The CEO of the Zika Foundation, Dr Michael Callaghan, who spoke at the workshop, said
dengue was more terrifying than malaria.

It’s a terrible disease that really hits communities at several levels more than just any
terrible painful disease,” he said.

Dengue is being closely monitored in several Pacific states.

An outbreak of dengue late last year killed five people in Samoa and infected 2500 others.

Former hotel employee convicted of theft and accounting fraud

By
Kalino Latu
-

A Tongatapu woman who stole $21, 299.00  pa’anga from her former employer was convicted of her offences.

Selemana Fonua was guilty of false accounting and theft after the Supreme Court found she falsified documents namely spreadsheets with false names contrary to section 159 (a) of Criminal Offence Acts.

Judge Charles Cato convicted Fonua on January 19 on both charges and will be sentenced for those indictments later.

Mr. Cato said Fonua altered or falsified the Tanoa Hotels (Tonga) Limited’s payroll spreadsheet without its authorization.

Seventeen occasions found to have taken place between 22 May and 11 December 2015, a court document said.

Mr Cato said: “I consider also that, during this period, beyond any reasonable doubt she entered into this pattern of deceit so as to steal the proceeds of the inflated cheques for wages that were drawn by Tanoa during this period.”

The judge said each of the spreadsheets contained false names.

“The inference, I draw beyond reasonable doubt, was that the accused pursued this pattern of conduct so as to obtain the cash represented by the inclusion of the “ghost names”,” it said.

“Accordingly, I find beyond any reasonable doubt that, being employed as an administration officer for Tanoa Hotels (Tonga) Limited, she knowingly took the sum of $21, 299.00 ….. which was the proceeds of cheques drawn by Tanoa to meet wages and  fraudulently or dishonestly and without colour of right applied this to the use of another namely for her own use and enjoyment without the permission of her employer Tanoa.”

People ready to build nation, but corruption has made government dysfunctional, says PM

By
Kalino Latu
-

Some senior government officials have abused foreign-funded projects, Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva  told Kaniva News.

The Prime Minister said  some of them did not work to the best of their ability because they did not like him politically.

This kind of abuse had to be stopped immediately.

“It has caused the government to be dysfunctional,” Hon. Pōhiva said.

Hon. Pōhiva said people were ready to build the nation.

“Unfortunately we find it very difficult to move forward unless we have to do something about these problems,” he said.

There was no use in the government having good policies while those who were required to implement those policies in the ministries were corrupt.

There was a political, social and business network outside government which “strongly influenced” the government’s decision making, Hon. Pōhiva said.

He said it was clear that in the past two years the only successful projects his government had launched were handled by senior officials who were not corrupt and did not have a political vendetta against him.

“We have to clean these up as soon as possible so that the government’s policies could be put into effects,” Hon. Pōhiva said in a December interview.

Abuse

Hon. Pōhiva said it had been reported to him that some senior officials had applied for funding of some projects for the ministries.

It had been claimed most of those projects were either unsuccessful or contributed less advantages to the community because of the way how they were implemented.

“What I now know is that when those projects were launched the people who benefitted most were the consultants and those who monitored the project because they were paid from it,” the Prime Minister said.

Network

The Prime Minister said he had proved in the past two years that corrupt senior officials inside the government had connections with an outside network.

He said this network included some members of the business circles and the nobility.

“If we cannot remove or do something to these senior officials inside the government we cannot move forward,” Hon. Pōhiva said.

He said last year he noticed some of the projects went well and smoothly while others were not.

“For example there were projects in Vava’u including one that was required for the preparation for the king’s 65 birthday,” Hon. Pōhiva said.

“That project met the timeline and there were no deterrent after it was launched.”

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