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Pōhiva told not to waver over Tonga’s commitment to 2019 South Pacific Games

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva was told not to waver over the South Pacific Games 2019 after he told Parliament he doubted whether Tonga could host the games.

Tonga’s Former Deputy Prime Minister Sāmiu Vaipulu responded by saying “we must spend money so that we can make money.”

Hon. Vaipulu said the main problem Tongan sport players faced was a lack of facilities where they could prepare to compete successfully at international level.

He called on the government to continue the preparation for the Games and make sure Tonga hosted it in 2019.

Opposition Leader Lord Vaea supported Hon. Vaipulu and pleaded with the Prime Minister to continue the work the government has done to host the Games.

Lord Vaea said it had been proved that sport had brought large sums of money to island nations like Fiji, Samoa and Vanuatu.

He said there was plenty of ways for the government to fund the Games.

The Prime Minister told Parliament on Monday his government had to honour the Games policies initiated by the former government, but his government had not planned to build sporting facilities.

His government had other plans for the country, but had found it difficult to implement these policies.

He criticised the salaries the former government has arranged for the members of the Games’ Organising Committee chaired by Lord Sevele.

He said TP$1 million has been spent on the Organising Committee in 2015. He said Tonga would spend TP$6 million on the committee by 2019.

He said most of the expenses for the Games would be collected from taxes. He said he was really concerned when he compared that to the money being spent on Organising Committee.

The government was paying TP$3.4 million each year to the Pacific Games Committee for hosting the  Games.

He said the TP$10 million the Ministry of Finance had collected so far for the Games was a matter of concern.

The relocation of Tonga High School in preparation for the Games had cost TP$4 million.

Opposition

Opposition Leader Lord Vaea reminded the Prime Minister the money Tongan sport players obtained from their performance overseas was far better than what the kingdom’s civil servants earned.

He said he came to New Zealand with the Year 14 sport players and some of these children were picked by the Waikato team. He said these children now had financial values in sports.

“The tree that was planted in this country has produced fruit,” he said of the players.

Lord Vaea was one of the MPs in the delegation which went to Wallis and Futuna in Tonga’s bid for the Games.

He reminded the House one of the reasons Tonga wanted the Games was because it had been proved that sports brought a lot of money to their nations.

There were many ways for the government to collect money without relying on collecting money through taxes.

He said Tongans in Brisbane, Hawai’i and Auckland raised money through tourism.

The Prime Minister said he was not worried about the talents of the Tongan sport players, but the sport committees were of great concern for him.

He wanted to reform the country’s sport federation so they could come out with sports policies that made use of the full talents of Tongan players.

The main points

  • Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva was told not to waver over the South Pacific Games 2019 after he told Parliament he doubted whether Tonga could host the games.
  • Tonga’s Former Deputy Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu said the main problem Tongan sport players faced was a lack of facilities where they could prepare to compete successfully at international level.
  • He called on the government to continue the preparation for the Games and make sure Tonga hosted it in 2019.
  • Opposition Leader Lord Vaea supported Hon. Vaipulu and pleaded with the Prime Minister to continue the work the government has did to host the Games.

For more information

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

Dillan Halaholo convicted for indecent acts

By
Kalino Latu
-

A Tongan man accused of performing an indecent act in public on multiple occasions had his name suppression lifted on Thursday.

Dillan Halaholo pleaded guilty  to three charges of masturbating in a public place, twice in front of young girls.

His first offence was in front of six and nine-year-old girls and the second in view of two 10-year-old girls – who he glanced over at after partially rolling down his window.

The third time he parked next to a car with a 23-year-old woman inside, who said it made her feel ‘powerless, traumatised, weak, victimised, dirty and vulnerable’.

‘She described the moment of seeing you as being horrific,’ judge Christina Cook said, according to Fairfax Media.

The parents of the child victims said Halaholo’s actions had taken away their innocence and one of the girls was now reserved and quiet and confused about why she had to see it.

Halaholo’s lawyer Richard Smith argued the 23-year-old should not be given a conviction and asked that his name and photographs be suppressed.

Smith said it would be ‘extremely difficult’ for his client to try to play overseas if he was convicted and that naming him and allowing photos to be taken in court would ‘serve no purpose but to further humiliate’ him.

Super Cheap Car manager appears in court accused of fraud

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The manager of Super Cheap Car dealership Filimone Tōʻaho has appeared at a Magistrate Court in Nukuʻalofa on Monday 3 after he was accused of defrauding his clients of more than TOP$70,000 .

The Magistrate was told the crown prosecutor has applied for a delay in the court process as it needed more time to work with Police on more charges against Tōʻaho.

The accused will reappear in court on November 14.

Tōʻaho has recently caught social media users’ attention after some of his Tongan customers alleged he failed to provide their vehicles after paying him thousands of paʻanga.

The Autorec Enterprise Ltd, a Japanese vehicle provider which imported vehicles direct from Japan to Tonga took Tōʻaho and his car dealership to court, local media reported.

Autorec was quoted as warning Tongan customers to be wary of the accused and his company as they often failed to deliver their promises after people paid them money to buy vehicles.

Tōʻaho was represented in court by legal counsel Lesina Tonga.

US murder suspect allegedly calls Tonga from American Samoa prison

By
Kalino Latu
-

An American Samoa judge wanted to know how the US murder suspect who was detained in Samoa after fleeing Tonga might have communicated regularly from inside his prison to an associate in Tonga.

US citizen Dean Jay Fletcher, 54, was being imprisoned in Pago Pago for illegally entering and leaving the country without permits.

He escaped a prison cell in Tonga while facing a murder charge in connection to the death of his Canadian wife Patricia Linne Kearney on July 6 in Neiafu, Vava’u.

The body of the 56-year-old was found dead in the yacht she and Fletcher owned before she was buried at ‘Ahomatafolau Cemetery in Neiafu on July 29.

It has been alleged Fletcher regularly called someone in Tonga from Samoa using a guard’s cell phone.

Radio New Zealand report said District Court Judge Fiti Sunia wanted to know how Fletcher had been able to make the communications.

Tonga’s Acting Attorney General has applied to US authorities for a provisional extradition of Fletcher but said it could not be an easy process.

He said American Samoa is controlled by the United States.

Tonga and US can apply for extradition of criminals under Tonga International Extradition Treaty with the United States which was originally signed with the United Kingdom in December 22, 1931.

The two countries can apply to extradite criminals that had committed murder, manslaughter and assaults on board a ship on the high seas, with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

However according to HG .org  “Extradition law as it relates to the United States is particularly complex, since the United States does not fall under a simplifying bilateral regional treaty like many nations in Europe, nor has it ratified the treaty creating the International Criminal Court (ICC)”.

MV ʻOtuangaʻofa returns to service

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga’s inter-island ferry which was taken out of service due to a rudder problem has returned to service.

The MV ʻOtuangaʻofa developed problems in June and was sent to Fiji for maintenance last month.

It is servicing the outer islands mainly Tongatapu, Vavaʻu, Haʻapai and the Niuas.

Marine authority said the vessel returned to service at 6:00pm 11 October.

Tongan candidate elected for Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Success for Labour in Manukau Ward

Labour has recorded a thrilling victory in the Manukau Ward of Auckland Council, with 15 of 16 places across the Ward going to Labour candidates, says Jenny Salesa, MP for Manukau East.

“I congratulate all my Labour colleagues who have fought a hard campaign and won a great victory.

“Returning Councillor Alf Filipaina and former local board chair, Fa’anana Efeso Collins, secured the governing body seats by a huge margin.

“Labour candidates made a clean sweep of the Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board – Christine O’Brien, Carrol Elliott, Tauanu’u Nick Bakulich, Lemauga Lydia Sosene, Togiatolu Walter Togiamua, Makalita Kolo and Tafauna’I Tasi Lauese – and took six out of seven seats on the Otara–Papatoetoe Local Board: Ross Robertson, Mary Gush, Lotu Fuli, Apulu Reece Autagavaia, Dr Ashraf Choudhary and Dawn Trenberth.

“These are all people who listen well and understand their diverse communities, who will represent local concerns with integrity and make sure the voices of Otahuhu, Otara, Papatoetoe and Mangere are heard loudly in Auckland’s big conversations.

“We have doubled the Labour representation on the Counties Manukau District Health Board with the election of Apulu Reece Autagavaia and Dr Ashraf Choudhary.

“The teams’ diversity is notable, reflecting the rich variation across South Auckland, with eight Pacific members – Samoan, Tongan and Niuean; four Pakeha; one Maori/Pacific, one Maori and a Pakistani Muslim.

“It is a great pity that turnout was low, and there will be a number of reasons for that. Usually, ‘experts’ will say that low turn-out tells against Labour. To win such solid endorsements in the face of low turn-out shows all the more that Manukau Ward recognises the people with values they can trust and who will stand up for them.

“I look forward to working with closely with the Governing Body Councillors and the two Local Boards and the two district health boards that cover Manukau East, Jenny Salesa says.

Tonga and Germany celebrate 140 years of friendship

By
Malia Lesina Kelela Latu
-

Tonga and Germany commemorated the 140 years of their friendship on Sunday 9 October.

The Speaker of the German Bundestag (Parliament) Professor Dr. Norbert Lammert arrived in Tonga accompanied by seven parliamentarians to attend a function in Nuku’alofa as part of the commemoration.

While in Tonga the German Speaker attended a ceremony at Parliament signing a contract for the donation  of photovoltaic solar project for  Prince Ngu Hospital in Vavaʻu.

The Berlin Speaker was joint by MP Dr. Johann Wadephul who is also the Chairman of the Scrutiny of Elections Committee, Immunity and the Rules of Procedures.

Germany’s new Ambassador to Tonga, His Excellency Gerhard Thiedemann was one the Speaker’s delegations.

Professor Lammert who is a Catholic was expected to  meet Tonga’s  Roman Catholic Cardinal Soane Patita Paini Mafi this week.

The friendship

Germany’s relationship with Tonga was first signed in 1876.

In 1976 their treaty was renewed shortly after Tonga became independent and formed its own constitution.

Throughout the years Germany’s assistance to Tonga has been based on economic, cultural and educational support.

Germany and Tonga signed a Treaty of Friendship on board the SMS “Hertha” Warship from Germany at Nuku’alofa on November 1, 1876.

The former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Late Hon. Viliami Tungi signed the friendship treaty on behalf of late King George Tupou 1 with Captain Ernst Wilhelm the Captain and German’s Consul to Tonga and Samoa, Theodor Agust Weber on behalf of the German Emperor.

Tupou 1 wanted to safeguard Tonga from being colonized by foreign powers and instigated the Treaty of Friendship with Germany.

In 1875 Tonga’s Constitution was not recognized however Berlin was the first to sign the treaty. This recognition of Tonga’s treaty led other foreign powers to withdraw interest from trying to colonize Tonga.

The function

The delegation attended the Sunday church service at the Centenary Church for the blessing of the 140th Years of the Friendship Treaty.

It followed by a Choral Programme at the Fa‘onelua Convention Centre.

Guests of Honour at the occasion were their Highnesses, Crown Prince Tupouto‘a ‘Ulukalala and Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tuku‘aho.

The German Speaker visited the Legislative Assembly on Monday 10 October where the signing of the amended contract for donation of photovoltaic solar project for  Prince Ngu Hospital in Vava’u.

It was followed by a speech by the visiting Speaker before a luncheon hosted by Lord Speaker Tu‘ivakano in Parliament for the visitors.

The German parliamentary delegation left Tonga on Monday afternoon 10 October.

Lapaha mum charged after running over and killing her son

By
Kalino Latu
-

A 38-year-old mother from Lapaha faces with manslaughter by negligence charge after police said she ran over her two-year-old son.

The mother was reversing her four-wheel drive vehicle when the incident occurred on the night of October 6 after 8pm.

Police believed the child fell out of the vehicle while her mother was talking to her other children apparently unaware that her passenger had come off the vehicle.

But she stopped reversing after she heard a thump only to find out she had run over her son.

The child died on his way to hospital, according to Police.

The mother was expected to appear at the Mu’a Magistrate court.

Plan after plan is dropped as Tonga struggles to find land for Games golf course

By
Kalino Latu
-

With only two years to go before the South Pacific Games Tonga is still struggling to find land for the construction of a new golf facility.

The only site available is government land in Atele where the Tonga College is located, but the college alumni said they planned to build the collegeʻs boarding school there.

The Fiji government had accepted a request from Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva to host the golf tournament during the Games, but the Fijian Foreign Affairs Minister said this would reflect badly on Tonga because Tonga had told the Pacific Games committee it could provide all the facilities for the Games. After his statement,  Tonga withdrew from the arrangement.

The king offered the use of some of his land in Kauvai, but Hon. Pohiva said the land was too remote.

He said the same problem applied to plans to build the golf facility in Niumate.

Hon. Pohiva said there was also a plan to build the facility using reclaimed land, but this would have required the removal of mangroves and the plan was dropped.

There was also a plan to use land at Fuʻamotu airport, but because three nobles shared the lands it was too expansive for the government to lease.

Hon. Pohiva told the House he felt it would not be right if the government removed the mangroves for the construction when land should be available.

He asked the House to postpone discussion of the matter and leave it to him and Cabinet to deal with.

He said the land at ʻAtele should be reserve for the plan by the college alumni.

Government must spend money on land

Lord Tuʻihaʻangana told the Prime Minister in the House there was no such thing as cheap land in Tonga. He said it sounds like the Prime Minister wanted to get land for free or cheap for the construction.

He said  if the Prime Minister wanted to get the land from His Majesty without paying, it would be a long story.

He said the government must accumulate a huge amount of money before it made deals to get land for the golf facility.

The main points

  • With only two years to go before the South Pacific Games Tonga is still struggling to find land for the construction of a new golf facility.
  • The only site available is government land in Atele where the Tonga College is located, but the college alumni said they planned to build the collegeʻs boarding school there.
  • The Fiji government had accepted a request to host the golf tournament during the Games, but the Fijian Foreign Affairs Minister said this would look bad because Tonga told the Pacific Games committee it could provide all the facilities for the Games.
  • The king offered the use of some of his land in Kauvai, but Hon. Pohiva said the land was too remote.

For more information

Tonga still host the 2019 Pacific Games

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

Van hits fence in ʻAtele delays capital commuters

By
Kalino Latu
-

A van hit a fence in ʻAtele in an incident that has added to this morning’s traffic headache for commuters heading into the capital Nukuʻalofa for work.

Reports said it was raining while the incident happened but no injuries had been reported.

No other vehicle involved in the accident.

Police have yet to release any reports.

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