A concrete slab that covered a grave at the village of Popua was partly vandalized leaving the grave opened with what appeared to be mats, clothes and ngatu buried with the deceased scattered around the cemetery.
It was alleged the destruction was an act of revenge, which was usually occurred when a Tongan was believed to be possessed by an evil demon.
A local, Ngaloʻafē ʻUlupano said he went to the cemetery today to clean up his parents’ grave and he was surprised when he saw what appeared to be a result of a vandalism.
He took photos of the incident which show the grave was opened and what appeared to be Tongan koloa (goods) buried with the dead person scattered around the grave.
‘Ulupano could not identify the grave.
He said a grave at the same cemetery was vandalized previously and it was allegedly caused by people who believed that spirits of the dead harmed members of their family.
The MV Niuvākai has been taken out of service and the captain of the MV ʻOtu Angaʻofa has been sacked after the two government ferries were found to be leaking.
The ʻOtu Angaʻofa is being closely monitored and is carrying restricted loads.
Finance Minister Dr ‘Aisake Eke announced the news in Parliament, but did not give any further details.
The Minister of Infrastructure, ʻEtuate Lavulavu said the Niuvākai would only be allowed to travel to Fiji, implying that this would be for maintenance purpose.
He said it was safe to travel on the ‘Otuanga’ofa.
Lord Tu’iha’ateiho told the House he understood that while they were discussing the issue, the MV ‘Otuanga’ofa was due to sail from Ha’apai to Nuku’alofa at 6pm that evening.
He said he was surprised when he heard the vessel had a leak but was allowed to travel.
The government was responding to concerns raised by Lord Tu’ilakepa about the safety of the inter-island sea transportation.
Hon. Tu’ilakepa reminded the House that Tonga had suffered severely in the past because of the way how government handled sea inter-ferry transports.
He said a memorial stone had been erected at Ma’ofanga to remember the 74 people who died after the government ferry Princess Ashika went aground in 2008.
He said government should make sure it did not have to face the kind of public outcry that occurred over the sinking of the Princess Ashika.
MV Niuvakai
The government’s Friendly Island Shipping Agency (FISA) bought the Niuvākai from the Ramanlal brothers last year for about TP$1.5 million.
The 36-year-old vessel, previously known as the MV Theresa, has an in-built chill/freezer in addition to a cargo capacity of 660 cubic meters and 274.4 cubic meters (274,440 litres) for bulk cargo fuel (diesel fuel). It can also accommodate 10 livestock.
It can also be used to transport bulk cargo like agricultural produce on inter-island and outer island services.
MV ‘Otuanga’ofa
The ‘Otuanga’ofa was a new vessel when it was brought to Tonga from Japan on October, 2010 to replace the Princess Ashika.
In May 2014 the ferry was reported to have run aground while trying to leave the Pasivulangi harbour in Niuafo’ou.
Close inspection ferry found cracks in the vessel and it was dry docked in Fiji for maintenance.
It was reported at the time that the cracks were due to “localised stress.”
It said the bow and the stern were the most highly-stressed areas of the vessel; with the bow stress caused by ramming, pounding and racking; while the stern stress was caused by pounding, propeller pressure and vibrations.
The 53m x 13.5 m vessel has a total loading capacity of 520 tons. It can accommodate up to 400 passengers, and a cargo hold of 251 m2 area x 4.55 m headroom. The ferry has 2 main engines each of 1,000 horsepower to run at 11.5 knots.
The main points
The MV Niuvākai has been taken out of service and the captain of the MV ʻOtu Angaʻofa has been sacked after the two government ferries were found to be leaking.
The ʻOtu Angaʻofa is being closely monitored and is carrying restricted loads.
The Minister of Infrastructure said the Niuvākai would only be allowed to travel to Fiji, implying that it this would be for maintenance purpose.
He said it was safe to travel on the ‘Otuanga’ofa.
Tonga’s Minister for Sport Feʻao Vakatā said Tonga’s sport players overseas brought about TP$14 million into Tonga every year.
Hon. Vakatā said the money was more than what the government collected from sales of crops and seafood overseas.
He was responding to a call from Democratic Party MP Veivosa Taka for the government to cancel Tonga’s hosting of the 2019 South Pacific Games.
Hon. Taka said the money earmarked for the games should be spent on the needy.
The Minister said hosting the South Pacific Games would boost income from sport, which was already one of the kingdom’s most significant financial resources.
Until now fisheries and agriculture have been regarded as two of Tonga’s major sources of income.
Hon. Vakatā said Tonga had more than just one hundred of sports players overseas but they brought a great deal of money to the nation.
Critics have said the Games are too costly for Tonga and there have been protests against the government’s plans to raise money for the games in the new budget.
Plans include a TP$100 hike in the airport departure tax, which is expected to bring in TP$5 million a year for the next five years leading up to the Games, after which it will be removed.
The hike provoked a stir on social media with many accusing the government of penalising Tongans living overseas by making them pay higher fees every time they travel to and from Tonga.
The government has justified the hike by saying Tonga had one of the lowest airport departure taxes in the South Pacific.
Critics
Last week Tonga’s former Finance Minister Lisiate ‘Akolo, met with Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva and asked the government to withdraw its hosting of the South Pacific Games.
Hon. ‘Ākolo said the Games were very expensive for Tonga.
Tonga plans to spend about TP$138 million on building facilities and hosting the Pacific Games in four years’ time.
Hon. ‘Ākolo said the money should be given to education and health sectors as Tonga’s economic viability was weak.
Tonga’s share
Meanwhile, the government has confirmed that most of the money needed to fund the Games will come from overseas donors.
The former government when it bid to win hosting of the Games told SPG committee it would donate TP$70 million for the sport.
Taka asked how the country could afford to maintain the facilities after the Games.
The Minister of Finance said the facilities would be used to host the Games for 10 days, but after that they would become national facilities to cater for local players.
The main points
Tonga’s Minister for Sport Feʻao Vakatā said Tonga’s sport players overseas brought about TP$14 million into Tonga every year.
Vakatā said the money was more than the government collected from sales of crops and seafood overseas.
He was responding to a call from Democratic Party MP Veivosa Taka for the government to cancel Tonga’s hosting of the 2019 South Pacific Games.
Vakatā told Parliament the government had estimated that for every pa’anga it spent spend on the Games, it would collect TP15 in return.
Princess Masako of Japan and his husband Crown Prince Naruhito will attend the coronation of King Tupou VI on July 4.
While Princess Masako has health condition with adjustment disorder for 11 years, her trip was uncertain to proceed.
However, some decisions were made and she was given permission from her doctor to travel.
The royal couple would join 1,000 special guests Tonga government has invited for the Their Majesties’ King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u’s coronation.
New Zealand taxpayers have funded bankrupt business trainer Richard Peter Gee to conduct business mentoring courses in Tonga.
The New Zealand Herald said the 64-year-old Aucklander conducted his third mentoring session in Tonga last week since being made bankrupt in the High Court at Auckland.
It said Mr Gee received $29,000 for the mentoring courses in Tonga – part of an aid package for the Pacific nation funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
A spokeswoman for MFAT told the paper she “had no idea Mr Gee had been bankrupted during a period he was carrying out business mentoring courses”.
“She said the money was paid to the Tonga Chamber of Commerce as part of a larger aid package and the organisation then handled contracting itself. She said Mfat believed $29,000 had been paid to Geewiz Group Professional Speakers Ltd which provided “six courses of up to five days in length” between 2013 and 2015”…Read more
The Democratic Party has rejected a call by Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s son-in-law for the government to withdraw its move to ratify CEDAW.
MP Mateni Tapueluelu insisted the government change its decision to sign up to the Convention on Elimination of All Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Tapueluelu’s call left a recent party meeting in uproar.
In a series of references to certain CEDAW clauses published in the Prime Minister’s newspaper, Kele’a, last week, Tapueluelu made assumptions about what he believed was the chance that ratifying the convention would “push” member countries to legalise abortion and same-sex marriage.
Tapueluelu said he “earnestly begged” the party meeting to review its decision to sign CEDAW and return it for more public consultation.
He said people did not understand CEDAW.
Tapueluelu said he had worked as an editor for three newspapers for 14 years and did not understood what CEDAW was about.
He said that if he did not understood the convention, then he questioned how the public could understand it.
Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva told Kaniva News his cabinet believed CEDAW was good for Tonga and had determined to ratify the United Nations convention based on advice from stakeholders.
Tapueluelu persuaded his followers to believe the convention was designed to push the legalisation of abortion by claiming there were new born babies found dismembered in US. It was not clear why he referred to US as the country has yet to ratify CEDAW.
Tapueluelu said if government continued on with its move to ratify the convention the motive was clear – it was not for the moral advantages of the country but it was for money.
Tapueluelu was so emotional and at times made some references to the Bible to justify his claims.
At the end of his story he quoted part of the the Lord’s Prayer that says:
“Your kingdom come
“Your will be done on earth
“As it is in heaven”.
Agree to stand and believe together as one
In its campaign for the 2010 and 2014 general elections, the Democrats issued a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that consisted of a mission and a vision for all party members to follow.
The Party announced that all its members signed the MOU before 2014 general election.
One clause in the official document said all party MPs must “stand together” and “believe” together as one.
Kaniva News could not contact Prime Minister Pohiva to obtain his opinion about his son-in-law’s stance on CEDAW.
Three members of the Party were ousted last year after Tapueluelu, the editor of Kele’a, repeatedly described them as heke (crossing the floor) and no longer loyal to the party leader Hon. Pohiva.
He ran articles in Kele’a suggesting that Party MP Dr Sitiveni Halapua was no longer loyal to Hon. Pohiva as he had introduced a new model of his own for the democratic change Pohiva had fought for for years.
Hon. Pohiva’s publicly announced that Halapua’s model was good in itself, but that it should be campaigned for outside the party, because the Democrats had their own mission to have all members of Parliament elected by the people.
Dr Halapua eventually announced that he would not stood for Parliament.
Before last year’s general election, ousted Deputy Party Leader Isileli Pulu accused Tapueluelu of interfering with the party’s candidate list and pushing Hon. Pohiva to endorse the list without the party’s endorsement.
Pulu claimed the list that Hon. Pohiva endorsed was made up by Tapueluelu and published it in Kele’a before the Party knew about it.
After a series of exchanges between Tapueluelu and Pulu with other ousted Party MPs including Sione Taione and Falisi Tupou, Hon. Pohiva announced that he has fired them from the Party and he named new candidates to replace them. Tapueluelu then replaced Pulu.
When asked why he sacked them, Hon. Pohiva said it was because they continue to protest about the controversial party list.
The main points
The Democratic Party has rejected a call by Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s son-in-law for the government to withdraw its ratification of CEDAW.
MP Mateni Tapueluelu insisted the government change its decision to sign up to the Convention on Elimination of All Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
His call left a recent party meeting in uproar.
Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva told Kaniva News his cabinet believed CEDAW was good for Tonga and had determined to ratify the United Nations convention based on advice from stakeholders.
A small tornado has ripped through a small town east of Nuku’alofa this morning.
The rooftop of the Catholic church hall known as Sangata Fositina mo Langi Havea was torn up when the tornado lashed through the town of Lavengatonga at about 6am today June 15.
At least two houses and a shed were damaged
Lavengatonga’s town-officer reportedly said there were no casualties or death.
PHOTO: Her Majesty Queen Nanasipauʻu (in the van) talking to Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva and Princess Lātūfuipeka Angelika Tukuʻaho while visiting Kolomotuʻa on Friday. Photo/Paula Moimoi Lātū
The coronation of Their Majesties King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u Tuku’aho is still two weeks away, but there is a sense of anticipation in the air as the kingdom prepares for what will be the largest event since King George V’s coronation in 2008.
Celebrations surrounding the coronation will officially begin on June 27, but the nation is already in a state of longolongo kātoanga, the feeling that public festivities are about to start.
Gifts have begun arriving for the Royal family and schoolchildren have performed traditional dances at the palace.
A nationwide clean-up campaign is underway and the government has announced a TP$200,000 (NZ$140,000) plan to dispose of derelict ships in Nuku’alofa’s harbour.
Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva said it was important that when people from overseas arrived in Tonga for the crowning of Their Majesties that the kingdom looked clean and beautiful.
This follows a massive inland clean up in various villages in Tongatapu.
Photos obtained by Kaniva News show the clean-up operation has worked and the project has met with approval on social media.
Their Majesties visited the city of Kolomotu’a on Friday and were welcomed by Hon. Pohiva and the kainga.
Kolomotu’a is where the Royal Palace in Nuku’alofa is located. It is understood that Their Majesties were invited by Namoa-‘O e-Taki Lelei group.
Princess Angelica Latufuipeka led the group in cleaning up of the city.
Lord Vaea leading his kainga to the Royal Palace in Nukuʻalofa. Photo/Melemanu Fiu Bloomfield
Fatongia/Duty
In the past couple of weeks the gates at the Royal Palace in Nuku’alofa have been open as gifts have been brought to present to Their Majesties.
Government ministries, certain villages and some groups have presented Tongan goods such as precious mats, ngatu, food and pigs. Some presentation were followed by group dances.
The presentation is known as fatongia, or duty, and has been mainly performed by those who are linked to Their Majesties in blood, responsibilities or ruling.
Last week the queen’s paternal village of Houma presented its fatongia to Their Majesty.
It was led by Queen Nanasipau’u’s brother, Lord Vaea.
They presented mats, ngatu and cakes followed by their traditional kailao, or war dance.
Kuini Sālote College performing for the Queen at Pangai Lahi. Photo/Sia Adams (Facebook)
Performance
On Thursday about 1000 secondary and primary school students in Tongatapu performed their traditional dances for HM Queen Nanasipau’u Tuku’aho at Pangai Lahi.
This was another fatongia in which dances that have been practised for certain occasions are presented to either the nobles, town officers or the royals before the big day.
The performance in the grounds on the eastern side of the palace was presented by six secondary schools – ‘Apifo’ou College , Lavengamalie College, Queen Salote College, Tonga College, Tonga High School and Tupou College. Two primary schools also performed for the queen.
Invitation
The government has invited 1000 special guests, including leaders, diplomats and religious leaders from overseas to the coronation.
Thousands of Tongans overseas are also expected to join the coronation and various fundraising activities have been launched by Tongan communities in the United States, Australia and New Zealand to help fund people who want to travel to Tonga for the coronation.
Many people will also be in Tonga during the coronation for the Free Wesleyan Church’s annual conference, which will be held in Nuku’alofa from July 7 – 13.
Kaniva News understands the church is organising a choir of 1000 singers to perform an oratorio to their Majesties on Sunday, July 5, at the Centenary Chapel.
The choir will sing for an hour before the church formally announce its coronation greetings to Their Majesties.
Their Majesties vehicle in one of the roads in Kolomotuʻa covered with ngatu. Photo/Paula Moimoi Lātū
The main points
With only two weeks to go before the coronation of Their Majesties King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u Tuku’aho, there is an air of anticipation and excitement in Tonga.
Gifts have been delivered to the palace, schoolchildren have performed traditional dances and the government has organised a massive clean-up campaign.
The government has invited 1000 special guests, including leaders, diplomats and religious leaders from overseas to the coronation.
Tongan communities in the United States, Australia and New Zealand have launched fund raising drives to help people who want to travel to Tonga for the coronation.
The Tongan government has announced the coronation of Their Majeties King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u Tuku’aho will be marked with a public holiday on Tuesday, July 7.
“This special decision is a one-off, and it is part of honouring and celebrating the majestic ceremony of the formal investiture of Tonga’s reigning monarch, His Majesty King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u” a statement from the Prime Minister’s office says.
The official program for the coronation commences on Saturday 27 June and ends on Monday, July 6.
The Tongan government has received about TOP$55.4 million grant from the Government of Japan to help udgrade and extend Faua wharf.
The grant was received yesterday after Tonga’s Port of Authority revealed last year a plan to extend the wharf starting this year.
The proposed plan involves expanding the wharf’s waterfront operational areas by 250 m from the wharf’s current locations which can cover up to sea areas opposite Takaunove cemetery at Vuna Rd.
The extension plan is expected to be completed by 2018.
Only two ships at the size of MV ‘Otu Anga’ofa can berth at Faua at present but the extension when completed will allow up to 10 ships to dock at the port.
A statement from government today says the new wharf will also cater for inter-island sea transportation with boarding areas specially constructed for the elderly and disabled people.
“The Passenger Terminal Building’s roof top will have an independent solar system to commence Tonga’s step towards facilities that are more energy efficient with a greater degree of energy security, and more importantly an environmentally friendly source of energy”.
Tonga’s Prime Minister, Hon Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva extended his gratitude to His Excellency, Mr Yukio Numata, Ambassador of Japan to Tonga, and the Government of Japan, the “heartfelt appreciation” of the Tongan Government and the people of Tonga with the grant. He therefore expressed his well wishes for the “bilateral relation between Japan and Tonga to continue growing in strength”.
