Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Newsletter
Support Kaniva
Home Blog Page 776

Strong support: Mangere death accused to attend 2yo’s funeral

By
Kalino Latu
-

The 26-year-old man charged after the two-year-old girl in Mangere died of gunshot wound will be allowed to attend her funeral despite being remanded in custody.

More than 30 Tongan family members turned up at Manukau District court yesterday with many wearing traditional Tongan vala, singing hymns as they waited for the accused to appear.

When they went into the court room their support for the accused was very clear. Some of them yelled out, “stay strong bro”, “we love you”.

The accused whose relationship to the girl was given interim suppression, sobbed in dock during his first appearance.

He has been charged with unlawful possession of a pistol.

The accused will appear in court again on June 24.

Police investigation continued yesterday in the cordoned off scene at the curve of Favona Rd in Mangere near Norana Ave and the cordon remained in place on Friday evening.

‘Ikale Tahi team for Pacific Nations Cup finally announced

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga have officially announced the squad to compete during the Pacific Nations Cup next week.

The list had been made public early last month after it was leaked to media including Kaniva.

The national team will play against Fiji on June 11, Georgia on June 18 and Samoa on June 25.

‘Ikale Tahi

  1. Sione Faletau, Counties Manukau
  2. Ben Tameifuna, Racing Metro 92
  3. Eddie ‘Aholelei, London Welsh
  4. Sila Puafisi, Glasglow
  5. Kama Sakalia, Counties Manukau
  6. Elvis Taione, Exeter Chiefs
  7. Sione Angaaelangi, Counties Manukau
  8. Uili Kolo’ofa’i, Jersey
  9. ‘Opeti Fonua, Leicester Tigers
  10. Daniel Faleafa, SC Albi
  11. Jack Ram, Auckland Blues
  12. Nili Latu, Newcastle
  13. Sione Kalamafoni, Gloucester
  14. Sione Tau, Agen
  15. Viliami Fihaki, Sale Sharks
  16. Mikaele Mafi, Otago
  17. Sonatane Takulua, Newcastle
  18. Wayne Ngaluafe, West Harbour
  19. Latiume Fosita, Auckland
  20. Martin Naufahu, Melbourne Rising
  21. Nafitalai Tu’itavake, Narbonne
  22. Taniela Kilioni, Grenoble
  23. Tevita Halaifonua, Gloucester
  24. Viliami Hakalo, Nottingham
  25. Viliami ‘Iongi, San Francisco
  26. Apakuki Ma’afu, Sydney NRC
  27. Kali Hala, Counties Manukau
  28. ‘Otulea Katoa, Edinburgh

Economy, education and people’s health are main challenges facing Tonga, king warns

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga faces three main challenges, His  Majesty King Tupou VI said today, Thursday 2.

Speaking at the opening of Parliament, the king said these were the people’s physical health, children’s education and the country’s economy.

He said the people’s health was the most vital because if the problem could not be resolved and monitored there was no promising future for our children and their children. Non-communicable diseases were the biggest challenge to the people, His Majesty said.

But he warned that any financial investments made to help improve people’s health must be a success.

“In other words we do not have to wrongly use money which is supposed to be invested in our children’s education in their health or vice-versa,” His Majesty said.  

The king said the way to tackle the non-communicable disease crisis in Tonga was to educate young people about it and give them the chances to practise preventive measures.   

The other alternative was to allow all Tongan citizens to join the National Retirement Benefits Fund.

In this way citizens could afford anything else to choose from to make sure they get access to what is best for them to live a healthy life.

There was a time in the past when Tonga was the leading nation academically in the Pacific, but this was not the case at present, the king said.

Education in Tonga needed to be upgraded so international institutions continued to recognise it.

“We have learned from our people who have moved and work overseas why our education system needs to meet international academic requirements because that is the demand at international work places and is not just limited to the Pacific,” His Majesty said.

“So it is the government’s responsibility to make sure the standard of education, in accordance with the law, could enable Tongan citizens to obtain jobs overseas.”

He said more than 2000 students finished secondary school every year and they needed jobs.

He said as part of its reformation of the way the kingdom was governed, the government should talk to stakeholders about the best ways to boost the economy.

It was necessary to improve marketing and the economic state of the nation so Tonga could meet future financial challenges. The government should understand what was needed for marketing and we should work together to do it, the king said.

He said a local slipway should be built to meet the development in Tonga’s wharfs and help local fisheries and international vessels.

Growers and local businesses who were marketing their products oversea should be encouraged, he said.

“We cannot compete with the big countries of the world in the amount of production sent overseas, but there are certain marketing products that could be available to us,” the king said.

This including fisheries and crops, especially organic crops. If Tonga could make good deals with overseas markets to get good prices it would support the endeavour to promote the people’s good health.

His Majesty said the other option was the sale of live fish at local markets because its price was high.

The international airport had been expanded and this provided a good opportunity to export more crops because bigger aeroplanes could now arrive at Fu’amotu International Airport.

His Majesty suggested that another option would be to minimise the importation of goods and increase what Tonga could export overseas. He said farmers would benefit if they could buy locally produced animal feed.

He said if Tonga could do these things there was hope that education could grow, the economy would improve and the people could live a better, heathier, life.

The main points

  • His  Majesty King Tupou VI has declared that the three main challenges facing Tonga are the people’s physical health, children’s education and the country’s economy.
  • Non-communicable diseases were the biggest challenge to the people, His Majesty said.
  • Education in Tonga needed to be upgraded so international institutions continued to recognise it.
  • He also suggested a number of ways to improve the economy.

Two-year-old girl shot dead in South Auckland, 26yo man charged

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A 26-year-old has been charged with unlawful possession of a pistol after a two-year-old girl was found dead in the Auckland suburb of Mangere.

Police told media the child who died had a gun shot wound.

Detective Inspector Faa Va’aelua said emergency services were called about midday to a house on Favona Road, where a couple lived with their four children.

“We found the lifeless body of a two-year-old toddler – a young girl – and our inquiries have so far revealed she suffered a gunshot wound.”

He said the exact cause of death still had to be confirmed by the post mortem but it appeared the girl had died from the gunshot wound.

Sione Tatafu grew up with the father of the 2-year-old girl.

He said both sides of the family were upset and shocked.

“They’re just trying to keep it together at the moment.”

 

Sione Tatafu
Sione Tatafu grew up with the father of the 2-year-old girl.

Police were still trying to establish whether or not the shooting was accidental.

“At this stage, our inquiry is revealing nobody – none of the occupants from the address – hold a firearms licence.”

Mr Va’aelua said the child would not be identified until her extended family had been contacted.

Police said in a statement the death was a terrible tragedy for the girl’s family, and their thoughts were with them.

They said they were not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident.

Sport training for Games 2019 begins despite rift between Tonga and PGC

By
Kalino Latu
-

A number of athletes and staff were expected to be at Teufaiva park today as Tonga began its preparation for the Games 2019 despite the impasse between the Tongan government and the Pacific Games Council (PGC) continues.

Tonga’s Sport Minister Feʻao Vakatā said sports such as netball, ping pong, taekwondo and table tennis began their preparation with team exercises and clinics.

He said the athletes used whatever sport facilities available at present until the new construction will be completed.

He said they were looking for funding so they could be able to send the athletes to overseas countries which have the latest modern sporting facilities such as PNG to train there.

When asked to comment on the government’s move to withdraw its suport for the Games if the PGC continues to endorse Lord Sevele ʻO Vailahi as head of the Games Organising Committee, the Minister said the law is clear.

He said Tonga is a sovereign state and if there is an issue with the PGC they should sort  it out.

He declined to comment further saying he has just arrived from Guam and would like to concentrate on his schedule and the first thing was today’s event to start preparing the atheletes.

PNG agents

Hon Vakatā said two agents from Papua New Guinea have just left Tonga yesterday Tuesday 31.

They were in the kingdom as part of following up works before they could release grants to fund Tonga’s preparation for the Games.

READ MORE

PM waits for advice from department heads after Lord Sevele refuses to resign from Olympic body

Sports body being audited over PNG Games spending; PM threatens dismissals

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

Government would welcome losing 2019 Games if PGC supports Lord Sevele

First Tongan judge appointed in New Zealand

By
Alpha Latu
-

Judge Mina Wharepouri has been appointed District Court judge in Manukau, New Zealand.

His mother is Tongan and he comes from Kolomotu’a, Tongatapu.

Wharepouri  became the first Tongan justice in the history of  New Zealand after he was appointed to the district court today Wednesday 1.

He told media he was “a traditional, working class.”

“We were working poor before that became popular. My parents struggled to make sure there was a roof overhead and food in the cupboard.”

Judge Wharepouri did not forget his mother Melenaite Vaka.

“Were it not for your hard work and love I could have been sitting in dock of courtroom rather than here on the bench.”

READ MORE:

Tongan appointed as Acting District Court Judge in New Zealand

Claude Tupou signs contract as Education CEO following further negotiation

By
Kalino Latu
-

Claude Tupou has signed his contract yesterday Tuesday 31 to officially become the new CEO for Tonga’s Ministry of Education and Training (MET).

This came after Tupou agreed to quit as acting CEO in March and became Deputy CEO for Secondary Schools, a  position he previously held.

The government announced at the time the shift was to allow further negotiations on Tupou’s contract agreement.

MET said this morning Tupou has signed “his contract yesterday, thus his contract as the new CEO for Education and Training was effective as of yesterday, 31 May 2016”.

“He will be stationed at the Ministry’s Head Office, Vuna Road as from today, 1st June 2016”, the statement said.

Government would welcome losing 2019 Games if PGC supports Lord Sevele

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga’s Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet Dr Palenitina Langaʻoi has told the Pacific Games Council the kingdom would welcome being dropped as host of the 2019 Games

Dr Langa’oi’s comments came in a strongly worded letter, which has been seen by Kaniva News. It was sent in response to a warning by the Chair of the Pacific Games Council that Tonga could lose the competition if it sacked Lord Sevele-‘O-Vailahi as chair of the kingdom’s Games Organising Committee.

The letter said the government would stand by its decision to dismiss Lord Sevele.

It was dated May 20, just a week before the government removed him from his position.

Now the Tongan Government has told the Pacific Games Council it would stop financially supporting the Games Organising Committee if it continues to endorse Lord Sevele as committee chair.

Dr Langaʻoi said the government would welcome a decision  to cancel Tonga as the host of the next Games.

“The government of Tonga is prepared to withdraw all of its funding and support towards the operations of the OC should the matter at hand remain unresolved,” she said.

“The government of Tonga welcomes the PGC to withdraw the Pacific Games of 2019 from Tonga if you insist on your own unwarranted terms and conditions.”

Today the President of the Pacific Games Council, Vidhya Lakhan, hit back and told the Tongan government its move to terminate Lord Sevele’s office was “null and void.”

He said the power to terminate or appoint members of Tonga’s organising committee rested with the kingdom’s national sporting body, TASANOC and the Pacific Games Committee, not the government.

However, the Tongan government has defended its actions, saying it had acted in the best interests of the country. It said the government was bound by the Tonga Pacific Games Organisation Act of 2013, along with TASANOC and the Pacific Games Committee.

Last week the Tongan government demanded the Pacific Organising Committee’s Chairman Lord Sevele vacate his office on Friday, May 27 by 4.30pm.

The government also announced it had appointed Tonga’s Solicitor General Sione Sisifā as the Interim CEO and Chairman of the Organising Committee (OC) until further notice.

In a press release issued last Friday, May 27, the government said its decision to remove Lord Sevele was based on a significant downgrading of his role since the Government Facilities Committee took over most of the committee’s duties.

It said that as a sovereign state Tonga would not submit to the Pacific Games Committee when it came to deciding who to employ to facilitate the successful implementation of the Games.

Radio Australia quoted Lord Sevele this evening as saying the games belonged to Tonga and not its government.

The main points

  • Tonga’s Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet Dr Palenitina Langaʻoi has told the Pacific Games Council it would welcome being dropped as host of the 2019 Games
  • Dr Langaʻoi’s comments came in a strongly worded letter, which was sent in response to a warning by the Chair of the Pacific Games Council that Tonga could lose the competition if it sacked Lord Sevele-‘o-Vailahi as chair of the kingdom’s Games Organising Committee.
  • Last week the Tongan government demanded the Pacific Organising Committee’s Chairman Lord Sevele-‘O-Vailahi vacate his office on May 27.
  • It said Tonga would not submit to the Pacific Games Committee on who to employ.

Prisoner pleads guilty to “terrifying” attempted rape of Japanese volunteer worker last October

By
Philip Cass
-

Lopeti Talafekau Soafa has pleaded guilty to the attempted rape of a Japanese volunteer worker last year.

Soafa, 18, was sentenced to four years imprisonment by Hon. Justice Cato in the Supreme Court.

The assault occurred about 7.30pm on October 16 last year when Soafa tricked his way into the woman’s house.

In his report on the case, Justice Cato said the assault had been a terrifying  and  humiliating  experience  for a  young  woman  who   had  come  to  Tonga  on  voluntary  service.

She was flown home by the Japanese authorities after the attack.

“She does not accept the prisoner’s apology for what she described , in my view appropriately, as ‘these horrible crimes.”

Soafa was drunk when he assaulted the Japanese woman, who fought back and screamed for help.

Passers-by heard her cries and saw the pair struggling.  Soafa escaped  through  the bedroom window, but left behind some of his clothes and a mobile phone.

He admitted to the assault when he was arrested.

Hon. Justice Cato said he reduced Soafa’s sentence to four years and mitigated the last 12 months because of the prisoner’s youth, his early guilty plea and acceptance of responsibility and some attempts to rehabilitate himself by involvement with a church group.

Once released, Soafa will be on probation for 12 months, during which time he must not  make any attempt to contact the complainant in Japan and must attend a course on alcohol and drug abuse run  by the Salvation Army and a course  on  sexual abuse at the Woman’s Crisis Centre.

The main points

  • Lopeti Talafekau Soafa has pleaded guilty to the attempted rape of a Japanese volunteer worker last year.
  • Soafa, 18, was sentenced to four years imprisonment by Hon. Justice Cato in the Supreme Court.
  • The assault occurred on October 16 last year when Soafa tricked his way into the woman’s house.
  • In his report on the case, Justice Cato said the assault had been a terrifying and  humiliating  experience  for a  young  woman  who   had  come  to  Tonga  on  voluntary

New campaign shows harmful effects of secondhand smoke on children

By
Alpha Latu
-

A new tobacco control campaign was launched today in Tonga to warn people about the deadly effects of second-hand smoke exposure on children.

The campaign, known as Tuku Ifi Leva (quit smoking now) by the Ministry of Health says 46 percent of men and 13 percent of women smoking tobacco in Tonga are among the highest in the world.

“Up to half of these men and women can be expected to die as a direct result of their smoking habits”, the Ministry of Health said.

Dr Reynold ‘Ofanoa, Chief Medical Officer Public Health at the Ministry of Health, said today:  “We know that smokers will lose about 10 years of their life. That is ten years without children, families and loved ones. We believe all Tongans have rights to live smokefree”.

And to stand an even better chance of quitting, Tongan residents are encouraged to contact Health Ministry on its new  toll-free Quitline 0800 333.

The commitment by the government to help reduce smoking to minimal levels reached an important phase early this year  after Parliament passed  a new tobacco law  prohibiting smoking in bars, clubs, restaurants and a range of other places.

The Tuku Ifi Leva campaign was  part of The Tonga National Strategy to Prevent and Control Non-Communicable Disease 2015-2020 (The National NCD Strategy).

“Ongoing delivery of the National NCD Strategy, including the Tuku Ifi Leva campaign, is made possible through the support of the Australian Government, the Tonga Health Promotion Foundation (TongaHealth), and the World Health Organization”.

1...775776777...950Page 776 of 950
© Copyright 2026 Kaniva Tonga News & Entertainment