The Japanese funded multi-purpose training centre for the Red Cross in Haʻapai has been launched Wednesday 30.
The ceremony comes after the Tongan government received TP $3.6 million pa’anga for purchasing of goods and sports equipment to support economic and social development activities.
The Red Cross Centre was built so it could withstand the impact of natural hazards in the future.
It replaced the previous building which was destroyed by Tropical Cyclone Ian in 2014.
Japanese Ambassador HE Mr Yukio Numata and Haʻapai Governor Moʻale Fīnau as well as Red Cross staff attended the ceremony.
Tonga’s Prison Department has graduated 10 new recruits at Huʻatolitoli Prison Academy on Wednesday 30.
The graduates were honoured after they completed a three-month recruitment training courses.
The graduation was the fifth after the training was conducted at Huʻatolitoli since the department was set up to operate on its own apart from the Ministry of Police and Fire Services.
Recruit Prison Officer Molitoni Mohuanga was named the top student.
He scooped a number of prizes in the “Outdoor Subjects” and three others.
Kulī Tonga was second to Mohuanga after he successfully got top marks on the “Indoor Subjects”.
Tonga is from Tongaleleka, Haʻapai, Kolofoʻou and Pahu, Tongatapu while Mohuanga comes from Maʻufanga and Vainī, Tongatapu.
Leimoni Teisoni, the Acting Commissioner of Prison presented the certificates to the prison officers and emphasized the importance of their roles.
“We are responsible for the safety of the prisoners as well as the community. It is of our role to make sure that we provide a safe environment for both prisoners and the public,” he said.
“This is the end of the training. Soon you will be out there in the field as prison officers, and you will face new challenges. I hope that what you have learned in your three months training will help you in overcoming those challenges and performing your job to the best of your abilities.”
Twenty five years ago this month about 2500 citizens marched to the Royal Palace in Nuku’alofa to ask the king not to legalise the sale of Tongan passports to foreigners.
On that day, March 8, 1991, many of the people were weeping as they peacefully approached the palace.
The Tongan government had sold 426 Tongan passports, many to Hong Kong Chinese worried about the impending communist takeover in 1997.
The people asked the king not to amend the constitution so as to legalise the sales, but the amendment went ahead after it was voted through Parliament by 15 vote to four.
Marching in the crowd that day were the kingdom’s current Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva and and two pro-democracy church leaders, the Late Dr Sione ʻAmanaki Havea of the Free Wesleyan Church and Late Bishop Patelesio Finau of the Catholic Church.
In a speech that Pohiva often quoted when he was campaigning for Parliament, Bishop Finau declared after the petitoners arrived at the palace office in Nukuʻalofa: “Today (midday) a darkness falls on Tonga.”
But it was also the day when the first glimmer of democracy was seen.
The amendment was felt to be one of the most embarrassing and wrongful acts in the history of modern Tonga. The country was under the absolute control of the monarchy and people were beginning to lose patience with the way the kingdom was run.
Pohiva declared at the time: “People are becoming increasingly aware that the government is trying to make easy money, to gamble, to use the country. …a privileged few in high places in government are using unlawful tactics and strategies for their personal benefit. They are milking the system for themselves. Most people feel the existing social system isn’t able to accommodate the needs, expectations and aspirations of the people.”
Protest begins
The march was the first peaceful protest to be staged in the kingdom by democratic activists and was part of thecampaign of Pohiva and his supporters to bring democracy to Tonga.
An emergency session of parliament was called on February 21, 1991 to amend the constitution after Pohiva launched a lawsuit against the government and the then police minister, claiming the passports should be declared invalid because the sales were unconstitutional and illegal.
Pohiva and two other commoner MPs walked out of Parliament during the debate over the proposal to change the constitution.
Withdrawl
On the advice of his legal counsel Dr Rodney Harrison Pohiva agreed on March 1 to withdraw his court case. Once
L-R: Kiing Taufaʻāhau Tupou IV and John Meier, an American fraudster who was given a Tongan Diplomatic Passport in 1979
the constitution had been changed there was no way he could pursue it. Pohiva was awarded NZ$23,500 in costs.
The government’s move polarised the Tongan public and political discussions. However, the most significant outcome was that the protest became the binding force that kept Pohiva and his supporters together for decades until he became the most popular democratic politician elected to Parliament and eventually Prime Minister.
At the time of the protest the king was urged to cancel the citizenship given to the 426 foreigners and to sack the then Police Minister, ‘Akau’ola, who had accepted responsibility for the illegal sales of naturalisation certificates and passports.
The king reportedly told the government newspaper Kalonikali that to cancel the sales would be too heavy a burden for the country because of the fees that would be required to make it happen.
Two kinds of Tongan passport were sold to foreigners; Tonga Protected Persons Passports and the Tongan National Passport, which was issued to those who became naturalised citizens.
The “protected person” passport was created in 1983 as a travel document for non-Tongans who had difficulties travelling beyond their own national boundaries. They were sold for US$10,000 each.
This document however did not give people automatic right of residence in Tonga in the 1980s and countries such as Australia and New Zealand did not recognise their validity.
This led the king granting naturalisation to any foreigner of “good character on humanitarian grounds” in 1984. The naturalisation fee was US$20,000, but additional fees could take the price tag up to more than $35,000.
However, in the mid 1990s Chinese started arriving in Tonga and establishing small businesses, mostly retail stores in the capital Nukuʻalofa.
Their businesses grew and spread to the countryside and the outer islands and now dominate most of the retails and wholesales businesses in the kingdom. The Chinese have expanded their business interests to farming and cropping.
Unfortunately, they have become the target of some Tongan extremists who have robbed their businesses and abuse them.
International criminals
Tongan passports were used to protect international criminals about 10 years before they were sold to Chinese buyers.
The criminals included American fraudster John Meier who was eventually arrested by US authorities in Canada and extradited to the United States in 1979 for fraud and obstruction of justice.
He was also indicted and arrested for tax evasion and was later detained in Australia. However, because he carried with a diplomatic passport issued by the Kingdom of Tonga the Australian authorities released him.
Meier became a very close friend of the Late King Tupou IV and he was heavily involved in the financing of infrastructure projects in Tonga.
According to the book Hot Money and The Politics of Debt by R.T. Naylor, Meier promised the king a new airport, aircraft assembly plants, luxury hotels and ship building industry. Meier got his Tongan Diplomatic Passport in return.
There was a huge clean-up at Tupou College property in 1980s on the side of Fu’amotu International Airport as part of Meier’s project. It was left unfinished and the historic part of the rainforest at the college was left a bare field.
Meier failed to deliver his promises to the king and while the US authorities pressured Tongan authorities to hand him over the Tongan government withdrew his bank license and diplomatic passport.
Philippine’s president
Imelda Marcos, wife of the former President of the Philippines, who went in exile in Hawaiʻi after he was charged with fraud and various corruption claims was one of the best-known foreigners to obtain a Tongan passport.
Former Hong Kong Stock Exchange chief, Ronald Li, who served a four-year jail term for bribery, and textile billionaire Chen Din-hwa were also reportedly among the Tongan passport holders.
The sale of passports netted US$26 million, all of which was lost when the Tonga Trust Fund was wiped out. The government filed lawsuits against several people, including Jesse Bogdonoff, who had been the government’s financial adviser and was appointed as the Late King Tupou IVʻs official royal jester. Bogdanoff settled his part of the law suit in 2004 without admitting liability. He now calls himself Jesse Dean and runs a hypnotism clinic in California.
Royal Commission
King Tupou VI, the current king of Tonga agreed in 2014 to establish a Royal Commission to investigate the Tongan passport scandal.
This would be a great step in piecing together all the details of what happened.
It is understood the Royal Commission has yet to begin its task, but a task force created by the Ministry of Police is currently investigating allegation and charges in relation to misuse of the Tongan passports.
In 2014, Tongan citizens holding Tongan passports had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 83 countries and territories.
In a ranking of the world’s 80 most powerful passports , the Tongan passport came in at number 50.
The main points
Twenty five years ago this month 2500 citizens marched on the Royal Palace in Nuku’alofa to ask the king not to legalise the sale of Tongan passports to Chinese citizens.
The people asked the king not to amend the constitution so as to legalise the sales, but the amendment went ahead after it was voted through Parliament by 15 vote to four.
Among the marchers that day was the Late Bishop Patelesio Finau of the Catholic Church, who declared: “Today (midday) a darkness falls on Tonga.”
But it was also the day when the first glimmer of democracy was seen.
Hundreds are expected to gather for the ʻapō (wake) in honour of Mētui Fīnau on Friday 1 at Pulelaʻā Church in New Lynn at 7pm.
The 29-year-old Tongan musician and member of west Auckland band Spacifix died suddenly on March 24.
A coroner has yet to determine the cause of his death.
His wife Natasha Finau told Fairfax Media she was with Mētui at the time before he dies doing some fitness exercises.
“He was the life of the party, and he brought out the best in people. He wanted to celebrate whatever situation we found ourselves in, he was always looking on the bright side of life,” Natasha said.
A statement about his funeral said:
Mētui Fīnau will be laid to rest on Saturday 2. Photo/Qiane Matata-Sipu.
“It is with heavy hearts we notify friends and family our beloved Metui passed away suddenly on Thursday. Husband and Soulmate to Natasha, cherished son of Rev Viliami Finau and Tui’pulotu, adored brother and uncle.
“Metui will lay in state at his home in Flat Bush until Wednesday 30th March where, in the late evening, he will move to his family homestead in New Lynn.
“On Thursday 31st 7pm, an open service will take place at Pulela’a New Lynn Tongan Methodist Church, Margan Avenue, New Lynn.
It said the āpō will be followed by the funeral Service on Saturday April 2, 10am at Pulela’a, followed by the burial service at Waikumete Cemetery.
Tonga’s Supreme Court on Tuesday reversed a decision by the Tongan government to remove two directors of the Tonga Broadcasting Commission.
The Minister of Public Enterprises, the Hon. Poasi Tei had removed Dowager Lady Fielakepa and Dowager Lady Fusitu’a from the TBC board in October 2015.
Hon Tei accused the women were responsible for “the poor financial performance of the Tonga Broadcasting Commission” and financial losts of the financial years 2011/12-2013/14.
The duo refused to accept the decision and sought judicial review to quash it.
The legal action arose after the Ministry of Public Enterprises announced its intention to restructure the boards of the public enterprises as part of the government reform processes and as a result “the existing directors were to be removed”, the court judgement said.
Ladies Fusitu’a and Fielakepa argued “that there had been no consultation with the TBC directors before the decision was made” and that the MInistry “had acted unlawfully in advertising the positions on the board of T BC as vacant when the existing directors were currently serving”.
Lord Chief Justice Owen Paulsen said Fusitu’a and Fielakepa were denied their rights to natural justice when they were not given enough “time to respond to the allegations made against them”.
Paulsen said: “I am satisfied, and indeed it is plainly obvious in my view, that the only reason the plaintiffs were removed from office was because they would not resign to allow for the introduction of the public enterprises reforms”.
Although the Government considered the removal of the two Ladies was necessary for the good of the country the Minister had no power to remove them, Paulsen said.
“The Minister’s decision of 16 October 2015 removing the plaintiffs as directors of the T BC is quashed”, Paulsen said adding that they “are entitled to their costs which are to be fixed by the Registrar if not agreed”.
Ladies Fusitu’a and Fielakepa were represented by legal counsel William Clive Edwards Snr while the government was represented by the Acting Attorney General ‘Aminiasi Kefu.
A TP$60 million (NZ$39 million) development plan to build a sandy beach, a public park, complete a marina construction and upgrade a pier has been revealed.
The facilities are proposed to be built on the waterfront area in front of the Treasury and between Vuna Wharf and Uafu ‘Amelika.
A TP$20 million was required so a marina that has been constructed in 2007 before it was stopped could be finished off.
The new development included a beach volleyball court and a swimming pool for the South Pacific Games 2019.
An upgrade of the Uafu ‘Amelika will see the Yellow Pier turned into a modern wharf so that vessels and yachts could be able to dock there.
The Ports Authority Tonga’s CEO Mōsese Lavemai said the plan now is at the “discussion stage”.
He said the construction of the 100 square kilometres marina had to be hold after the former government refused to approve the Ports Authority Tonga’s application to lease the area.
Lavemai said the new government of ‘Akilisi Pōhiva approved the lease and now the ports authority is seeking funding so that the construction could start soon.
He said a conceptual design of the new development along with its estimate was prepared and approved by BECA consultancy from New Zealand.
Lavemai said the Tonga Pacific Games Organising Committee requested a beach volleyball court and a swimming pool to be included in the project and it has been approved.
It was expected the construction would be completed before the Pacific Games 2019 starts.
The decision by Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva to appoint his Democratic Party Member Sēmisi Sika as Minister of Tourism has been delayed to allow time for the King and His Privy Council to consider approval of proposed laws.
‘Akanesi Tāufa from Tonga’s Prime Minister’s Office denied rumours Hon Sika, the Chair of the Whole House Committee would be appointed before the end of this month.
“The appointment of Sēmisi has not been approved and there will be no ministerial appointment this week,” Ms Tāufa said in Tongan.
“We will release a statement when the process is done,” she said.
It was not clear whether or not the proposed laws submitted to the Privy Council had anything to do with the government’s move to set up a Ministry for Tourism.
The Ministry was under the Minister of Labour and Commerce but a ministerial bill was passed in parliamment early this year to set it up as a separate entity.
A man from Pili in Nukuʻalofa appeared in court yesterday after he allegedly beat his 13-year-old daughter with a hammer.
The local media have reported the 32-year-old father allegedly hit the girl on the calf of her leg in which she later required to have an operation at Vaiola Hospital.
Police said the attack happened in February but it was only brought to their attention after the daughter sought medical assistance for her injury at the hospital.
The details of the hearing yesterday were not immediately available.
Two major changes in key positions at Tonga’s Ministry of Education and Training (MET) have been announced today.
It was made public that Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva who is also the minister of MET has appointed Ponapate Taunisila as Acting CEO of the Ministry effective from March 30.
Claude Tupou who held the position since February 16 was reverted to his previous position as Deputy CEO for Secondary Schools.
The announcement meant the position of CEO is still vacant after the former CEO Emily Moala Pouvalu’s contract ended in May 2015.
The post was then took over by three different Acting CEOs, two in 2015 who were Dr Raelyn ʻĒsau and Lucy Moala Mafi before Tupou was appointed last month.
In a statement from MET this afternoon the Deputy Chief Executive Officer Lucy Moala Mafi said:
“This is to inform you that Mr. Ponepate Taunisila, Deputy CEO for Quality Assurance has been appointed by the Hon. Minister for Education and Training to be the Acting CEO for Education and Training with effect from Wednesday, 30 March, 2016 until further notice. Mr. Claude Tupou reverts to his position of Deputy CEO for Secondary Schools with effect from the same date”.
Last month a Tongan tribunal ruled in favour of Mr. Tupou after he took action against the Prime Minister and his government for not endorsing a panel’s recommendation to appoint him as the CEO of MET.
Following the tribunal’s ruling we were informed Tupou was appointed by the Minister as acting CEO.
William Greathouse Huluholo Fifita Jr was laid to rest yesterday Monday 28 at the Forest Garden Memorial Park in Covina Hill, California, after family and mourners bid a heartbreaking farewell and said “See you later Junior”.
Many of Fifita’s colleagues, high school football team and coach attended his funeral services and shared their sweet memories of the deceased.
Also attended was his missionary companion who they served as LDS missionaries in Guatemala two years ago.
Most of them said: “Junior was a great example to us”.
Fifita Jr was gunned down Sunday 20 while he and three others were on their way home from a church function.
Authorities said the motive for the crime remains a complete mystery.
The farewell with Fifita was described by his cousin Kolokiholeva Sekona Fifita as “Absolutely a heart-warming see you later to Jr.”
On Saturday a Facebook user by the name Mohekonokono Foʻui wrote on Kaniva News Website and said:
“Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. My family has been humbled by the many messages, phone calls, and overall support from many. My son was a awesome son who will be missed by many. I was blessed by the Lord to have been his father. We will all see him again. Malo aupito and Ofa Atu, Kia Kaha Mana! NZCM 89-91”.
We have been reliably informed the writer was indeed Fifita Jr’s father, William Huluholo Fifita Snr who is currently a San Bernardino County police officer.
Fifita Jr’s burial service on Monday 28 was followed by a luncheon prepared by the Cucamonga Ward.
