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Government has no record of decision being made to allow bakeries to operate on Sunday

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Tongan government said it has found no record to show an official decision was made to allow bakeries to operate on Sunday and sell bread to the public.

The revelation was made this week after a meeting in Nuku’alofa on March 7 to discuss a letter submitted to government by church leaders in July 2015.

The church leaders were concerned that selling bread on Sunday breached the law of the nation.

The Tongan constitution says: “The Sabbath Day shall be kept holy in Tonga and no person shall practise his trade or profession or conduct any commercial undertaking on the Sabbath Day except according to law; and any agreement made or witnessed on that day shall be null and void and of no legal effect.”

Tonga’s Police Minister, Hon. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa, said the government was talking to the church leaders and the public and would hold a meeting with the bakery operators this week before making a decision.

He said the government ran programmes on local television and radio after the meeting to inform the public about the law. The programmes stressed that doing business on Sunday was prohibited in Tonga unless authorised by the Minister of Police.

Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said the government had not found any evidence to show who made the decision to allow bakeries to operate on Sunday, or when it was made.

He said former Police Minister Sifa Tu’utafaiva had looked for evidence a decision on the issue had been made,  but could not find it.

“It was likely the decision was made 34 years ago in 1982 after Tropical Cyclone Isaac hit the kingdom,” Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said.

He said it could be that the then Police Minister made the decision under the Order in Public Places Act (CAP 37 as amended).

As part of its inquiries to find if a record of the decision exists, the government has appealed to any member of the public who might have a copy to hand it in.

Hon. Tu’i’onetoa told Kaniva News in a previous interview that as Minister of Police he had the authority to allow a person to do business on Sunday if that person has reasonable reasons to do so.

He said taxi drivers, for example, could apply for a permit to operate on Sunday, but they must give strong reasons to support their application.

In March 2015 Kaniva News reported that residents at Kolonga were working on Sunday on a dead whale that washed up on shore.

Police said at the time the residents did not breach the Sunday law because a bad smell began emanating from the carcass and it needed to be removed.

The main points

  • The Tongan government says it has found no record to show an official decision was made to allow bakeries to operate on Sunday and sell bread to the public.
  • The revelation was made this week after a meeting in Nuku’alofa on March 7 to discuss a letter submitted to government by church leaders in July 2015.
  • The church leaders were concerned that selling bread on Sunday breached the constitution.
  • The government has appealed to any member of the public who might have a copy of the decision to hand it in.

Domestic violence increases, a workshop in Nukuʻalofa was told

By
Kalino Latu
-

The numbers of domestic violence in Tonga continue to rise according to an information released by the Women and Children Crisis Centre (WCCC) in a workshop in Nukuʻalofa this week.

The details of the claim were not available to Kaniva News.

“According to the statistics that we have, there is not much difference between the numbers of criminal cases and domestic violence cases,” Tupou Lanumata from the Centre said in a statement.

The WCCC organised a two-day workshop to bring in youth leaders so it can share with them what it has designed to help the youth avoid violence, aggression and bullying.

“The reason why we chose youth leaders is because they can make an impact in their communities by sharing what they have learned here to their colleagues so that they know the right person to pick when it comes to marriage.”

She said the centre has conducted two workshops in the past about the same issue and the participants developed 10 tips of how to keep a healthy and respectful relationship.

The workshop was funded by UN Women.

READ MORE

Level of violence against women increases beyond critical point, says centre director

Mate Ma’a Tonga fans flock to St Mary’s for fan open day

By
Kaniva Staff
-

HUNDREDS of fans turned out at St Mary’s Leagues Club last night for an open training session and meet-and-greet with Tonga’s rugby league stars.

NRL stars Feleti Mateo, Tony Williams, David Fifita were just some of the players on hand to sign autographs while coaching staff including legends Andrew Johns and John Hopoate posed for photos.

The session kicked off at 3.30pm before players came to meet the fans at 5.30pm.

DJs kept the party atmosphere going throughout while the merchandise stall was overwhelmed with demand for Tonga jerseys, tracksuits and hats.

–St Mary’s Star

Further charges laid against Lord Tuʻihaʻateiho

By
Kalino Latu
-

More charges have been laid against Lord Tuʻihaʻateiho, who was remanded on bail yesterday Thursday 5 to appear in court on May 9.

He is charged   with unlawful possession of ammunition after an incident at his Haʻateiho estate.

The further charges include assault, killing an animal and causing a disturbance.

Lord Tuʻihaʻateiho was arrested on Wednesday, May 4 and remanded in custody after a complaint to Police on April 15.

His estates are Haʻateiho, Tungua and Haʻateiho Siʻi  in Haʻapai and Vavaʻu.

READ MORE:

Noble charged with possession of ammunition after Ha’ateiho incident

Supreme Court sentences driver who fled scene of fatal collision to three years’ in prison

By
Philip Cass
-

The Tongan Supreme Court has sentenced a man to three years imprisonment for reckless driving causing death.

Vaka Fanua was driving without a license when he lost control of his car, hit a minibus and then ran away from the scene of the accident as the driver of the other vehicle lay dying.

He was sentenced to four and a half year’s prison with 16 months of the sentence remitted.

In his report, the Hon. Justice Cato said Fanua had driven at a speed and in a manner which was dangerous to the public and had not paid proper care and attention. He had tried to overtake the minibus and had hit the vehicle   causing it to overturn and thereby caused the death of Mr. Tikisinale Kena, a  young  man also in his 20s.

Kena, who was driving the minibus, was thrown out when it rolled and died later in hospital.

Fanua tried to overtake the minibus in the middle of an unmarked, sealed, straight stretch of road. It was the middle of the afternoon and there was no oncoming traffic.

He was driving so fast that he swerved off the road, skidded on a patch of gravel and in attempting to regain control drove back into the middle of the road and hit the bus at least once.

The prisoner and the other young men with him ran away.

Fanua was found guilty  by the jury after a four day trial.

Hon. Justice Cato said Fanua  had   limited   education,   some   health   problems and was described by his mother as “quiet  person who  may  have  been  injuriously  led  by others  in his extended  family.”

Fanua’s family has apologised to the family of the deceased and made  compensation  in  the  form  of  a  cow  and  mats,  which   has  been  accepted.

When released, Fanua has to be of good behaviour for two years and lice where directed. He will also be on probation. If he breaks any of these conditions he may be liable to finish the suspended part of his sentence.

In his report, Hon. Justice Cato said this was the first time such a case had been heard since the Traffic Act was amended in t010 to reflect the seriousness of such crimes.

The main points

  • The Tongan Supreme Court has sentenced a man to three years imprisonment for reckless driving causing death.
  • Vaka Fanua was driving without a license when he lost control of his car, hit a minibus and then ran away from the scene of the accident as the driver of the other vehicle lay dying.
  • He was sentenced to four and a half year’s prison with 16 months of the sentence remitted.
  • In his report, the Hon. Justice Cato said Fanua had driven at a speed and in a manner which was dangerous to the public and had not paid proper care and attention. He had tried to overtake the minibus and had hit the vehicle causing it to overturn and thereby caused the death of Mr. Tikisinale Kena,a  young  man also in his 20s.

More television programmes from New Zealand available in the Pacific

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Countries across the Pacific have now begun to receive a wide range of new television programmes from New Zealand.

The Pacific Broadcasting initiative, which was announced by New Zealand’s Prime Minister in September last year, is now distributing up to 8 hours per day of television programmes to Pacific nations.

“I am pleased that New Zealand sports, news, current affairs, documentaries and factual series are now available to local free-to-air stations, Tonga Broadcasting Commission and TVWAN (formerly DigiTV), to air” says Sarah Walsh, New Zealand High Commissioner.

“This exciting initiative aims to inform, educate and entertain people across the region. I strongly believe Tonga will see some great shows and sports from New Zealand.

“The New Zealand Government is proud to support this initiative,” says Sarah Walsh, “And we are grateful to the New Zealand and international content providers for their generosity in providing the content at no cost to the Pacific.”

“We want to continue to foster and develop the relationships we have with our Pacific Island neighbours. Showcasing our culture and identity through television is a great way to do this.”

In addition to sending New Zealand content, there is interest in using the service as a platform to rebroadcast local Pacific content.

As part of this initiative, there will also be a training programme for local technicians (i.e. camera operators, vision switchers and studio technicians). This will help build skills across the region.

Pasifika TV content is available for the local free-to-air television stations, Tonga Broadcasting Commission and TVWAN, to air.

Pacific Games Council’s warning to PM latest twist in troubled preparations for tournament

By
Philip Cass
-

Tonga’s road to the Pacific Games in 2019 hit another pothole today after with the leaking of letters from Pacific Games Council chair Vidhy Lakhan warning the kingdom could lose the international tournament.

The Nuku’alofa Times reported today that Vidhy Lakhan gave the warning in a letter to a committee chaired by Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

The Times said Lakhan told the Audit and Governance Authority, which is headed by Hon. Pohiva, that if its proposal to ask for Lord Sevele’s resignation as chair of the Games’ organising committee went ahead, the Pacific Games Council would start looking at the termination clauses of the host country agreement signed by Tonga.

The Prime Minister’s dissatisfaction with Lord Sevele is of long standing.

Hon. Pohiva wrote to Lord Sevele on December 18 last year demanding his resignation over alleged failings and delays in preparation for the Games.

At the time Lord Sevele denied Hon. Pohiva’s accusations, accusing the government of not acting fast enough to support the planning and wanting to change the way preparations were carried out.

Lakhan said neither the Tongan government nor the Audit and Governance Authority had the right to remove Lord Sevele  without consulting the Pacific Games Council first.

At a media conference in Tonga earlier today May 5, Lord Sevele said the government should pull itself  together and concentrate on preparing for the Games.

Meanwhile, Lord Tupou, a former President of TASANOC and a member of the Organizing Committee, said the AGA did not have the power to terminate Lord Sevele.

Tonga’s ambitions to host the Games have faced a number of problems, including dissension among those organising the Games and the sheer cost of running an international event.

The government has announced a variety of measures to raise money for the event, including increasing airport taxes and international money transaction fees.

According to a report from consultants Beca International, the kingdom will need to find up to NZ$73.6 million to fund the Games, but the real cost could be more than NZ$100 million.

Beca International said its cost estimates were accurate within a range of minus 15% to plus 40%, which means they might be slightly less, but could be nearly half as much again.

All facilities used in the Games have to meet international standards, particularly those of the International Rugby Board and the International Amateur Athletics association. The main expenditure items are work on the Tonga High School, the rugby sports field and a new golf course.

Work on the Tonga High school site is estimated to cost NZ$30.32 million.

According to the report, NZ$13.67 million will need to be spent on the Teufaiva National Stadium.

The other major cost item is the golf course which will need to be redeveloped to a par 72 facility with clubrooms. Costs are estimated at being between NZ$6.5 and 8.7 million.

The main points

  • Tonga’s road to the Pacific Games in 2019 hit another pothole today after with the leaking of letters from Pacific Games Council chair Vidhy Lakhan warning the kingdom could lose the international tournament.
  • The Nuku’alofa Times reported today that Vidhy Lakhan gave the warning in a letter to a committee chaired by Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.
  • The Times said Lakhan told the Audit and Governance Authority, which is headed by Hon. Pohiva, that if its proposal to ask for Lord Sevele’s resignation as chair of the Games’ organising committee went ahead, the Pacific Games Council would start looking at the termination clauses of the host country agreement signed by Tonga.
  • Pohiva wrote to Lord Sevele on December 18 last year demanding his resignation over alleged failings and delays in preparation for the Games.

For more information

PM waits for advice from department heads after Lord Sevele refuses to resign from Olympic body

Games costs could hit NZ$100 million mark and estimates do not include many items

 

 

 

Noble charged with possession of ammunition after Ha’ateiho incident

By
Kalino Latu
-

Lord Tu’iha’ateiho has been arrested Wednesday and charged after reports of a firearm being seen, according to Tonga Police.

Kaniva News has learned Police acted after an incident that happened at the noble’s estate of Ha’ateiho on April 15.

Police said more charges will be laid. The former Deputy Speaker of Parliament remains in Police custody.

In March 2015 Lord Tu’iha’ateiho was fined $2,500 pa’anga on one charge of possession of a firearm, a .22 automatic pistol without a license.

Australia donate $12 million for Tonga’s staff salaries

By
Alpha Latu
-

The Australian government is donating AU$12 million in the next three years to help pay the public servants salaries, a statement from the Tongan government said.

The money was part of an agreement signed in Nuku’alofa today through the Performance Link Agreement which is  part of Donor’s Harmonized Policy Reform matrix led by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Commission and the Government of New Zealand.

The donation starts this year with AU$4 million and continues in the next two years with  a AU$4 million respectively.

CEO for the Ministry of Finance and National Planning Mr Tatafu Moeaki said “that a total of $AUD12million will be distributed equally for the next three fiscal years”.

Tatafu
Australian High Commissioner to Tonga HE Mr. Andrew Ford and the Minister of Revenue& Customs and Acting Minister of Finance and National Planning Hon. Tevita Lavemaau signing the agreement

“It is a great support as this amount of money will be allocated to the government’s budget and it will be used on the usual expenses of the government like salaries and others. This is estimated to TOP$7million pa’anga in each financial year,” he said.

HE Mr Andrew Ford said : “This shows Australia’s commitment to ongoing development in Tonga as well as economic reform”.

“It reflects Australia’s strong commitment to development and also reforming the Pacific.”

Tongan bond to bring Joe’s best

By
Kaniva Staff
-

IPSWICH rugby league product Joe Ofahengaue will have plenty of support when he runs out for Tonga this weekend, declaring “half the island is related” to the young Brisbane Broncos forward.

The 20-year-old was named in the Mate Ma’a Tonga side to play Toa Samoa in the Pacific Test this weekend.

As he arrived at the Tongan camp this week, Ofahengaue opened up about how much his selection meant to the Broncos powerhouse.

“It was a very proud moment for myself and my family,” he said.

“It’s not just with our jersey, I think any player picked for their Island team would be pretty stoked.

“When you are playing for your Island nation it is a different story and obviously the whole team has a lot of pride.”

Last year he postponed his dreams of playing for Queensland and Australia, to instead declare himself available for Tonga.

Joe
Joe ʻOfahengāue. Photo/Queensland Times

In October, he was part of Tonga’s 28-8 win over the Cook Islands which secured the Pacific Island nation a spot in the 2017 World Cup.

Despite relishing his time under Brisbane Broncos coach Wayne Bennett, the former Peter Claver College student described being part of the Tongan camp as a unique experience.

“I loved it (last year),” he said. “I rang my dad up afterwards and told him it was the best camp I’ve ever been on.

“We only had five days together to bond but just in that first day you feel like you’re home.”

Amongst his fellow Tongan teammates Ofahengaue said he felt comfortable being himself.

“Last year I came into the camp thinking it was just another ordinary camp,” he said. “I didn’t realise how much freedom we would have to just be ourselves.

“I think being an Island boy you’re not as open around other nationalities, you’re not as open to the team as much. But here everyone feels more at home, it felt really spiritual how everyone comes together.”

The former Ipswich junior has made a huge impact for the Broncos coming off the bench this year.

Named to take his preferred position of lock for Tonga was the cherry on top for Ofahengaue.

“I knew I was in the team but I didn’t know where I would be position wise,” he said. “I was pretty happy to find out I get to play in the number 13. I played there last year and it where I want to be playing.”

The Collingwood Park resident will be reunited with a number of former teammates from across the NRL.

“It will be good to see my good mate Pat Kaufusi,” he said. “I’ve known Patty for a while now and it is good to see a familiar face.

“I’ve known Sione Katoa for six years and I’m looking forward to seeing Sika Manu from Super League.”

The Broncos will be well represented during the international round with Matt Gillett, Corey Parker, Sam Thaiday and Darius Boyd named in the Kanga- roos side facing teammates Adam Blair, Kodi Nikorima and Jordan Kahu for New Zealand.

Ofahengaue said his fellow Broncos would not be disheartened by their close loss to Cronulla on the weekend.

“It’s always good to change it up a bit,” he said.

“It would have been better to get the win but we just seemed to run out of time.

“Hopefully I can just do my job the best that I can.

“(This weekend) is all about doing my job on the field.”

Ofahengaue will come up against another Ipswich product in Manly hooker Matt Parcell when Brisbane host the Sea Eagles next week at Suncorp Stadium.

The former Ipswich Jet has made himself a mainstay of coach Trent Barrett’s new-look side.

“He’s been going really well,” Ofahengaue said. “I watched the Cowboys game last week and he was always pushing up and is always the first one there if a grubber kick goes in.

“It’s good to see him doing well, but there are no friends on the field.”

Mate Ma’a Tonga side to play Toa Samoa in the Pacific Test on Saturday:

1. David Fusitua

2. Mosese Pangai

3. Solomone Kata

4. Vai Toutai

5. Michael Oldfield

6. Feleti Mateo

7. Samisoni Langi

8. Peni Terepo

9. Sione Katoa

10. Felise Kaufusi

11. Sika Manu

12. Tony Williams

13. Joe Ofahengaue

14. Nafi Seluini

15. David Fifita

16. Siosaia Vave

17. Patrick Kaufusi

18. Micky Paea

Tonga play Samoa from 7.40pm on Saturday at Pirtek Stadium, Parramatta.

–Queensland Times

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