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

By
Kaniva Staff
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Prime Minister of Tonga ‘Akilisi Pohiva. Photo/Tnews (Youtube)

Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva said Tonga’s Association of Sports and National Olympic Games Committee (TASANOC) spending at last month’s Pacific Games was being audited.

He said if the audit discovered any money had been mishandled and any TASANOC members had failed to perform their duties they would be dismissed.

The Prime Minister said TASA had failed to make a financial report to an overseas donor which led to a loss of about $100,000 that was supposed to help fund Tonga’s participation in the Games.

Speaking to the Tongan Television programme TNEWS, Hon. Pohiva said TASA had caused huge damage before and during the Games and this was not the first time they had created problems.

Hon. Pohiva said it was important that Tonga’s preparations for the Pacific Games were in the hands of a reliable and responsible organising body. He said the government was keeping a close eye on the committees assigned to the tasks.

Tonga Pacific Games 2019 Organising Committee

The Prime Minister said he was also unhappy with the Tonga Pacific Games executive committee because it was behind schedule with preparations for the 2019 games.

He said the construction of the golf course should have already been started, but nothing had happened so far.

He said if government found out  the TPG committee members could not do what was expected of them, they could be replaced.

Other donors

Hon. Pohiva revealed that Papua New Guinea had promised to support Tonga financially and he was expecting millions from them.  He said he would meet with PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill again soon.

He also said it was Papua New Guinea’s head of state’s advice that gave him the confidence that Tonga can host the Games.

He said China was also interested in some of the facilities for the Games, particularly the swimming pool and rugby fields. The communist country had requested plans and financial proposals for these facilities.

He said it was possible China would fund four major facilities for the Games.

He said two sports facilities that required a lot of money were the swimming pool and the golf course, but it now appeared there were donors to fund them.

Benefits

Prime Minister Pohiva said countries like China, Japan and New Zealand would like to see Tonga hosting the Games so that the kingdom’s sporting facilities could be upgraded to a more international level.

Samoa hosted the Pacific Games in 2007 and after Hon. Pohiva  talked to their Prime Minister he found out the neighbouring country had hosted some of the sporting competitions for the recent Commonwealth Games because they still had their sport facilities like swimming pool.

The Prime Minister said the government would upgrade ‘Apifo’ou College, Tonga College and Tupou High School’s sport fields and dormitories to be used by the Pacific Games officials and athletes.

Local sport facilities like the Sia’atoutai cricket ground and Kolomotu’a rugby fields would also be upgraded.

The Prime Minister said Tonga was the smallest country to host the Pacific Games.

He said he feared that if Tonga turned down the opportunity to host the 2019 Games there was no guarantee it would have the opportunity to do it again.

The main points

  • Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva said Tonga’s Association of Sports and National Olympic Games Committee (TASANOC) spending at last month’s Pacific Games was being audited.
  • He said if the audit discovered any money had been mishandled and any TASANOC members had failed to perform their duties they would be dismissed.
  • Pohiva said he was also unhappy with the Tonga Pacific Games executive committee because it was behind schedule with preparations for the 2019 games.
  • He said if government found out if the TPG committee could not do what was expected of them, they could be replaced.

For more information

Tonga Govt says committed to running Games (RNZI)

Tonga overwhelms japan 31-20

By
Publisher (posted)
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Tonga recorded a 31-20 victory over Japan in their fixture at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby to secure third spot in this year’s Pacific Nations Cup.

In an impressive showing, the Tongans scored three tries to Japan’s one as scrum-half Sonatane Takulua stood out alongside number ten Kurt Morath.

Takulua was one of those scorers as he added the late gloss to prop Halani Aulika and Fetu’u Vainikolo’s five-pointers. Morath kicked sixteen points.

In reply back-row Hendrik Tui crossed for Japan, who could not keep the dangerous Tongan runners at bay. They end the tournament in fourth place.

Japan were leading 3-6 thanks to two penalties from full-back Ayumu Goromaru but tighthead prop Aulika crashed over on 30 minutes to push Tonga 10-6 up.

Eddie Jones’ men responded soon after though when back-row Tui ran over from fifteen metres out to cap a passage started by wing Karne Hesketh.

Morath slotted two further penalties before the break though which meant Tonga were 16-11 to the good at the interval and deserving of their advantage.

Japan returned in strong form and when Goromaru struck two early penalties, they were back in front by one point.

However, Morath then sent over wing Vainikolo to make it 21-17 before the two kickers traded a penalty apiece before Japan were reduced to fourteen men when replacement Hayden Hopgood pulled down a Tongan line-out jumper.

That scuppered Japan’s hopes and when Takulua slipped over in the 79th minute, the result was sealed for the Tongans.

The scorers:

For Tonga:
Tries: Aulika, Vainikolo, Takulua
Con: Morath 2
Pen: Morath 4

For Japan:
Try: Tui
Pen: Goromaru 5

Tonga: 15 Vunga Lilo, 14 ‘Otulea Katoa, 13 Sione Puikala, 12 Viliami Tahitu’a, 11 Fetu’u Vainikolo, 10 Kurt Morath, 9 Sonatane Takulua, 8 Hale T-Pole, 7 Nili Latu (c), 6 Jack Ram, 5 Uili Kolo’ofa’i, 4 Lua Lokotui, 3 Halani Aulika, 2 Elvis Taione, 1 Tevita Mailau.
Replacements: 16 Kalafi Pongi, 17 Soane Tonga’uiha, 18 Sila Puafisi, 19 Sosefo Sakalia, 20 Viliami Fihaki, 21 Wayne Ngaluafe, 22 Martin Naufahu, 23 Latiume Fosita.

Japan: 15 Ayumu Goromaru, 14 Karne Hesketh, 13 Kotaro Matsushima, 12 Harumichi Tatekawa, 11 Yoshikazu Fujita, 10 Kosei Ono, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Ryu Holani, 7 Michael Broadhurst, 6 Michael Leitch (c), 5 Hitoshi Ono, 4 Shoji Ito, 3 Hiroshi Yamashita, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Keita Inagaki.
Replacements: 16 Hisateru Hirashima, 17 Hiroki Yuhara, 18 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 19 Hayden Hopgood, 20 Hendrik Tui, 21 Atsushi Hiwasa, 22 Craig Wing, 23 Tim Bennetts.

Referee: Angus Gardner

– planet rugby

Royal Agricultural, Fisheries and Industrial Show 2015

By
Kaniva Staff
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Press Release: Their Majesties King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u will officially open the Royal Agricultural, Fisheries and Industrial Show 2015 for Tonga on Wednesday 5thAugust 2015 at the Matangimlie Ground in Niuatoputapu.

The theme for this year’s Royal Agricultural, Fisheries and Industrial Show 2015 is “Royal Agriculture, Fisheries and Tonga Made Show of the Coronation 2015”

The schedule for this annual event will be as follows;

Wednesday 5th of August                               –           Niuatoputapu

Thursday 6th August                                         –           Niuafo’ou

Saturday 8th August                                          –           Vava’u

Wednesday 12th August                                   –           Ha’apai

Saturday 15th August                                        –           ‘Eua

Friday 21st – Saturday 22nd August             –           Tongatapu

The Acting Prime Minister; Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni; Hon Minister for Agriculture and Food, Fisheries and Forest, and other Cabinet Ministers will also attend the outer-islands Royal Agricultural Show.

The Chief Executive Officer for MAFFF as well as other government officials have traveled to the outer islands to prepare and organize for this event.

New foreshore project for Lifuka starts next week

By
Kaniva Staff
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The Tongan government has allocated TOP$400,000 paʻanga to fund a foreshore in the western side of Lifuka to prevent further erosion.

Haʻapai Governor Moʻale Fīnau said on Facebook last week the Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva will launch the construction work for the project on August 11 at the western coast of Fanga-ʻI he-Sī.

The governor said the project was one of his dreams while he was young that one day Lifuka would have a foreshore and he invited his people to pray and give thanks to God as his dream has come true.

The project comes while the main island  of Haʻapai group is threatened by the increasing rising sea levels caused by climate change.

Foundations of some of the houses built on the beach at the coastal areas of Pangai, the capital, have been eroded by the water and owners have moved inland for their safety.

Lifuka has a population of about 700 people it is popular with tourists and has 11 hotels.

 

Pacific Games 2019: NZ funds new teufaiva stadium upgrade, talks underway with foreign donors

By
Kaniva Staff
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The Tongan government has confirmed it has received funding from the New Zealand government to upgrade Teufaiva Stadium and it has made contacts with other foriegn donors to seek funding options  in a bid  to host the 2019 Pacific Games.

Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva in a statement released to media today Monday 4 confirmed his government’s position in hosting the  Games and said  Tonga was encouraged and given supports during the 15th Pacific Games in Port Moresby early this month by other Pacific countries in its plan to host the Games.

Tonga will soon start collecting money to help fund its budget for the sport  when the airport departure tax would be increased by TP$100 and  a one seniti charge on every foriegn currency exhanges, a one seniti reduction from the original two seniti charge announced in the begining of July.

Hon. Pohiva has urged all Tongans in Tonga and overseas to support government in its endeavour to bring the Pacific Games to the kingdom for the first time in history.

He said Tonga would benefit greatly from the Games.

The Prime Minister’s statement

“Getting the financial resources to fund the preparation for the Games is the utmost challenge for the Government and the Government is fully aware of this.  As such, the Government is doing its best to seek financial assistance from donor and development partners and raise revenue for the Games,” the Hon Prime Minister has stated.

“ At the same time, the Government is convinced of the benefits of hosting the games, not only in upgrading the level of sports and sporting facilities in Tonga, but also the benefits to the economy that the sport will bring.”

The Government has received funds from the New Zealand Government towards Teufaiva Stadium and discussions are underway with other donor and development partners to fund other sporting complexes, which are anticipated to be finalized and announced in the near future.

The Government is also currently finalizing the legal process for the implementation of the $100 pa’anga increase in Departure Tax and the 1seniti levy that will be imposed as part of the spread of the Pa’anga value on every purchase and sale of foreign currency, which is a reduction by 1 seniti from the two seniti originally proposed in response to raised concerns during the consultation with key stakeholders.  These are the two revenue streams that Government has approved to raise funds for the Games.

The Government is working closely with the Tonga Pacific Games 2019 Organising Committee on the details of the plan for the Games with the constructions and preparation of venues and sporting facilities to start in 2016, as stated by the Hon Minister for Finance and National Planning.

The Government was encouraged to receive the support of other Pacific Island Countries that Tonga can host a successful Pacific Games in 2019, during the 15th Pacific Games 2015 held in Papua New Guinea in July.

The Government is therefore calling on the people of Tonga, here in Tonga and abroad for their support, as Tonga prepares to stage the 16th South Pacific Games 2019.

Revenue & Customs calls in companies with late taxes for a chat instead of going straight to court

By
Kaniva Staff
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Hon. Tēvita Lavemaau. Photo/Soane Gallagher Niukapu

The Minister of Revenue and Customs, Hon. Tevita Lavemaau, has stopped referral of any cases related to late payment of taxes and PAYE to court unless he personally approves them.

This means some companies and businesses in Tonga which have outstanding tax bills have relaxed because the Revenue Ministry will now invite them to discuss their cases first without going directly to court.

Kaniva News understands the move was made by the minister as an attempt to solve the problems caused by the cost of investigating tax arrears.

It is understood the department has lost a lot of money when prosecuting businesses and companies because of legal costs and court fees.

In an e-mail sent by Hon. Lavemaau to his heads of department and CEOs on April 2, the minister said he wanted to build a good working relationship with the department’s clientele rather than making them enemies of the government because of their unpaid arrears.

The e-mail, which has been seen by Kaniva News, said the new strategy meant all cases would be assessed on a case by case basis and would depend on the minister’s approval.

“It is my strong belief that we need to promote a good relationship with our clientele especially to support our move to Voluntary Compliance,” Hon. Lavemaau said in the e-mail.

“It takes time and tireless effort to get them on-board. However, the long term benefits for our economy is enormous. We need to build the trust and confidence of the business community in us by getting out there and discussing with them the various issues and concerns that we have, such as non-registration for CT, Late Payment of CT and PAYE.

“Discuss with them the alternatives solutions and wider implications if we take the force of law on our hands. Get them on-board.

“As from April onward I would urge you all to take a new route and strategy as briefly explained above.

“Further I would like to cease referral of any cases to Tribunal and Court without any prior approval. This mechanism is only to apply as a matter of last resort.”

The main points

  • Some Tongan companies with unpaid taxes are sleeping easier this year because the Ministry of Revenue and Customs has decided to invite them to discuss their cases without going directly to court.
  • The decision was made by Minister of Inland Revenue Hon. Tevita Lavemaau in an e-mail revenue staff in April.
  • The minister has stopped the referral of any cases related to late payment of taxes and PAYE to court unless he personally approves them.
  • Kaniva News understands the move was made by the minister as an attempt to solve the problems caused by the cost of investigating tax arrears.

For more information

Ministry of Revenue and Customs

Archibishop of York visits Tonga

By
Kaniva Staff
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The Archbishop of York, The Most Reverend, the Right Honourable Dr. John Sentamu, arrived  in Tonga on Saturday and will be leaving the kingdom tomorrow.

He has delivered a sermon to Anglican faithful at the St. Paul’s Eucharist in Nukuʻalofa yesterday where he  officiated at the ordination of new priests of the Anglican Church of Tonga on Sunday 2nd August at St. Paul’s Eucharist.

“The ordained priests were Fr. Laiseni Liavaʻa and Fr. Steven Vaka.

“Today, Monday 3rd August, His Grace will join with the Acting Prime Minister, Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni who is also Minister responsible for the Environment and Climate Change, in a dedication service this morning on Pangaimotu Island, to mark the promotion of public awareness on the environment and climate change.

His Grace will later meet with Church Leaders for lunch this afternoon and with the Anglican community before his departure tomorrow”.

On the rocks: picture shows how close Niuvakai came to collision at Tuʻanuku

By
Kaniva Staff
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With its prow resting on the rocks at Tuʻanuku shore, this dramatic picture shows just how close the Niuvākai cargo ship came to a potentially disastrous end.

The picture was obviously  taken after the cargo vessel ran aground off the Tuʻanuku coast on Friday morning.

The cause of the incident is still unknown.

The Minister of Infrastructure confirmed the incident on Friday and said there were no reports of any injuries.

The 36-year-old ship has just returned from Fiji about two weeks ago after its dry dock in Walu Bay. The dry dock was made after it was taken out of service because it was found to be leaking.

 

 

Authorities plead with public to stop changing road signs

By
Kaniva Staff
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A photo taken on Tuesday this week after employees sent by Land Transport Department to reinstate road signs at the village of Masilamea believed to have been changed by members of the public. The signs confused drivers.  Photo/Kaniva News (Paul Quinn Ta’ai).

Tonga’s Department of Transport has pleaded with those who are tampering with road signs for whatever reasons to stop it immediately.

The Acting Director of Land Transport Tevita Lavemai told Kaniva News this was an increasing problems  for his department.

He said this had happened in the past and despite various efforts made to protect it from happening again it appeared the problem persisted.

As reported by Kaniva News on Sunday this week, a couple were confused when they saw two different road signs for speed limit on the same stretch of road at the village of Masilamea on Hihifo Rd. They were not sure which one they should follow.

Driving eastbound on Hihifo Road towards Nukuʻalofa the driver and her wife noticed a 50 km/h speed limit sign on the left side of the road and 70 km/h on their right side.

Lavemai said he believed someone had intentionally altered the signs.

He said the 50km/h sign supposed to face westbound drivers while the 70km/h faces eastbound drivers towards Nukuʻalofa.

Lavemai said he would send employees to fix the problem and the department would review this issue again at its next meeting.

Two different road signes for speed limit at Hihifo Rd at the village of Masilamea confused drivers. Photo/by courtesy of Yvette Gutteinbeil Paea
Two different road signs for speed limit on Hihifo Rd at the village of Masilamea confused drivers. Photo/by courtesy of Yvette Gutteinbeil Paea

MV Niuvākai hits reef in Vavaʻu

By
Kaniva Staff
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The MV Niuvākai has run aground off the Vavaʻu Islands near Tuʻanuku this morning, but there are no reports of any injuries.

The Minister of Infrastructure Hon ʻEtuate Lavulavu reportedly said the ship had been leaving Taufaʻāhau Wharf, Haʻapai on Thursday with cargoes heading to Vavaʻu before it rammed into a rocky shoal at about 9am Friday 31.

He said the ship’s team is currently assessing the situation and will provide more information as it becomes available.

The grounding comes about a forthnight after the government owned vessel returned from Fiji after her dry dock at Walu Bay because it was found to be leaking in the month of June.

 

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