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Surface flooding warning for Levin and Palmerston North 

By
Kaniva Staff
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(New Zealand) Central Police are urging motorists to drive with extra caution in Levin and Palmerston North while surface flooding affects the area.

Flooding is affecting streets between Queen Street and the State Highway One / State Highway 57 intersection.

The roads remain open at this time.

Signage is currently in place and motorists should take extra care by driving to the conditions and reducing speeds.

Further information on areas affected is available on NZTA’s website: http://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/

Ministry rewards high level tax payers for  compliance with revenue laws

By
Philip Cass
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The Ministry of Revenue and Customs is planning to reward customers who have complied with the kingdom’s tax laws.

The Ministry’s CEO, Kulufeinga ‘Anisi Bloomfield, said the reward scheme, to be known as the Heilala tax system, was aimed at ”deserving”  taxpayers who had paid high levels of tax.

The Heilala scheme was intended to encourage a culture of voluntary compliance with Tax and Customs laws that would enable the Government to continue to collect revenue.

Services and benefits offered to the members would include a private reception area with refreshments, TV and internet access at the Tax and Customs offices; prioritized processing of tax and customs requests; blanket tax clearance and access by members’ CEOs and senior managers to the VIP lounge upon arrival at the Fua’amotu International Airport.

Membership would depend on the ability of the taxpayer to maintain high levels of compliance and any additions to its membership would depend on the Ministry’s annual review processes.

The Ministry has selected 10 taxpayers to pioneer this system. They are:

A Cowley & Sons Ltd

Bank of South Pacific Tonga Limited (BSP)

Fexco (Tonga) Ltd

MBF Bank Ltd

Pacific Energy (South West Pacific) Ltd

PTH Ltd

The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints

Tonga Airports Ltd

Tonga Development Bank Ltd

Tonga Water Board.

The main points

  • The Ministry of Revenue and Customs is planning to reward customers who have complied with the kingdom’s tax laws.
  • The Ministry’s CEO, Kulufeinga ‘Anisi Bloomfield, said the reward scheme, to be known as the Heilala tax system, was aimed at ”deserving” taxpayers who had paid high levels of tax.
  • The Heilala scheme was intended to encourage a culture of voluntary compliance with Tax and Customs laws that would enable the Government to continue to collect revenue.
  • Membership would depend on the ability of the taxpayer to maintain high levels of compliance.

Usain Bolt bids farewell with ’emotional’ final lap of London track

By
International Media
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Usain Bolt bade one final, emotional goodbye to a sport he has dominated for the past decade with a lap of honour at the end of the World Championships in London.

The Jamaican lapped up the acclaim from the packed London Stadium crowd who had stayed on after the final event to honour the greatest athlete in history.

Bolt was presented with a section of the track from London 2012, the Games at which he declared himself a “living legend” by defending his 100 and 200 metres titles, by athletics chief Lord Coe and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

Montages of his most famous moments played on the big screen before the 30-year-old circled the stadium to unrelenting applause, clapping the fans back in return.

“It’s been a rough couple of days for me,” said Bolt to the crowd ahead of his lap.

“To be in the stadium with such wonderful people, it’s going to be emotional.”

Bolt brought the curtain down on his glittering career in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable on Saturday night, collapsing to the track with injury, diagnosed as a hamstring cramp, as he ran the anchor leg for Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team.

He was helped to his feet and limped across the line. It was a sad and undeserving way to go out.

It meant the 19-time global champion’s final championships ended without another gold after he could only manage bronze in the 100m.

But his legacy remains untarnished. This was not a championships on which to judge Bolt the athlete, his hunger for glory apparently already sated, his greatness assured.

This last season, which followed three more Olympic golds in Rio last year, was one long lap of honour. A farewell tour for a “Goliath” as new 100m champion Justin Gatlin called him.

Bolt said that he was told after the 100m not to worry “as Muhammad Ali also lost his last fight, so don’t be stressed”.

“I don’t think this will change what I’ve done in the sport,” he added.

A giant of the sport thanks to his eye-watering fast times – his marks over 100m and 200m of 9.58 seconds and 19.19secs – look set to go unthreatened for many a year – his colourful, larger-than-life character and his ‘saviour’ tag in the face of so many doping scandals, his retirement leaves a huge void.

“I’ve always tried my best. Every time I touch a track I come out and give 100 per cent all the time,” said Bolt.

“I just want to entertain and put on good performances. The support has been immense.

“It’s really sad that I have to walk away.”

Athletes must reach “standard” before government offers funding, PM says

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tongan athletes who represent Tonga in international sport must reach a certain standard before the government helps them financially, Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva has announced.

Hon. Pohiva said this was a new policy set up by his Sports Department to make sure Tonga sent only the best to international sport competitions.

He said this was how other countries selected their athletes and he wanted Tonga to follow suit.

Hon. Pohiva said there had been big problems in the past because Tonga selected its athletes without making sure they could perform to the international standard.

He said the poor performance of Tongan athletes during the recent South Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea proved his point.

The Prime Minister said he was not blaming the athletes. It was just that there was no “system” in place in the past to make sure the athletes were qualified.

He said in this way the government would make sure it did not waste money on sending athletes to compete overseas.

Lord Nuku challenged the Prime Minister in Parliament and said this was not in line with the government’s announcement that it had cancelled the 2019 Pacific Games so it could spend the money on developing local sports.

However, Hon. Pohiva said the government had the money and was still willing to support local sports and athletics, but the new policy was to make sure any money spent on sport was justified.

He said the netball team recently went overseas for three matches and returned without any result.

With the new policy, the government had recently rejected requests for funding by the Tonga Australian Football and Tonga National Taekwondo federations.

The Prime Minister said the government assisted the Ikale Tahi’s recent tours, including its game against the Welsh in Auckland in June and Pacific Cups 2017 in Nuku’alofa.

He said as far as he remembered each ‘Ikale Tahi player received TP$4000 after the tour.

“Maybe they performed really well during this tour because of the financial support they received from the government,” Hon. Pohiva said.

Lord Nuku said he was afraid Tongan athletes could not qualify to participate in any international sport competition because of the new standard created by the government.

Hon. Pohiva said that during the recent Oceania Area Athletics  competition in Fiji a Tongan athlete joined Australian and New Zealand competitors in winning gold medals.

Hon. Pohiva said the Tongan athlete was the best in the Oceanian sports because he was tested and met the new standard.

New Director for sport

The Prime Minister also revealed the cabinet has just approved ‘Ikani Taliai as the new director for a Sports Institute.

He said Taliai and his assistants were responsible for training and preparing athletes from the lowest to the top levels athletes.

He said there was a plan for a meeting with TASANOC to see how they could work together with the Sports Institute.

The Prime Minister said that in the two years since his government came into power they had realised Tongan athletes who were sent to compete in overseas performed very unsatisfactorily (fu’u ta’efakafiemalie ‘aupito).

A lot of money was spent, but the results were poor because the athletes were not well trained and prepared.

There were not proper trainers and they went without making sure they could perform to the standard.

The main points

  • Tongan athletes who represent Tonga in international sport must reach a certain standard before the government helps them financially, Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva has announced.
  • Pohiva said this was a new policy set up by his Sports Department to make sure Tonga sent only the best to international sport competitions.
  • He said there had been big problems in the past because Tonga selected its athletes without making sure they could perform to the international standard.
  • He said the poor performance of Tongan athletes during the recent Commonwealth Games in Papua New Guinea proved his point.

For more information

Oceania Athletics Area Championships 2017

Man in critical condition after assault in Manurewa 

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Police are investigating after a man sustained critical head injuries following an assault in Manurewa, New Zealand last night.

Police received reports of disorder at the Backyard Bar on Great South Road around 3am this morning.

A large group were reported to be fighting and the victim was found unresponsive by Ambulance staff at the scene.  He was taken to Middlemore Hospital with serious injuries and has now been transferred to Auckland Hospital for further treatment.

A scene examination will be conducted today and an investigation is underway.  Police would like to hear anyone who has information regarding this incident.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that may assist Police can contact Counties Manakau Police on (09) 261 1300 or report anonymously via Crimestoppers on 080 555 111.

Heartbreaking reunion for the deceased’s family

By
Kalino Latu
-

Dozens of Tongan seasonal workers in Hawkes Bay were joined by the late Siosifa Havili’s close family members in a moving and emotional vigil and family service for the deceased in Hastings last night.

The service was attended by about 80 Tongan seasonal workers and members of the growing Tongan community in Hastings and surrounds.

Siosifa, aged 46,  was in New Zealand as a seasonal worker but died of a heart attack earlier this week, a month and a half following a routine heart operation in Wellington Hospital.

Siosifa’s eldest brother, Tavite Havili flew over from Australia and was joined by his sister Mrs Lotolua Sharkey and her daughter Vika, who live in Auckland before heading down to Hastings.

Also attending were senior management and staff of employers of Thornhill Horticultural Contracting Ltd and Mr Apple Ltd, who employed Siosifa for many years.

Mr Sefita Hao’uli and Mr Tevita Niulata who look after the seasonal workers from Tonga while they’re in New Zealand were also at the service.

Mr Alistair Jamieson, who is the seasonal labour manager for Mr Apple gave a warm and tearful tribute and spoke of a group leader who was a valued employee for New Zealand’s largest apple exporter.

Thornhill Contracting owner also acknowledged Siosifa’s services on behalf of the company and his staff.

In representing the New Zealand government, Immigration New Zealand Pacific labour and skills manager George Rarere  referred to his recent visit to Tonga where he met with Prime Minister, Mr Akilisi Pohiva who gave an undertaking that Tonga is obliged to send a senior government official to accompany the deceased home and he understood that this will be standard practice.

Siosifa came to New Zealand in February and worked for Mr Apple before he moved to Thornhill Contracting company on a joint ATR in May.

He was the leader of a group of 12 workers, most of whom are from Ma’ufanga

Arrangements have been made to repatriate Siosifa on Thursday for burial in Tonga next weekend.

Cabinet members’ cost of living pay rise condemned by PSA

By
Philip Cass
-

Cabinet members have been awarded their first pay rise since 2015.

Their pay rise excludes any back pay for the past two years.

The five percent cost of living allowance (COLA) pay increase was agreed last week and was deemed to have come into effect on July 1.

According to a press release from the Prime Minister’s office, the decision to award the pay increase was prompted by the increase in the income tax imposed on Cabinet Minister’s annual salary by 24%, from July 1 this year.

In 2015, Cabinet resolved that only civil servants would be awarded with a five percent cost of living allowance.

The Ministers’ entitlements were put on hold for now two years.

In 2005, civil servants were awarded a range of salary adjustment of between 60 and 80 percent.

This was followed by another 10% cost of living allowance in 2009, a six percent increase in 2014 and five percent in 2015.

Tonga Public Service Association secretary Mele ‘Amanaki condemned the pay rise and called on cabinet to rescind their pay rise and give a five percent pay rise to public servants.

The PSA has been fighting with the government over cost of living allowances and the implementation of new public service salary structures.

The current Crown Employees (Public Service – Salaries 2016) Award expired on  June 30, 2017.

“Have the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice forgotten what we fought for in 2005? Fair distribution of benefits in government?” ‘Amanaki asked.

She said the Association had fought for pay increases for workers at the lower end of the pay scale.

Pay rises at the bottom of the pay scale would be “peanuts” compared with the cost of cabinet salaries.

“How greedy can one be?” Ananaki  said.

“’Alu atu e Kapineti, moe me’a tatau.”

The main points

  • Cabinet members have been awarded their first pay rise since 2015.
  • Their pay rise excludes any back pay for the past two years.
  • Tonga Public Service Association secretary Mele Ananaki condemned the pay rise and called on cabinet to rescind their pay rise and give a five percent pay rise to public servants.
  • She said the Association had fought for pay increases for workers at the lower end of the pay scale.

For more information 

Public Service Association

Exclusive: Bristol make Charles Piutau the world’s highest paid player with TOP$2.7 million per season deal

By
International Media
-

Charles Piutau is to become the highest paid player in world rugby next year after Championship side Bristol smashed Premiership records by signing the former All Black on a sensational £1 million per season deal, Telegraph Sport can reveal.

Piutau, the utility back who won 16 caps for the All Blacks before joining Irish province Ulster via a dazzling season at Wasps, is to join the south west club at the start of the 2018/19 season having signed a two-year deal that will shock waves across English rugby.

Bristol saw off strong competition from leading clubs in France to secure the deal – well beyond Ulster’s financial means – and had to pay above the odds because of their current status outside of England’s top flight.

Bristol, who were relegated from the Premiership last season, had already set a new Premiership record by signing Piutau’s former Auckland Blues and All Blacks team-mate Steven Lautau this season on a deal understood to be worth £650,000 per season.

The Piatau deal however last night described by Pat Lam, Bristol’s new director of rugby, “one of the biggest coups in the club’s history” and underscores the south west club’s ambitions – bankrolled by billionaire owner Stephen Lansdown – to become not only the top force in England but also Europe.

Both players are understood to be signed as one of the two “marquee” players allowed by Premiership Rugby salary cap regulations, where the club can pay an unlimited salary to two designated players.

Piatau will remain with Ulster for the new season to see out his current contract before moving to England next year, when he will eclipse former All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter as the highest club player on the world stage.

Carter’s current deal with French Top 14 club Racing 92, which is thought to be around 1.2million euros per season, is due to expire at the end of the new season.

It is understood Piatau’s deal will still go through even if Bristol do not win promotion back to the Premiership at the end of the new season and he will join his brother Siale at his new club.

“I feel blessed to have been given the opportunities I have in rugby,” Piatau told Telegraph Sport.

“If I am able to play a central role in delivering the vision that Pat has outlined for Bristol, then the challenge of playing for this club will be an achievement that I will be able to look back on, with immense pride.

“Even more appealing, is the opportunity to do this along side my brother Siale, my best friend Steven (Lautau) and the rest of the squad that Bristol is putting together.

“Signing for Ulster was the start of my journey outside of New Zealand and I will forever be grateful for this opportunity. And as we enter an exciting new format in the Pro 14, my sole focus for this season will be to do whatever I can to make this a successful season for Ulster and its supporters.”

Ryan Constable, a director of Esportif International, the agency that struck the deal with Bristol, refused to comment on the figures of the deal but admitted that rugby union was moving further towards a business model where players are signed not only to perform on the pitch but also boost the club’s profile and commercial value.

“Obviously it would be entirely inappropriate to comment on the specifics of any individual contract negotiation but generally speaking, there is no doubt that we are seeing the emergence of an American style “franchise player” phenomenon in rugby, where certain clubs are prepared to invest in particular players for more than just their playing attributes,” said Constable, the former Saracens and Ulster centre who was capped by Australia in 1994.

“These players are central to the commercial and community engagement programs of the clubs and their ability to attract supporters. We have seen evidence of significant spikes in both season ticket purchases and replica jersey sales following high profile announcements at European Clubs.

“The ‘excluded player’ dispensations from salary cap restrictions in the Aviva Premiership allow these English clubs to compete in the wider marketplace for this marquee talent which, would otherwise gravitate towards the French Top 14 or Japanese Top League due to their superior financial muscle.

“Let’s not forget, not only is there competition between clubs within their competition, there is also competition between competitions to attract the best talent.   This impacts on TV audiences and therefore impacts broadcast revenue along with sponsorship opportunities and ticket sales.”

Piutau, who can play full back, wing or centre, made 23 appearances for Ulster and was their joint-top try scorer with nine tries last season and was named the Pro 12 players’ player of the season. During his spell with Wasps in 2016, Piutau was also nominated for the Aviva Premiership player of the season and was named in the team of the season.

“We’re thrilled to have an individual of his immense quality and experience to add to our ranks. As somebody who has worked with Charles previously, I know what an influential player he is on and off the field,” said Lam.

US military plans B-1 Bomber strike on North Korea missile sites

By
International Media
-

The American military is ready with a plan to strike North Korean missile sites in a preemptive attack if Donald Trump decides to do so.

The plan involves flying a B-1B heavy bomber from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam accompanied by satellites, drones, higher jets, and aerial refuelling warplanes. Training for the mission has been ongoing, and there have been 11 practice runs for a similar mission since May when the training was accelerated.

“Of the military options … [President Trump] could consider, this would be one of the two or three that would at least have the possibility of not escalating the situation,” retired Admiral James Stavridis, the former Supreme Allied Commander Europe, told NBC.

There are six B-1B bombers positioned in Guam, about 2,100 miles by air to North Korea. The bombers have been heavily used in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and have been updated since then.

The news of the potential operations comes as the relationship between the US and North Korea has become very strained. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Mr Trump have engaged in a heated back and forth of threats. Recently, Mr Trump promised “fire and fury” if Mr Kim didn’t stop threatening the United States. In response, Mr Kim’s government signaled they were considering an attack on Guam if Mr Trump didn’t cool his tough talk.

Both countries appear to be more than willing to push the other further and further with the threats, however, in spite of assurance from US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who has said that Americans have no reason to worry about an impending war.

Should Mr Trump choose the attack plan that includes the B-1B bomber, they would be targeting  approximately two dozen North Korean missile-launch sites, test grounds and other facilities, sources told NBC.

Defense Secretary James Mattis, following the exchange of threats, released a statement saying that the Pentagon was prepared for any escalation to violence including an offensive attack or a defensive, retaliatory attack.

“While our State Department is making every effort to resolve this global threat through diplomatic means,“ the statement said, ”it must be noted that the combined allied militaries now possess the most precise, rehearsed and robust defensive and offensive capabilities on Earth.”

More cows damage plantations in Vava’u as bill rushed to Parliament

By
Kalino Latu
-

More cows have been found damaging a plantation in Vava’u at the same time as a private bill to toughen laws controlling livestock is being rushed to Parliament

Holonga resident Mausa Lilo uploaded photos of cows wandering in his plantation on Wednesday.

He posted a photo of himself with a rifle warning farmers to control their cows or he would shoot them if he found them on his plantation again.

The most recent damage came after Kaniva News reported seven cows were shot dead while damaging a watermelon garden in ‘Utui.

Tonga Broadcasting Commission has reported that three cows belonging to a livestock farmer of Pangaimotu were shot recently after they wandered onto a tax allotment.

The private bill to control livestock will be submitted by Vava’u 16 MP ‘Akosita Lavulavu. It is intended to increase fines for those whose animals damage plantations from TP$100 and $TP200 to $4000 and $5000.

Hon. Lavulavu told Kaniva News Holonga was in her electorate and she was aware of the incident at Lilo’s plantation.

If it becomes law, the bill will require owners of animals which cause damages to pay an on the spot fine or go to court.

The bill would also give power to plantation owners to impound animals which cause damage for seven days, as long as they inform the town officer. If no one claims the animals after seven days the plantation owner can keep them.

If the owner of the animal comes forward to claim them within seven days they will have to pay TP$400 to the victims.

The bill would also make it an offence for people who owned animals such as cows, horses and pigs not to keep them in an enclosure.

Hon. Lavulavu said her bill was urgent and the Minister of Justice had urged her to work on it.

She said the bill would help to protect the animals and keep the peace in the community.

The shooting of the seven cows in ‘Utui triggered huge debates on social  media, with many people claiming this was a huge and long standing problem in Vava’u.

Some stood by the shooter while some said his actions went too far as the animals became victims because of the owners’ disregard for their safety.

One source said the cows damaged more than 1000 water melons in the ‘Utui plantation.

Fehoko Bloomfield ‘Okusitino of Kameli, who now lives in Australia, said herds of cows roamed the tax allotments and residential areas in Neiafu and Kameli, particularly in the evening and early in the morning.

Vava’u 14 MP and Minister of Health Saia Piukala said he understood this was a huge problem in his constituency.

His constituents had raised the issue with him and he asked the owners of animals to make sure they could control their animals.

He believed the problems would not be resolved soon so he advised his constituents the best thing for them to do was to put their animals into enclosures.

The main points

  • More cows have been found damaging a plantation in Vava’u at the same time as a private bill is being rushed to Parliament to toughen laws that control animals.
  • Holonga resident Mausa Lilo has uploaded photos of cows wandering in his plantation on Wednesday.
  • He posted a photo of him with a rifle warning farmers to control their cows or he would shoot them if he found them on his plantation again.
  • A private bill will be submitted by Vava’u 16 MP ‘Akosita Lavulavu. It is intended to increase fines for those whose animals damage plantations from TP$100 and $TP200 to $4000 and $5000.
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