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Tongan woman receives Greg Urwin award 2016

Tongan woman Adi Talanaivini Mafi, 25,  has been announced as one of the recipients of an Australian government and Pacific Islands Forum Secreatariat funded Pacific Leadership Program in honour of the former Secretary General of PIFS, the late Mr. Greg Urwin.

Ms. Mafi hopes the award “will contribute to her plans to advocate for the rights of children within the Tongan criminal justice system”.

This was a chance for her to pursue her endeavour to put an end to “legally mandated violence against children”.

She will take up her placement with the  SPC Regional Rights Resources Team (RRRT) in Suva, Fiji.

She is currently a legal officer with Tonga’s Ministry of Justice and Sub Registrar with the Registrar General’s Office.

Adi
Adi Talanaivini Mafi. Photo/Facebook

She holds a Masters of Law from Queen Mary University of London, a Professional Diploma in Legal Practice and a Bachelor of Law both from the University of the South Pacific.

About the Awards
The Greg Urwin Awards are a joint initiative of the Australian Government-funded Pacific Leadership Program (PLP) and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS). The Awards were established in 2008 to honour the memory and legacy of the former Secretary General of PIFS, the late Mr. Greg Urwin.

Up to five grants of AUD$25,000 are awarded to outstanding Pacific Island professionals, researchers and emerging leaders to undertake a 3-6 month placement with a regional organisation or institution that has the potential to contribute to the positive development in the Pacific.

The call for applications for the Awards are held in September to October each year. Applications for the 2016 Greg Urwin Awards have closed and successful candidates have been informed.

General Eligibility Criteria
Successful applicants will:

  • Be citizens of Pacific Island countries.
  • Have completed, or will complete in 2015, a postgraduate qualification (Masters level or Phd. level)
  • Have confirmed a placement with a host organisation or institution (including Australia and New Zealand).

Applicants must arrange their own placements and show exemplary academic achievement and leadership experience in their academic and/or professional field and in local community. Applicants must be able to explain how their chosen placement will provide valuable professional experience, exposure to new ideas and create networks that will develop their leadership capacity in the Pacific Islands region.

Priority Areas
Applications are sought from scholars and professionals in a diverse range of fields including the private sector, public sector, civil society, health sector and academia. At the request of the late Mr Urwin’s family, special consideration will be given to applicants in the health sector who wish to pursue a project related to cancer awareness, treatment and/ or research.

Cardinal Mafi wants to rebuild Catholic primary school system, but money a problem

Cardinal Mafi of the Catholic Diocese of Tonga and Niue said he had a vision the church could revive its primary school education in Tonga as the church celebrates 151 years since the beginning of Catholic education in the kingdom.

However, the Cardinal said reviving the Catholic primary school system would need a lot of money, but the church was not financially prepared for the task.

August last year marked 150 years since Fr Lamaze established St Stanislaus College and a primary school at ‘Ahopanilolo in 1865.

Cardinal Mafi said the Catholic educational system was reviewed between 2013-2014 in a programme led by professionals from the Australian Catholic University in Sydney.

“This was part of the attempts to get the true picture of the status of Catholic Education in different aspects of life to set up a vision for its future,” Cardinal Mafi said.

He said the church’s stance on academic education was laid out in the Vatican II  Declaration on Christian Education,  Gravissimum Educationis.

The centre piece of this declaration was based on dignity of men and women and their godly rights as creation of God. Catholic education was intended to educate the whole person and not just academically.

Cardinal Mafi said this was why Catholic education put greater emphasis on technical education today.

He said he particularly valued the importance of fostering children while they were young because one of the aims of Catholic education in Tonga was to make sure it is  “heavenly” and “eternal.”

The prelate said  Christ’s person as the Son of God who was born to eternal life would always be the basis of Catholic education.

According to the history the first 50 years of Catholic education from 1865 to 1914 primary schools were established, along with colleges.

In the second 50 years from 1864 to 1914, more primary schools were established in villages and outer islands. The most important event in that period was the inclusion of the New Zealand education syllabus in the Catholic education in Tonga.

The third 50 years began with the closure of primary schools and the return of children to Government Primary Schools.

This year in December St Peter Channel College will mark its 50th anniversary since its establishment by  late Bishop Patelisio Punou  ki Hihifo Finau in 1966.

Catholic school establishments in order of chronology

1865   First Catholic School established, St. Stanislaus College, ‘Ahopanilolo Ma’ufanga, Fr. Lamaze
1881   Beato Channel College, Ma’ufanga, Fr. Castagnier
1881   Ma’ufanga, Sr. Mary Xavier & Sr. Mary Saint Pierre.
1882  Mu’a, Sr. Mary Louise (Ako Nofoma’u).
1883  Vava’u, Sr. Mary Pierre.
1884  Hihifo/Kolovai, St. Mary Xavier.
1886 ‘Api Fo’ou College, Ma’ufanga, Fr. Thomas (Boarding school )
1891  Niua Fo’ou, 2 Wallisian Sisters, (one of whom was the niece of Queen Amelia of Wallis).
1893  Ha’apai, St. Mary St. Yves.
1899  St Joseph School, Ma’ufanga (English Speaking)
1905  St Joseph School Nuku’alofa, Sr. Mary Germaine smsm

1915  – 1964

1924  Houma, Sr. Mary Angele & Sr. Katalina Jennings.
1926  Niua Toputapu, Sr. Mary Albine & Sr. Euphemie.
1949 ‘Eua, St. Mary & St. John & Sr. Malia Makalita.
1962 St. John’s High School, Makamaka, Bishop Rodgers
1964 St. Anne’s High School, Ma’ufanga, Sr. Catherine Siena

1965  – 2014

1966  St. Mary’s High School, Ma’ufanga, Sr. Mary Bernardine &  Sr.Yvette smsm
1966  St. Peter Chanel College, Vava’u, Bishop Patelisio Punou  ki Hihifo Finau
1968  St. Mary’s Home Science School, Ma’ufanga, change and renamed as  Ahopanilolo Technical Institute,  Sr. Malia Eva smsm
1970  St. Joseph Business College, Nuku’alofa, Sr. Clare Aldridge smsm
1975  Takuilau College, Lapaha, Fr. Lava ‘Enosi
1977  St. Joseph Community College, Ha’apai, Mr. Taniela Fe’ao
1977  Fualu Rural Training Center, Pea, Pousima Tu’umoto’oa
1996  Montfort Technical Institute, Popua, Br. Joseph Kottor
1997  Sacred Heart Pre-School, Vava’u, Sr. Anita Taulangovaka
1999  St Theresa of the Child Jesus Pre-School, Houma, Sr. Mataiasi  Afungia
2008  St. Francis of Assissi Pre-School, Nuku’alofa, Fatai Leger
2011  Mary Immaculate Pre- School, Ma’ufanga, Monsignor ‘Ita Koloamatangi

The main points

  • Cardinal Mafi of the Catholic Diocese of Tonga and Niue said he had a vision the church could revive its primary school education in Tonga as the church celebrates 151 years since the beginning of Catholic education in the kingdom.
  • However, the Cardinal said reviving the Catholic primary school system would need a lot of money, but the church was not financially prepared for the task.
  • August last year marked 150 years since Fr Lamaze established St Stanislaus College and a primary school at ‘Ahopanilolo in 1865.
  • Cardinal Mafi said the Catholic educational system was reviewed between 2013-2014 in a programme led by professionals from the Australian Catholic University in Sydney.

Fiji airways confirms Tonga route

Fiji Airways will start flying two times a week from Nadi International Airport to Tonga’s Vavaʻu Islands on April 2, 2016.

The flight will take 2 hours and 68-seat ATR 72-600 turboprop regional airliners will be used on the service. The aircraft are operated by its Fiji Link regional subsidiary.

In early June 2014 Fiji Link was launched with the arrival of its new ATR 72-600  from the Singapore-based leasing company,  Aviation PLC.

The Nadi-ʻVavaʻu route will kick start with flight FJ275 departing Nadi International Airport at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday and Wednesday and was expected to arrive at Lupepauʻu International Airport at 11:10 a.m. local time.

Its return flight FJ274 will leave Vavaʻu at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Wednesday and scheduled to arrive at Nadi Airport at 5:20 p.m. local time.

The company’s managing director and CEO Andre Viljoen said: “The new route offers a seamless addition to Fiji Airways’ South Pacific network.”

The new flight service could be an opportunity for a cut down on flight times and to create a smoother continuity of flight schedules for travellers from the United States to Vava’u who used to fly to Vava’u through Tongatapu.

Reports revealed overseas visitors to the kingdom bound for Vava’u regularly experienced long delays and cancellations of  their connecting flight from Tonga’s main island Tongatapu to Vava’u and vice versa.

The Fiji airline said passengers to Tonga from San Francisco on its Thursday aircraft can board its Saturday flight to Vava’u while those who would arrive on its Sunday plane have to take a few days in Fiji before its Wednesday schedule.

Previous services

Fiji Airways, formerly known as Air Pacific, withdrew its services for Tonga in 2011 because of decline in the number of visitors to Vava’u.

In 2014 the Tongan government announced a Fiji Airways direct flight service from Fiji to Vava’u has been made.

It is understood the Fijian airline company has requested cheaper landing fees from Tongan authority but because the Friendly Islands’ domestic airport was not making money out of its services the request was declined.

The Tongan government claimed Vava’u is one of the best destinations in the world for marine recreational activities.

Last year it announced many tourists to the kingdom travelled directly to Vava’u to swim with whales.

Valentine day, the real story

(CBN Ministries) Flowers, candy, red hearts and romance. That’s what Valentine’s day is all about, right? Well, maybe not.

The origin of this holiday for the expression of love really isn’t romantic at all — at least not in the traditional sense. Father Frank O’Gara of Whitefriars Street Church in Dublin, Ireland, tells the real story of the man behind the holiday — St. Valentine.

“He was a Roman Priest at a time when there was an emperor called Claudias who persecuted the church at that particular time,” Father O’Gara explains. ” He also had an edict that prohibited the marriage of young people. This was based on the hypothesis that unmarried soldiers fought better than married soldiers because married soldiers might be afraid of what might happen to them or their wives or families if they died.”

“I think we must bear in mind that it was a very permissive society in which Valentine lived,” says Father O’Gara. “Polygamy would have been much more popular than just one woman and one man living together. And yet some of them seemed to be attracted to Christian faith. But obviously the church thought that marriage was very sacred between one man and one woman for their life and that it was to be encouraged. And so it immediately presented the problem to the Christian church of what to do about this.”

“The idea of encouraging them to marry within the Christian church was what Valentine was about. And he secretly married them because of the edict.”

Valentine was eventually caught, imprisoned and tortured for performing marriage ceremonies against command of Emperor Claudius the second. There are legends surrounding Valentine’s actions while in prison.

“One of the men who was to judge him in line with the Roman law at the time was a man called Asterius, whose daughter was blind. He was supposed to have prayed with and healed the young girl with such astonishing effect that Asterius himself became Christian as a result.”

In the year 269 AD, Valentine was sentenced to a three part execution of a beating, stoning, and finally decapitation all because of his stand for Christian marriage. The story goes that the last words he wrote were in a note to Asterius’ daughter. He inspired today’s romantic missives by signing it, “from your Valentine.”

“What Valentine means to me as a priest,” explains Father O’Gara, “is that there comes a time where you have to lay your life upon the line for what you believe. And with the power of the Holy Spirit we can do that — even to the point of death.”

Valentine’s martyrdom has not gone unnoticed by the general public. In fact, Whitefriars Street Church is one of three churches that claim to house the remains of Valentine. Today, many people make the pilgrimage to the church to honor the courage and memory of this Christian saint.

“Valentine has come to be known as the patron saint of lovers. Before you enter into a Christian marriage you want some sense of God in your life — some great need of God in your life. And we know, particularly in the modern world, many people are meeting God through his Son, Jesus Christ.”

“If Valentine were here today, he would say to married couples that there comes a time where you’re going to have to suffer. It’s not going to be easy to maintain your commitment and your vows in marriage. Don’t be surprised if the ‘gushing’ love that you have for someone changes to something less “gushing” but maybe much more mature. And the question is, is that young person ready for that?”

“So on the day of the marriage they have to take that into context,” Father O’Gara says. “Love — human love and sexuality is wonderful, and blessed by God — but also the shadow of the cross. That’s what Valentine means to me.”

 

US federal grand jury charges Dr Hilamani Hansen with immigration scam

UPDATED: Despite insisting his agency had done nothing wrong after the United States Federal Law Enforcement raided his Sacramento based office in December, Dr Hilamani Hansen the owner of the Americans Helping America organisation has been charged Thursday in relation to a scam that promised U.S. citizenships in return for fees as high as $10,000..

Dr Hansen, 63,  is of Tongan origin and he was arrested earlier today after a federal grand jury indicted him  for offering adult adoptions as a pathway to citizenship for people who were in the country illegally, ABC news reported.

U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner who made the announcement was quoted by ABC as saying: “Taking advantage of the hopes and dreams of undocumented immigrants, who are poorly positioned to seek the protection of law enforcement, to extract fees based on false promises, is a particularly predatory and manipulative type of fraud”.

US authorities claimed “the operation took in at least $500,000 from at least 500 immigrants in California, Hawaii, New York, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin”.

Last month Hansen threatened church leaders and overstayers in the United States he will release their names to US Homeland Security if they would not attend a meeting scheduled for January 31.

On the day of the meeting news agencies were not allowed to join in  and Hansen refused to answer questions.

Californian based Television KCRA report said they saw 16 vehicles coming in and  out of the building that day.

Hansen claimed his company could get illegal immigrants their US citizenship if they paid him $5000 to $10,000 each.

He claimed his clients  can get their citizenship  if they could be adopted by US citizens.

He told KCRA thousands of undocumented immigrants benefitted from his company’s citizenship shceme.

In the United States an adult can be lawfully adopted by US citizens but no one could get US citizenship through that policy.

READ MORE: 

Hilamani threatens to release names of overstayers as FBI investigating his company

FBI probes US-Tongan company involving alleged immigration scam, Tongan victims speak out

New Australian high commissioner to Tonga arrives in Nuku’alofa

The new Australian high commissioner to Tonga Andrew Ford has arrived in Nuku’alofa today.

Mr Ford was scheduled to  present his credentials to His Majesty the King of Tonga later this month.

“I look forward to building on Tonga and Australia’s close and broad partnership” said Mr Ford. “Australia will continue to work together with Tonga for economic prosperity, improved development outcomes and stability in the region.”

Andrew Ford
Mr Andrew Ford

The Australian government suported Tonga through its AUSAID program, Tonga Police Development Program, Defence Cooperation Program and initiatives to promote trade and labour mobility in the Pacific.

“Mr Ford is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and until recently was Director of the Free Trade Agreement Policy and New Issues Section. Mr Ford has served as Director of areas responsible for Trade Competitiveness, International Economics and Finance, and Trade Policy as well as Security Policy and Operations”, a statement said.

He has previously served overseas as Counsellor (Political and Economic) in Kuala Lumpur and First Secretary (Economic) in Seoul.

Pacific SIDS members meet in Tonga

The Pacific Small Island Developing States members met in Nuku’alofa on Wednesday as part of their missions to address issues in which they become challenges to the islands’ sustainable development.

These Pacific Islands commonly have limited resources, they are susceptible to natural disasters, vulnerable to external shocks and  excessively dependent on international trade.

Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva in his opening speech told members the “meeting is a timely and great opportunity for members to discuss the continued importance of the issues of sustainable development, oceans and climate change”.

Hon Pohiva said: “with the support of regional CROP, United Nations (UN) and other agencies together with technical experts, the meeting will be able to plan and map out a strategy for PSIDS engagement at the UnitedCamera Nations during the year.”

He acknowledged the support of the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden to the meeting which is the largest per capita contributor to the Green Climate Fund, a source of funding that helps PSIDS  funds their projects  intiated to combat climate change effects  in the Pacific.

Her Excellency, Mrs Isabella Lövin “urged the meeting that it is everyone’s responsibility to cooperate” in fighting against these challenges.

She also noted that this meeting marks the first Ministerial visit of the Kingdom of Sweden to the Pacific, and called for continuing deepening of the relationship between Sweden and the Pacific.

Court dismisses Keleʻa newspaper’s application to transfer defamatory civil proceeding to Supreme Court

Tonga’s Supreme Court has dismissed an application by the publisher of Kele’a newspaper, Lautala Tapueluelu and its former editor, Mateni Tapueluelu, to transfer a civil proceeding for defamation from the Magistrates’ Court to the Supreme Court.

Lord Chief Justice Owen G. Paulsen said the argument was without merit.

He ordered that the Magistrate’s Court had to “allocate a hearing date as soon as is reasonably possible.”

Mr Justice Paulsen said the argument by the applicants that “the case can be more effectively dealt with in the Supreme Court is not correct.”

The application was opposed by the respondent.

The case the Tapueluelus were trying to transfer was a defamation case brought to the Magistrate’s court by Mr. Rizvi Jurangpathy, the Chief Executive Officer of Tonga Telecommunications Corporation (TCC).

The case was raised in Tonga’s Legislative Assembly in 2015 and Mateni e-mailed letters about the issue to Cabinet ministers. Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva, who founded Kele’a, wrote to the plaintiff demanding he go on paid leave or resign while an investigation was conducted.

Jurangpathy sought damages in the Magistrate Court “for defamation arising out of an article published in the Kele’a Newspaper on 29 June 2015.”

The case is one of several cases brought against the paper for libel which have resulted in court imposed fines.

The latest was a defamation case brought against the Tapueluelus and the newspaper by Tonga’s  former Minister of Law William Clive Edwards.

Mr Tapueluelu  was convicted and lost his parliamentary seat in December 2015 because he failed to pay his fine to Mr Edwards.

Mateni was MP for Tongatapu No. 4 when the article against Jurangpathy was published by the newspaper.

The Magistrate’s Court was told Tongatapu No. 4 constituent Lomano Fifita was dismissed from his position with TCC.

Fifita complained to Mateni about his dismissal and the MP raised it in Parliament.

According to a statement of claim submitted to the Magistrate’s Court “the article in the Kele’a was defamatory of Mr. Jurangpathy”.

The claim said the article insinuated that Jurangpathy “had wrongfully dismissed employees of TCC without due process, was corrupt, had abused his position as CEO of TCC in  various  respects,  was  misusing  company  funds,  that he was a sexual predator and  had illegally spied on directors and employees of TCC.”

The original article quoted Jurangpathy as denying all of its allegations.

In their statement of defence the Tapueluelus denied “that the article was defamatory of Mr. Jurangpathy and plead the defences of truth and qualified privilege under section  10  of the  Defamation Act  (Cap 14.06).”

Mateni said in  his affidavit that the long standing mission of Kele’a was to fight for “fair distribution of opportunities of life and has embodied in the push for democratic structure where people can partake  in decision making.”

Arguments

The Tapueluelus argued that the Supreme Court had the power to transfer proceedings from the Magistrates’ Court to the Supreme Court.

Their legal counsel, ‘Ofa Pouono, argued that the case would be  better heard in the Supreme Court because the relevant documents were all in English.

He said hearing the case at the Magistrate’s Court would require documents to be translated into Tongan.

Mr. Pouono also submitted that the hearing in the Magistrates’ Court was likely to take a week and-a-half to hear, but Mr Paulsen said he did not provide any evidence for this.

Mr Tapueluelu also argued the case was complex and involved many technical  and financial  documents from a public company.”

Mr Justice Paulsen rejected this argument.

“This case does not raise any issues which are unique or technical,” he said.

“It also raises no issues which I consider would be unsuitable for resolution by the Magistrates’ Court. That Court regularly deals with claims  in defamation as difficult as this one”.

Mr Paulsen said the plaintiff’s argument showed the case was ready for trial in the Magistrates’ Court.

Although a previous case had been transferred to the Supreme Court,  Mr Justice Paulsen agreed with the argument put forward by the respondent’s legal counsel William Clive Edwards “that this case has none of the special factors  which  lead the  Court of Appeal  to order a transfer in that  case.”

He said the Tapueluelus’ application had “no merit” and that the Magistrates’ Court was entitled to the same respect as any other  Court.

The Lord Chief Justice said he was concerned at the fact the Tapueluelus only lodged their application “at the last moment” before the trial start.

He said the “only inference can be that they are pursued for tactical advantage.”

The  main points

  • Tonga’s Supreme Court has dismissed an application by the publisher of Kele’a newspaper, Lautala Tapueluelu and its former editor, Mateni Tapueluelu, to transfer a civil proceeding for defamation from the Magistrates’ Court to the Supreme Court.
  • Lord Chief Justice Owen G. Paulsen said the argument was without merit.
  • He ordered that the Magistrate’s Court had to “allocate a hearing date as soon as is reasonably possible.”
  • The case the Tapueluelus were trying to transfer was a defamation case brought to the Magistrate’s court by Rizvi Jurangpathy, the Chief Executive Officer of Tonga Telecommunications Corporation (TCC).

For more information

Court says MP Tapueluelu’s election unlawful (Kaniva News)

Testimony: Sione Mangisi dies of head injuries, the court was told

A court in the United States was told on Wednesday that a 37-year-old Tongan man attacked outside a Bountiful home in Utah on October 2015 died of blunt force injuries to the head and torso.

In her conclusion the Utah Assistant Medical Examiner Pamela Ulmer testified to the Davis County   District Court that “Sione Mangisi’s  cardiovascular health may have also contributed to his death. She ruled the manner of death as homicide”.

Police arrested Heneli (Henry) Kalainisi Kaufusi, 35, on October 14,  2015 and charged him with first-degree felony murder in relation to the death of Mangisi.

This week a witness testified to the court what she saw on the day of the incident.

According to the Salt Lake Tribunal a witness, Teresa Beauregard said: “she witnessed the vicious beating from her vehicle, and called 911 to alert police to the fight”.

“He was large,” the woman recalled about the aggressor. “He was angry. He was bloody”, the Tribunal reported.

Mangisi was the ex-husband of Kaufusi’s girlfriend.

“After hearing evidence and testimony from several witnesses, 2nd District Judge John Morris ordered Kaufusi to stand trial on the charge”.

The home where the attacked happend was located in the 3500 block of Lexington Drive, where Mangisi’s ex-wife and children live, along with Kaufusi, police say.

Police believe Mangisi came to the home to see his children, but have said they do not know what sparked the confrontation.

Kaufusi is expected in court again on Feb. 22 for an arraignment.

Royal romance, no confirmation from king yet

Today in 2014 we wrote that HRH Princess Angelika Latūfuipeka Halaevalu Mata’aho Napua-Okalani Tuku’aho, was expected to choose a husband that year.

It has been two years today and  nothing has been confirmed yet although one proposal and a Christmas card had been presented to the only daughter of His Majesty King Tupou VI by two candidates.

They were the son of Lord Nuku, ‘Eiki Faka’osifono and the son of Lord Malupo, ‘Eiki Makahokovalu.

Princess Latufuipeka1
Princess Angelika Latufuipeka. Photo/Paula Moimoi Latu

‘Eiki Faka’osifono proposed to the Princess on January 2014 while ‘Eiki Makahokovalu presented a Tongan Christmas card to the Princess on December 2014.

Makahokovalu’s Christmas card presentation was intended to be followed with his marriage proposal to the Princess on March 2015. But it has been a year now the marriage proposal has yet to be presented.

Under the Tongan constitution, “It shall not be lawful for any member of the Royal Family who is likely to succeed to the throne to marry any person without the consent of the King. And if any person should thus marry the marriage shall not be considered legal and it shall be lawful for the King to cancel the right of such person and his heirs to succeed to the Crown of Tonga”.

Princess Latufuipeka, 32, is number five in line to the Tongan throne.

Lord Malupoo’s herald in Auckland, Angakehe told Kaniva News this afternoon that since ‘Eiki Makahokovalu’s Christmas card was presented to the princess in December things had been dealt with behind closed doors.

“Nothing has been confirmed to us at this stage,” Angakehe said.

When asked what happened to ‘Eiki Makahovalu’s proposal Angakehe said it has yet to be presented.

Attempts to contact the Palace Office and ‘Eiki Faka’osifono were unsuccessful.

READ MORE:

‘Uiha Islanders present food at palace ahead of gift of kaati to Princess Lātūfuipeka next week

Princess Lātūfuipeka to receive Christmas card and marriage proposal from Lord Malupoo’s son