Firefighters are battling a huge blaze that engulf a Chinese convenience store at Hala Vaha’akolo in Tofoa this evening.
A local told Kaniva News roads had been closed to traffic and areas close to the fire scene had been also blocked to the public.
She said there is a large Police presence at the scene.
No injuries have been reported.
Tongan Police on Friday arrested a 21-year-old man from Pahu in connection with the attack on a 58-year-old woman in Nukuʻalofa Thursday 17.
The man had been charged with assault with a weapon, housebreaking and theft.
He remains in Police custody.
A Police statement said: “The victim, who was hit around the head, was taken to Vaiola hospital and is in a critical condition”.
Chief Superintendent Tevita Fifita said “this was a traumatic experience for the woman and she is being provided with lots of support”.
The accused was “apprehended soon after the attack which is a great result and has provided the victim with some comfort.”
Police Commissioner Steve Caldwell said “This is outstanding Police work that has led to an early arrest. Our thoughts and support are with the victim and family at this time.”
“Police continue to work closely together with the Chinese Community in Tonga to ensure their safety in their homes and businesses. Our role is to keep all our citizens’ safe; working together with the community we have the privilege of serving.”
The accused is to appear before the Fasi Magistrate Court on Wednesday 23 November 2016.
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Tongan Chinese Embassy call for more “Police presence” after woman brutally attacked
The Chinese embassy in Tonga has called for more Police efforts after a Chinese woman was brutally attacked early Thursday morning.
A spokesperson for the embassy said the attack had been one of the most recent brutal assaults against the Chinese people in Tonga.
Ellen Yu, aged in her late 50s, was hospitalised after an intruder entered her residence in upper Railway Road, Nuku’alofa at about 3am.
She was reportedly in critical condition and could not be able to speak.
June Wang from the embassy said the stick used to “commit the crime was even broken”.
“The perpetrator is extremely cruel to ruthlessly attack a woman of over fifty years old. The stick used to commit the crime was even broken”, June said.
“The victim suffered extremely severe wound.
“Currently the police [are] trying to catch the perpetrator who is still at large.
“The Chinese embassy hopes that police presence could be increased so that the criminal can be arrested and brought to justice as early as possible”, June said.
A trimaran designed to meet the needs of poor and isolated people in the outer Tongan islands will be launched in Auckland next week.
The wind powered double hulled canoe is the first of its kind to be designed by the North American Boat Designers Hall of Fame member Dick Newick.
The project is informally called ‘Vaka e Masiva’ or The Poor’s Boat.
It was built in Pipiroa, near Thames in the Coromandel Peninsula and will be launched on November 21.
It is currently in Auckland at Half Moon bay to be fitted with its sails and mast .
The trimaran has an engine which is only used when it docks at Niuafoʻou because the island has no wharf.
Dr. Sitiveni Halapua, who is monitoring the boat project, said the running and operating costs for a boat to the Niuas were the key factors behind the project.
Dr. Halapua, whose father was from Niuatoputapu, came up with the idea while he was visiting the outer islands of Tonga during his political career in the kingdom in mid 2000.
He saw how the people of Niuafoʻou and Niuatoputapu struggled to make ends meet because there was no regular boat service to transport goods from mainland Tongatapu to the Niuas.
Dr. Halapua discovered the Tongan government could not schedule a regular shipping travel to the Niuas because it would cost taxpayers about TP$60,000 for one travel.
The cost meant there was no way the government could recover that amount of money because the Niuan travellers were few and their need for supplies was marginal.
According to Tongaʻs census in 2006 there were about 700 people living in Niuafoʻou and 1000 people living in Niuatoputapu.
The trimaran can carry 12 passengers with enough shipments.
Ideas
The cost of the NZ$600,000 trimaran has been donated by the Niuans living overseas.
Dr. Halapua said when he asked Newick to design a boat for the poor he responded that there was no such thing as boat for the poor.
He told Halapua the boats he designed were for rich people because only the rich could afford them.
But Halapua persisted and Newick agreed to undertake the project when he told him this could be the first time he designed such a boat .
“While we were in Australia to raise funds for the project one woman said she was concerned that the Niuans were regarded as poor and that they were raising money because there was poverty in the Niuas,” Dr. Halapua said.
The woman thought the label let the people of Niua down.
Some people even wanted to cancel the boat project and raise money for a mobile mortuary, which they said was more important.
Dr. Halapua said he explained to the people he understood Niuans overseas had money, but the situation in Niua could not be improved because there was no boat to reach them with the good things they wanted to send them.
Halapua said he named the project ‘Vaka e Masiva’ because the main reason the people of Niuans suffered was that goods could not reach them.
“There was a project for the Niuans to grow vanilla, but the project was cancelled because there was no boat to take the fruits to Tongatapu or Vavaʻu for processing and marketing,” Dr Hapaua said.
“A group of people travelled from overseas to Tongatapu to travel to Niua for a funeral and they could not make it to Niua after they arrived in Tonga because there was no ferry to take them there
“A Niuan rugby league player in Australia sent money to her sister in Niua to run a small retail shop
“He later called to check on the business and he was a bit worried when he was told the shop was defunct because there was no boat to keep supplying goods for the shop from Tonga or Vavau”.
Technology
Dr. Halapua said people made positive fun of the project and said Niua was going backward because they created a boat powered by wind.
But Halapua said it was better to have the wind powered boat than nothing.
He said if they built a motorised vessel it would not last long because the Niuans would not be able to maintain it financially.
Halapua said that would decide how often the Vaka e Masiva’ sailed to The Niuas after they took it to Tonga.
It has been built in Pipiroa, near Thames in the Coromandel Peninsula, and it will be launched on November 21.
It was currently in Auckland at Half Moon bay to be fit with its sails and mast before continuing on to Tonga and being delivered to the Niua Island communities.
The main points
For more information
Sustainable shipping in remote Tongan islands (Pacific Cooperation Foundation)
Looking for a new spaceship captain? Try the skipper of the Niuafoʻou ferry
Young bride faces the nightmare of a mother-in-law’s fakalotoloto
Tongan family’s heartbreak after father dies and is buried before they arrive to say goodbye
A gunshot fired in a bush in ‘Eua led Police to seize 458 cannabis plants and arrested two men this week.
Police said they raided the area after a member of the public heard the shot and launched a complaint.
One of the men who did not hold a firearms licence had been charged with possession of a .22 rifle.
The other man had been charged with possession of illicit drugs.
Police said the illegal cannabis plants had a total estimated street value of TP$200,000.
Chief Superintendent Tevita Fifita said eleven Police officers from the Nuku’alofa Tactical Response Unit and the Police Drug Squad were sent to ‘Eua on Tuesday afternoon to investigate and worked on the case.
“Tonga Police are committed to disrupting the supply of drugs and preventing the harm this illegal activity supports. It only takes one call to Police to stop crime and the availability of drugs in your community,” CS Fifita.
Police investigations continue and more information were expected to be released once they become available, it said.
Tongan royals and a celebrity attended the celebration of  the premiere of Disney’s Moana in Los Angeles on Monday.
The 3D computer-animated musical fantasy adventure film was about the tale of a South Pacific island teenager who sails off on an adventure to save her village.
King of Tonga’s niece Hon Frederica Filipe wore her Tongan vala “with pride†during the function.
She described her Tongan traditional wear on social media  as  kie and black pearls belonged to her mother Princess Pilolevu Tuita.
It was such an honour wearing my mother’s kie and black pearls on the red carpet ? also grateful to Zuber Fiji for my beautiful dress!
— Frederica (@FreddieFilipe) November 15, 2016
Hon. Frederica said she was representing all the Pacific Islanders at the premiere.
Thank you Elsie! I wore our traditional wear w/ pride but was there for all Pacific Islanders! #OfaAndAlofa https://t.co/thYQt56yIl
— Frederica (@FreddieFilipe) November 15, 2016
Tongan beauty pageant Diamond Langi who was crowned as Face of Beauty International 2013 also attended the function.
She tweeted the experience she came through during the celebration “was magicalâ€.
Special thank you to the sweetheart stylist Ashley Thomas .I appreciate you so much! #Moana premiere Dress by @Stello_Official pic.twitter.com/B1u1BsGFKv
— Diamondlangi (@Diamond_Langi) November 16, 2016
It was a precious moment for Hon. Frederica to meet and chatted with  Miss Langi and Auli’i Cravalho who is playing Moana in the movie.
Prince Tungi and Hon. ‘Etani Tuku’aho also attended at the famed El Capitan Theatre.
Such a pleasure meeting & talking to these 2 lovely Polynesian ladies @auliicravalho & @Diamond_Langi beautiful Polynesian ambassadors pic.twitter.com/WnbRtiJBRe
— Frederica (@FreddieFilipe) November 15, 2016
Before the blue carpet opened, attendees were treated to a short performance by the film’s stars Dwayne Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho, along with songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda and an array of Polynesian dancers.
Johnson who is playing Maui in the movie has a Samoan heritage and appeared in photos with the royals.
Cravalho was born in Oahu, Hawaii and she was an American singer.
The movie opens in theatres across the United States on 23 November.
The NZ premiere will be held at Auckland’s Hoyts Cinemas, at Sylvia Park, on December 13 – about two weeks before the movie is due to be released in cinemas around the country on Boxing Day.
#Tongan Royals attend Hollywood Moana Premiere hia w @TheRock. ABSOLUTELY THRILLED @FreddieFilipe wore Formal Tongan Traditional Wear! LOVE! pic.twitter.com/Im9AfZOMc3
— Elsie Fukofuka (@ElsieFukofuka) November 15, 2016
Controversial
Disney’s Moana was accused of cultural appropriation and has been attacked on social media for selling zip-up kid-sized Maui costumes featuring the “demigod’s signature tattoos, rope necklace and island-style skirt.
In September Disney said it would no longer sell a boy’s costume for a Polynesian character that some Pacific Islanders have compared to blackface, it said of the movie.
READ MORE:
Disney withdraws Moana costumes as film sails into another storm of criticism
A woman was allegedly attacked with a machete in Haʻalalo yesterday.
She was being treated at Vaiola hospital.
Kaniva has attempted to reach those involved and Ministry of Health authority for comment and have not heard back.
Two weeks ago in Nukuʻalofa, bar bouncers and a non-uniform Police officer had fought off a machete-wielding man outside a bar shortly after a fight broke out in the bar Saturday 5.
Meanwhile four men accused in relation to the death of ʻAiveni Teisina, 36, were in court after a machete attack in a parking lot in Vaini on October 23.
Leaders of China’s Guangzhou Pelagic Fishery company have been warned Pacific tuna stocks have been depleted by illegal fishing.
Deputy Chair of the Pacific Media Association and editor of Taimi ‘o Tonga Kalafi Moala said the Pacific’s Exclusive Economic Zone had been violated by foreign fishing fleets.
Moala told the Chinese during a recent meeting with Pacific journalists in Guangzhou that Pacific countries were trying to develop legislation to stop illegal fishing activities and help make tuna fishing sustainable.
“We are ocean people and all the product we have are ocean goods,” Moala said.
“If it is done wrongly and not sustainably we suffer because we live in that area.”
According to a report by the Pew Charitable Trusts in May this year, the total catch in the Pacific Ocean was worth US$22 billion in 2014.
The report said tuna was a vital source of revenue to fishing communities, particularly in the Pacific Islands.
The report said tuna stocks were severely depleted.
Moala said the information the Chinese provided during the meeting was promising and favourable to the Pacific countries in their attempts to stop illegal fishing.
Guangzhou Pelagic Fishery
The Guangzhou Pelagic Fishery Company has an annual turnover of RMB10 billion and sells 210,000 tonnes of fish each year. It is a state-owned enterprise under the Guangzhou Aquatic Group Co. Ltd.
Founded in July 1989 it is the only major enterprise in Guanzhou to attain the qualification of the Ocean and Pelagic Fishery production approved by the National Ministry of Aquaculture.
It engages in a wide range of business including ocean fishing, aquatic products breeding, processing, acquisition and sale.
Company spokesman Tan Yi Guan said they abided strictly by the local laws and regulation of the local areas and waters.
The company operates 10 long line fishing boats optimised for tuna in Fiji and Kiribati.
They said they monitored their fleet 24 hour a day and required daily reports.
The Chinese said they had fished in Fijian waters for more than 10 years.
“We have a very good relationship with our partner in Fiji,” Tan said.
He said captains of their fishing vessels were expected to follow the company’s strict rules and follow the law.
The company claimed they represented “the spirit of co-operation” in China.
The Company had worked on ocean fishing projects in West Africa, Colombia, Indonesia, the Maldives, Fiji and Kiribati.
The Chinese told the meeting they believed in keeping ocean fishing sustainable. They planned to extend their operation in Fiji to local processing companies and fishing factories.
Apart from the Chinese domestic market, most of the company’s tuna catch is sold in the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the European Union.
About Guangzhou
Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong and is known as the South Gate of China. It is located in the north Pearl River Delta adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao. It is the communication and transportation hub of South China and has a population of 16 million.
In 2015 the city’s GDP reached US$291.3 billion. It is twinned with 59 cities in 43 countries and hosts consulates from 53 countries.
Dongguan, the sister city of Ha’apai in the Kingdom of Tonga, is one of the cities of Guangdong province.
The main points
For more information
Overfishing puts $42bn tuna industry at risk of collapse
A 5.6 magnitude earthquake 152 km from Pangai, Ha’apai and Tongatapu was felt in capital city Nuku’alofa this afternoon.
It had a depth of 10km and struck at 12.30pm (Tongan time), earthquaketrack said.
There was no tsunami alert released but Facebook users said they felt it.
“Little earthquake”, Mele ‘Amanaki posted on Facebook. Some commenters on her post said they also felt the shocks.
The quake comes while New Zealand where more than 60,000 Tongan residents stay was still in severe shock after a 7.8 earthquake rocked the country claiming two lives and left the city of Kaikoura and its surrounding suburbs in great devastation.
Auckland: The Tongan man who killed mother of two at the suburb of Remuera is now a free man after being cleared of murder on the grounds of insanity.
Tevita Mafi Filo, 25, was suffering from a “complex delusional system” when he attacked jogger Joanne Pert on January 7.
Local residents found the body of the 41-year-old on their lawn about 11am.
A suppression order has prevented publication of how Pert died.
Filo will be detained indefinitely as a special patient at the Mason Clinic, a secure psychiatric unit.
He has schizophrenia and also suffers from end stage renal failure and completes dialysis three times a week.
The court heard on Thurday Filo didn’t believe he had killed “a real live person”.
He believed he lived in an “alternate world” governed by a controller.
“He didn’t believe the individual was dead.”
READ MORE:
Tevita Filo stopped by police night before killing Remuera mother-of-two Jo Pert
Joanne Pert’s killer Tevita Filo not guilty by reason of insanity
