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China, New Zealand and PASO vow to improve Tonga’s aviation services

By
Kalino Latu
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China, New Zealand and the Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) vowed to assist and improve Tonga’s aviation safety.

Known as “Four Party Meeting” (FPM), the aviation authorities met in Nuku’alofa last week and agreed to step up their efforts in assisting Tonga so its safety aviation could meet the international required standards sustainably.

This included allowing PASO to access and deal with the controversial MA60 aircraft that had brought so much grief to Real Tonga airline since 2012.

The FPM formally agreed to provide technical supports to Tonga’s aviation on a long term arrangement.

The Tongan aviation authority was caught in the middle after the former government was accused internationally for endorsing the MA60 which had been involved in a number of incidents around the world, including crashes.

Supporters and advocates of the aircraft however cited claims these incidents were caused by pilot error.

At the time the New Zealand government immediately told tourists they would be flying on the aircraft at their own risk.

The New Zealand authority later suspended NZ$10 million (TP15.5 million) tourism aid to Tonga in response to the kingdom’s use of the aircraft.

The suspension was later lifted in 2014 after the two governments began negotiation to resolve their concerns.

The situation also cost one Minister of Aviation’s ministerial post in September 2014 after a report from the Tongan government to the International Civil Aviation Organisation was found to have errors.

However, New Zealand has promised Tonga it has turned over a new page and supported its attempts to normalise its aviation standards.

The meeting was attended by leaders of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the Civil Aviation Authority New Zealand (CAANZ), the Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO), and the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Infrastructure Tonga.

Junior Fa new New Zealand heavyweight champion

By
Alpha Latu
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New Zealand born Tongan boxer Uaine Junior Fa is the new heavyweight champion of New Zealand after edging Daniel Tai by majority decision in Auckland tonight.

Fa battled hard over the back end of the fight to beat Tai to win the vacant New Zealand Professional Boxing Association (NZPBA) belt which is the first boxing title for him to hold.

So far he had 11 professional fights in total in which he won them all with seven knock outs.

Daniel Tai has been a professional fighter since 2000 and boasts a record of 22 wins and 9 losses.

Tonight was his second loss after he was knocked out in 2001 by legendary Australian champion Danny Green.

“Your voices are heard”, Speaker tells audience as new ombudsman office opened

By
Kalino Latu
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Tongan Speaker Lord Tuʻivakanō said the launch of Tonga’s new ombudsman office last week opened a new era to vulnerable members of the community whose voices were not heard.

Lord Tu’ivakanō was speaking to about a 100 guests who were at Tanoa International Dateline Hotel to celebrate the historical event on Wednesday.

The Ombudsman helped the community in its dealings with government agencies.

It handled complaints against government agencies and undertook investigations and inspections.

It also encouraged good administration by giving feedback and training to agencies.

The ombudsman could initiate its own investigations where it sees the need.

Tongaʻs ombudsman office was opened after the law was changed replacing the Commissioner for Public Relations with an Ombudsman in December 2016.

The Speaker, according to the law, has appointed Tongan law expert ‘Aisea Taumoepeau as Tonga’s first ombudsman.

Speaking at the ceremony Taumoepeau said: “The Ombudsman is not about politics, it is not about power, it is about efficient service and good governance making sure all Tongans are accorded fairness that the Rule of Law is maintained and for Tongans to live in harmony”.

Deputy Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni said the ombudsman officer helped ensure accountability of government officials on behalf of the government.

To be effective and credible in this role, the ombudsman must be independent of the government, Hon. Sovaleni said.

“I believe the office will serve to improve Government services for our people”, he said.

The Deputy Prime Minister said government ministries and public enterprises should cooperate with these parliamentary officers as they were “there to help and make recommendation on how to improve their services”.

The Office of Ombudsman was first established in 2001, identified as the Commissioner for Public Relations before the law was changed.

Thousands baby ducks and chickens distributed to promote healthy lifestyle

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Food and Fisheries had given out about 2,400 of free chicks and ducklings among some locals on Friday in an effort to promote healthier lifestyles.

It distributed 1000 of domestic baby chickens among Tongatapu residents, 600 for Vava’u and 400 Ha’apai.

The Ministry had also handed out 180 of domestic ducklings in Tongatapu, 50 in Vavaʻu and ʻEua and 100 among the Ha’apai residents.

Sione Mapapalangi of the Ministry told Tonga Broadcasting Commission people could feed the poultry for six to eight weeks before they can be cooked for food.

It is understood the Ministry had given out thousands of ducklings and chicks before.

Locals can register their names with MAFF to join the programme which was funded by the Tonga Health Promotion Foundation.

Tonga has one of the most at-risk populations in the world for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and obesity, according to the Tonga Health report Path to Good Health, 

In 2007 it set up the Tonga Health Promotion Foundation to tackle the issue.

Freedom Forum says shutting down TBC wrong way to prove Pohiva’s allegations

By
Philip Cass
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Pacific Freedom Forum chair Monica Miller says there might be royalists in the TBC who acted unethically in their reporting, but shutting down the TBC was not the right way to prove the Prime Minister’s allegations.

Miller was reacting to Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s criticism of the kingdom’s national broadcaster.

As Kaniva News reported yesterday, Hon. Pohiva has declared the TBC to be “an enemy of the government.” He said the TBC’s operations would be reviewed and said its services could be provided by another broadcaster.

The ABC in Australia today reported Hon. Pohiva as saying he had no immediate plans to close the TBC, but stood by his claim that its journalists were guilty of “biased reporting” against his government.

He had earlier said the role of the state broadcaster was to support the administration.

But Miller said the job of the TBC was to represent the public.

“It is not the job of any news media to support the government of the day and they must be ethical when reporting criticism,” Miller said.

She said the Tongan government should remember its roots as a pro-democracy reform movement.

Miller said the Prime Minister should organise an independent review into allegations that commission staff were biased against his administration.

An independent review could establish what codes of ethic and conduct were in place to prevent unethical reporting and what mechanisms were in place to protect the tax-funded broadcasting commission.

Miller said the Prime Minister was famous in opposition for asserting his right to freedom of expression despite legal threats, imprisonment and censorship.

She said Hon. Pohiva needed to rediscover the spirit of free speech guaranteed under the constitution.

Clause 7 of the Tonga constitution states:

“Freedom of the press – It shall be lawful for all people to speak write and print their opinions and no law shall ever be enacted to restrict this liberty. There shall be freedom of speech and of the press for ever but nothing in this clause shall be held to outweigh the law of slander or the laws for the protection of the King and the Royal Family.”

The main points

  • Pacific Freedom Forum chair Monica Miller says there might be royalists in the TBC who acted unethically in their reporting, but shutting down the TBC was not the right way to prove the Prime Minister’s allegations.
  • Miller was reacting to Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s criticism of the kingdom’s national broadcaster.
  • As Kaniva News reported yesterday, Hon. Pohiva has declared the TBC to be “an enemy of the government” and said its job was to support the administration.
  • She said the Tongan government should remember its roots as a pro-democracy reform movement.

More information

Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva defends his call to close Tonga Broadcasting Commission

Independent review for public broadcaster (Pacific Freedom Forum)

Pohiva declares war on TBC, declares it an obstacle and constraint on gov’t

 

Tongan PM denies claim government hires Dr Eke to assist creating government budget

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tongan Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva has vehemently denied reports that his government has hired former Finance Minister Dr. ʻAisake Eke to assist the treasury in creating its budget for the 2017-2018 financial year.

Hon. Pohiva sacked Dr Eke after he abstained in last month’s vote of no confidence.

“We cannot hire ʻAisake Eke as a consultant while he is a Member of Parliament representing the people,” he told a media conference in Nuku’alofa this afternoon.

“That is not how the policy works.”

Hon. Pohiva’s response was prerecorded and later broadcast by radio FM 87.5 through Tonga Daily News website this afternoon.

The Prime Minister implied that the allegation, which appeared to have been first broadcasted by the Tonga Broadcasting Commissionʻs radio, stemmed from comments by Minister of Finance Hon, Tevita Lavemaau about Dr Eke’s role with the Parliamentary Finance committee.

The Prime Minister said Dr. Eke was still a member of the finance committee and still had a responsibility to comment on the budget.

“If we hire some one as a consultant it has to be someone from outside and not a Member of Parliament,” Hon. Pohiva said.

The Prime Minister said it appeared Hon. Lavemaau was not prepared to talk about the issue when he was questioned and as a result his statement was open to interpretation.

Nepituno webpage said  the Tonga Broadcasting Commission had reported that Dr. Eke had  been hired by the government as a “special consultant”.

Radio Australia reported yesterday that “Tonga’s sacked former Finance Minister has been asked to help prepare the national budget as a consultant.”

The main points

  • Tongan Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva has vehemently denied reports that his government has hired former Finance Minister Dr. ʻAisake Eke to assist the treasury in creating its budget for the 2017-2018 financial year.
  • Pohiva sacked Dr. Eke after he abstained in last month’s vote of no confidence.
  • “We cannot hire ʻAisake Eke as a consultant while he is a Member of Parliament representing the people,” he told a media conference in Nuku’alofa this afternoon.
  • “That is not how the policy works.”

For more information

Eke “shocked” by PM’s claims, but says he has no choice but to resign

Junior Fa takes on Tai in New Zealand title fight

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tongan-New Zealand born boxer Uaine Junior Fa is taking on Auckland based fighter Daniel Tai for  the vacant New Zealand Professional Boxing Association heavyweight title, tomorrow evening, at the ABA stadium in Mt Eden, Auckland.

Fa took to Facebook this morning and told his supporters, “All the hard work is done. It’s Show Time again this Saturday night! Get your tickets and come down and watch a good night of fights where there will be a new NZPBA heavyweight champion!”.

The fight came after Fa won his debut fight in the United States last month.

He defeated Keith Barr with a knockout in the third round of a scheduled six round fight.

This makes 10 wins out of 10 fights for Fa.

Seven of those wins were knockout.

The 27 year old boxer turned professional a year ago with a win against Richard Tutaki.

Although New Zealand born and raised, Fa has represented Tonga internationally, winning a bronze medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India.

TOP$230,000 worth of uncustomed jewellery, firearm and ammunition seized in Halaleva

By
Kalino Latu
-

Police and custom officers had seized undeclared jewellery with a revenue value of TOP$230,000 including other items on Saturday 11 in Halaleva.

Cash and cheque of over TOP$6,500, herbal medications, electronic devices, one fiream and 1480 ammunition were among the confiscated goods.

Tonga Customs and Revenue boss ʻAnisi Kulufeinga Bloomfield said more than 50 Customs, Inland Revenue and Police officers raided a Chinese property and business in the area at 8am

A statement from the Ministry says:

The Tonga Customs initiated this operation code named: Operation Sparkling in responding to mounted intelligence and investigation.

These jewellery items including 9 – 22 carat gold jewellery, diamonds and pearls were located at the dwelling house with price tags varied from TOP$100 – TOP$1600.

It is alleged that these uncustomed items are to be of Asian origin and were smuggled into country through passengers of commercial flights without declaring at the border.

These items were smuggled into Tonga to be further traded in his licensed premises.

The total value of these jewellery items are over TOP$230,000. The total duty evaded by this company is approximately  TOP$80,000.

This business has been operating for more than 6 years but has no Customs records of imports of jewellery by the business or its owners.

The Tonga Customs has vested interest in this situation as these jewellery items were being sold as imported goods and offered for commercial exchange at comparable prices without any payment of duties or taxes.

Bloomfield said that he is impressed with robust and collaboration efforts of the core law enforcement agencies in sharing resources and capabilities. He is determined to strengthen their cooperation.

The Tonga Customs in partnership with Tax Authorities and Tonga Police are continuing in their enforcement efforts to investigate entities who continue to breach the Customs laws across the islands of Tonga.

Pohiva declares war on TBC, declares it an obstacle and constraint on gov’t

By
Philip Cass
-

Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva has declared war on the Tongan Broadcasting Corporation.

He has declared the TBC to be “an enemy of the government” and said its job was to support the administration.

Once regarded as a champion of media freedom, the Prime Minister told Radio New Zealand he was not happy with the TBC.

He described the state broadcaster as an obstacle and a constraint on the work of the government.

“They claim the freedom of media should be allowed, should be the same with any other media in Tonga, but they should understand there is a basic difference between a private media and also government media,” he said.

Hon. Pohiva said the TBC’s operations would be reviewed next month.

He claimed it had been losing money for the past decade and its services might be better provided by another broadcaster.

However, Lord Fusitu’a said any move to shut down the TBC would be in breach of the constitution.

“The very basis of any Westminster democracy is the rule of law and once you chip away at freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, you are chipping away at the rule of law which ends up, in most cases, disregard to the rule of law,” he said.

The Prime Minister has accused the TBC in the past of aiding his political opponents and had Viola Ulakai journalist suspended after she claimed to be calling for a press conference on behalf of the Tonga Media Council.

As Kaniva News reported in May, the President of the Pacific Islands News Association, Moses Stevens, criticised Hon. Pohiva over Ulakai’s suspension.

In a statement issued to mark World Press Freedom Day, Stevens accused the Tongan government of censoring the media.

“The Tongan case is interesting because it involved a Prime Minister who was a respected champion for democracy, free speech, freedom of expression and free media,” Stevens said.

The main points

  • Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva has declared war on the Tongan Broadcasting Corporation.
  • He has declared the TBC to be “an enemy of the government” and said its job was to support the administration.
  • Once regarded as a champion of media freedom, the Prime Minister told Radio New Zealand he was not happy with the TBC.
  • He described the state broadcaster as an obstacle and a constraint on the work of the government.

For more information

Tonga’s PM calls state broadcaster ‘enemy of govt’

Tongan noble says PM plans are unconstitutional

US recognizes Women and Children Crisis Centre in its efforts to end domestic violence

By
Kalino Latu
-

The United States Pacific Command and the Nevada National Guard have recognized the hard and tireless efforts by Tongaʻs Women and Children Crisis Centre’s to end domestic violence.

The organisations presented a plaque that contains this information:

“Presented on behalf of The United States Pacific Command and the Nevada National Guard in recognition of the Achievement of the Women and Children Crisis Centre’s efforts to end domestic violence”.

It was presented to the WCCC staff in Nuku’alofa yesterday by the US Ambassador to Tonga Judith Cefkin.

“The Women and Children Crisis Center is an NGO works independently outside of the government sector, works very diligently to advocate for the human rights of women and children, and for gender equality, also works to end all violence against women and children, offers free counseling and legal services, among other services”, HE Cefkin said.

“We know the domestic violence is a problem around the world, and also in the Pacific. We also know that when women have a political voice and economic power, they contribute to their families’ and communities development.

“Women, however, are vulnerable to domestic violence and victims need assistance of the type that the WCCC is offering. Raising awareness is the first step to stop the cycle of violence and to raise the stature of women in communities.

I want to commend the WCCC on its excellent support for women and children in Tonga. We are pleased that we, the U.S. government, through the Pacific Command and Nevada National Guard, could partner with the WCCC to assist with and promote your valuable activities in your community,” the US Ambassador said.

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