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.
The staff and workers at Waste Authority were excited to see the arrival of the new German Bomag Landfill compactor on Thursday, March 24, 2016.
The machine weighs about 22000 kgs and was worth US$475,000 funded by the Australian Government through DFAT and the Asian Development Bank.
The Bomag made can normally be modified on-site with a choice of wheel types and dozer blades.
It was specifically designed to crush rubbish at landfill sites and could compact mixed and cohesive soils in thin to medium layer thicknesses.
“A landfill site is an important asset for Tonga” said the Minister for Public Enterprises Hon Poasi Tei. “By having this machine here, we will preserve the site for many more years.”
The Tonga Boxing Association (TBA) hopes of sending fighters to the Olympics in Rio are on the ropes after their three leading contenders were beaten in the opening session of the Oceania qualifying tournament in China.
Pueki Fifita a female fighter who won bronze medal for Tonga at Pacific Games 2015, Sepesitiano Lavemai, a super heavy weight who won silver medal at the Pacific games 2015 and Fine Tu’ipulotu, also a Pacific Games 2015 contender all lost their first-round fights yesterday.
Hiko Fungavaka, the assistant president of the TBA said he has yet to receive the results for Pouono Lopeti, a Tongan light heavy weight boxer from Australia who joined the Tongan team.
However Lopeti who goes by the name Machete Lopeti on Facebook, made an emotional comment on his page this morning and said: “Not the result we hoped for….. Humbled by the experience Sad and frustrated by the loss but definitely not defeated mentally. Many thanks for the support!!!”
The TBA sent two officials and four fighters to compete at the qualifying tournament.
Fungavaka said 13 boxers were trained to compete at the tournament but they finally cut them down to only four because the funding from the government was not enough to send them all to the competition.
The selection of the fighters was then forced to pick only those fighters who had fought in an international competition like the Pacific Games.
Not the result we hoped for….. Humbled by the experience Sad and frustrated by the loss but definitely not defeated mentally. Many thanks for the support!!!
Tongan authorities were concerned about the increasing number of new pharmacies and medical students returning from overseas while the government has no regulations to control them.
The kingdom wanted laws to make sure only qualified medical practitioners are serving the public.
The idea however took shape in Nukuʻalofa last week after the health authorities and representatives from the Ministry of Justice  met to review and made the final amendment to the Medical and Dental Practice Act 2001.
The 2001 Act only dealt witht staff’s performances, professionalism and protecting the public from malpractices.
Mr TuÊ»akoi ‘Ahio, Principal Health Administrator and Registrar of the Medical Dental Practice Board, said: “There is no regulation at the moment and this workshop is trying to develop some regulations to determine whether the Pharmacies are equitable to operateâ€.
Dr. Tu’akoi ‘Ahio, Registra of the Medical and Dental Practice Board with Ms. Marina Moa from the Crown Office during the workshp in Nukuʻalofa
“Due to many new pharmacies and students going to Cuba to study, the reviewing of this Act” was to make sure they meet certain requirements before allowing them to operate and work in Tonga.
ʻAhio said the new laws will protect medical officers, dentists and doctors.
“It has been a long journey from 2001 to today and it has new things and new people in each category and it also has new challenges…so there is a need to review this Act before we implement it to meet the current standards and so on,†Tuʻakoi said.
“What we are trying to achieve today is going through the final draft and the proposed regulations for this Act,†Tuʻakoi said.
The proposal to amend the law will go through the government normal procedure and was expected to be discussed in Parliament soon.
Tony Finau made headlines before 2016 even started by signing with Nike. And before the year’s first major, he’s already proven to be a great investment.
On Sunday, Finau won the Puerto Rico Open to morph from talented curiosity into PGA Tour winner. Finau, 26, defeated Steve Marino on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff at Coco Beach.
“I think I’m still a little bit overwhelmed,” Finau told reporters in Puerto Rico after. “It probably hasn’t all sunk in.”
Finau played his final eight holes of regulation in two over par to match Marino with a final-round 70. He missed a six-footer for birdie on No. 18 for the win. However, in the playoff, Finau birdied the par-5 18th hole all three times.
I tried to just stay in the moment really,” Finau said. “That’s what I learned from last year. You can never look too far ahead and you can’t look back, either. You’ve got to focus on the here and now. I did a really good job of that today even though that putt slipped by in regulation for the win, I knew I still didn’t lose the tournament. I needed to refocus and get ready to play 18 again. That’s what it takes out here I feel like to win. And now that I have that feeling, it’s pretty special.”
The 36-year-old Marino remained winless in his PGA Tour career after three-putting for par from the back fringe on the final hole. He now has five runner-ups and just under $10 million in career earnings.
Local pro Rafael Campos, the 36-hole leader, shot a second consecutive 72 to finish T-8. Earlier in the week, he became the first Puerto Rican to lead a PGA Tour event since Chi Chi Rodriguez in 1979.
Ian Poulter, the 54-hole leader, shot 72 and finished one shot out of the playoff. He parred his final 13 holes.
“It’s a shame. Just slightly disappointing,” Poulter said. “I’m continuing to work on the game to try and improve, and I know if I rectify a couple of poor shots, then my game will improve. Obviously, hitting shots slightly too far right at certain times is costly.”
A pregnant Niua Island mother had the Tonga Navy patrol boat to thank for getting her to Vava’u in time to give birth to her baby recently.
The petrol boat was in the outer island on a nine-day trip from March 7 – 16 taking representatives from overseas and Tonga as part of the recent Outer Island Renewable Energy Project (OIREP) mission.
It included representatives from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Australian High Commission in Tonga, Government of Tonga officials from its Energy Division, the Ministry of Labour and Commerce, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and the Ministry of Health, Tonga Power Limited (TPL) and German consultancy company STR.
In a press release from the Australian High Commission in Tonga it said:
“An added bonus of having the medical team join the OIREP mission, was they were also able to respond to a unexpected medical emergency in the most remote of the islands, Niua Fo’ou.
The fast acting decisions of the Tonga Navy and the Ministry of Health saw the safe transport of a labouring mother to the Prince Ngu Hospital in Vava’u, where the baby was safely delivered”.
No further details about the mother and the baby were available.
Dr. Toa Fakakovikaetau and Tonga Navy load the load medical supplies for the outer islands visit.Photo/Australian High Commission in Tonga
The press release said: “Ministry of Health, through the Australian funded Tonga Health Sector Support Program Phase 2 (THSSP 2), took the opportunity to join the mission and extend medical and dental outreach across the islands.
“Dr Toa Fakakovikaetau and Dr Amanaki Latu, set up mobile clinics on each of the islands providing general medical and dental services and expanding the programs critical non-communicable disease screening component.
“OIREP will improve the quality, standard and cost of the power delivered to the people of Tonga, while increasing accessibility to electricity on the outer islands.
Niua Toputapu working committee meeting discuss the OIREP project with Ministry of Labour and Commerce and Energy Division.Photo/Australian High Commission in Tonga
“OIREP is a joint program that includes funding from the ADB, the Australian Government and the European Union.
“The program supports Tonga’s efforts to reduce diesel generation through use of renewable energy.
“It aims to construct and install solar power systems on nine outer islands to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuel by increasing continuous, reliable, safe and affordable solar energy from using of sustainable and innovative technologies such as solar photovoltaic power.
“Tonga aims to reach 50% renewable energy generation by 2020 equating to a reduction of 9.4 million litres of diesel per annum.
Dr. Toa Fakakovikaetau and Dr. Amanaki Latu set up a mobile clinic to overcome access issues on Ha’ano, to undertake NCD screening.Photo/Australian High Commission in Tonga
“Australia is keen to support the program as energy supply can greatly impact the well-being and livelihood of those in the outer islands.
“Through OIREP opportunities are created to overcome barriers to economic expansion for businesses such as weaving and local fish storage (major source of income generation in the outer islands), while increased lighting enables education opportunities and can address health issues such as reduction in salt intake (related to meat preservation practices) and food poisoning”.
A Tongan graduate from the Martin Hautus Institute in Auckland said growing up in poverty and the lessons she learned at the ʻUnuaki ʻo Tonga Institute were the forces that drove her to graduate last week.
Keylani Lisa Marie Hale Savieti, 27, graduated with a Diploma in Information Technology and Computer Service and will continue her studies at the Whitireia New Zealand Institute in May.
She hopes to graduate with a BA in 2018.
Savieti said her success was driven by coping with the huge challenges she faced from the moment she arrived in New Zealand in January last year.
Everything was new to her. She had to wake up at 7am to take a bus from Manurewa where she lived to Manukau where she had to get another bus to go to Onehunga where the Martin Institute is located
“It was difficult, but I know that’s how life is and I have to bear in my mind our little island and how people are brought up there in poverty,” Savieti said.
Keylani Lisa Marie Hale Savieti. Photo/Supplied
She said she was taught lessons at the Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute (‘UTRI) she did not forget when she was studying for her diploma in New Zealand.
“I was really happy when I studied at ‘UTRI because they had practical courses in which students practised professional hospitality, cultural dances and discipline skills,” Savieti said.
Savieti said she felt the students were specially treated at ‘UTRI. She said she wanted to encourage Tongan students to consider studying at ‘UTRI as their practical courses helped when she came to New Zealand.
Because she was successful in her first year in New Zealand, Savieti urged other students to pursue their education in New Zealand at the Martin Hautus Institute.
She said students could study at the school in the same way as she did.
She first paid part of her school fees to allow her to obtain a student visa. When she obtained her student visa she moved to New Zealand and applied for a job to help pay for her education costs and living expenses.
“Don’t ever give up on your dreams, dream big and aim high because at the end you will achieve your target,” Savieti said.
“Your future is in your hands.”
Savieti said she prayed when she was struggling with her studies.
The Director of ‘UTRI ‘Akosita Lavulavu said the school helped students get their visa before they were enrolled with Martin Hautus Institute, their partnering school in New Zealand.
She said they kept in touch with their students while they were in New Zealand and helped guide them if they wanted to pursue further studies.
She said UTRI had partnered with the Martin Hautus Institute for the past three years.
Savieti was one of the six students from UTRI who graduated last Wednesday (March 23).
Savieti studied at Takuilau College before enrolling with the Tonga Training Institute. She said she heard about ‘UTRI and enrolled there in 2014.
The Martin Hautus graduates are:
Lavinia Hakalo from Ngele’ia
2. Keylani Lisa Marie Hale from Tatakomotonga
3. Atelaite Lupe Saipaia from Tatakomotonga
4. Sela Ngahe from Tofoa
5. Lolie Tangi from Fo’oui
6. Linda Fifita from Halaleva
The main points
A Tongan graduate from the Martin Hautus Institute in Auckland said growing up in poverty and the lessons she learned at the ʻUnuaki ʻo Tonga Institute were the forces that drove her to graduate last week.
Keylani Lisa Marie Hale Savieti, 27, graduated with a Diploma in Information Technology and will continue her studies at the Whitireia New Zealand Institute in May.
She hopes to graduate with a BA in 2018.
Savieti said her success had been driven by coping with the huge challenges she faced from the moment she arrived in New Zealand in January last year.
Police in Tonga are hunting for the thieves believed to be responsible for the slaughter and stealing of two cows in a tax allotment in Houma, Tongatapu.
Mele Tāvite Fisiliu, the owner of the cows told Kaniva News the discovery was made by a local after he spotted two heads and intestines believed to be of the cows left in their allotment.
After reporting the animal remains to the family a complaint was lodged with Police.
The cows’ slaughtered remains suggested they were butchered and stolen on Friday night.
Fisiliu said if she was to sell her cows they would be for about more than TP$2000 paʻanga each.
Her sister Kilisitina Fakavā posted the theft on social media and asked the public to contact them if they have information to help find the poachers.
Fisiliu said she received a call from Fuʻamotu from a person who said his cow was also slaughtered and stolen from his tax allotment.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Mele Fisiliu at 7719302 or Kilisitina at 7737408.
medium layer thicknesses.
