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Tongan man shot dead in US while returning from church

By
Kaniva Staff
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A Tongan man was shot and killed in the United States on March 21 while two other men were injured and taken to a hospital.

Police have identified the deceased as 20-year-old William Fifita.

Fifita was returning from a church event in Torrance when another vehicle pulled up to his car and opened fire in what police describe as a “senseless murder.” Fifita was struck in the upper body and pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting took place after 2 am in the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue in Gardena, The location borders Hawthorne, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Family and friends are mourning the death of Fifita, who was a student and football player at Mt. San Antonio College.

He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and according to family members he had just returned from a two-year church mission in Guatemala.

“He’s a good boy,” his uncle said. “It was a shock for everybody.”

‘Eua electrocution victim named

By
Kaniva Staff
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A man who died from an electric shock in a residence in ‘Eua has been named as Lingi Hafoka.

An inquest has confirmed the cause of death was electrocution.

It said the 52-year-old victim was trying to deal with a 4 ft fluorescent light tube that was not working on Thursday evening.

He was electrocuted outside his house where the light tube was installed.

It happened at his home in Ta’anga.

Man dies of suspected heart failure in Ha’apai

By
Kaniva Staff
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A man from ‘Uiha in Ha’apai collapsed and died from suspected heart failure while traveling by boat to Pangai on March 18.

Police said medical examination has confirmed the 54-year-old man’s cause of death.

He was with churchgoers in the boat when the incident happened.

They were travelling to a church meeting in Lifuka.

 

TRU chaos looms as it faces arbitration over claims that AGM was unconstitutional

By
Kalino Latu
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Tonga Rugby Union’s former interim CEO Fuka Kitekeiʻaho told Kaniva News yesterday he was considering taking the TRU to court to force it to arbitration.

He said the TRU’s current board was dragging its feet to try to avoid the process.

The latest drama to involve the TRU began three months ago when representatives from Vava’u, Haʻapai and ‘Eua helped elect  Feʻao Vunipola as interim chair of TRU at its annual general meeting.

Kitekeiʻaho claimed the attendance of the outer island representatives was unconstitutional because their local unions had not run local rugby tournaments within the past four years.

He said the outer island unions should not be members of the TRU board or have a vote at the AGM.

If the arbitration ruled in his favour  the current board’s arrangements and decisions would be declared void, Kitekeiʻaho said.

He told Kaniva News  it had been two months since he sought the arbitration process. Legal documents have been distributed to TRU members and the representatives from Vavaʻu, ‘Eua and Haʻapai.

He said he believed Vunipola and the current board had dragged out the process and he intended to seek a court order to start it soon as it was taking too long now.

“They cannot avoid it forever,” Kitekeiʻaho said.

Arbitration was part of the board’s constitution to resolve cases like this, he said.

Kitekei’aho said he was told the TRU was seeking a lawyer in preparation for the arbitration.

“The World Rugby is waiting for the result”, Kitekeiʻaho said.

Tongan rugby union’s organising body has faced several crises in the past year, with accusations of poor leadership and questions over finances.

The TRU’s interim chair, Vunipola, said the arbitration process only added to the difficulties he and the union faced as they tried to resolve the board’s financial struggles.

The TRU owes about TP$700,0000/NZ$470,000 to a number of businesses who complained to the IRB  after the courts ruled against the TRU.

 Pointing fingers

According to a statement posted by Vunipola on Facebook, the IRB froze funding for Tonga because the TRU owes Carinat Sport Marketing TP$300,000/NZ$201,000, Mt Smart Stadium in New Zealand NZ$44,000/TP$65,000 and Finau Maka  €250,000.00/TP$620,000/NZ$416,000.

It is understood the debt to Carinat arose after the TRU borrowed rugby kits from the company, but did not pay for them.

Vunipola did not respond to our request for comment.

He claimed some of the debts arose from deals made by former TRU Chair ʻEpeli Taione without going through the board meeting.

Taione did not respond to our request for comment.

Vunipola  claimed that Kitekeiʻaho had told TRU members part of the debt had been paid off, but they had found no proof of any payments.

He said that according to board minutes from 2013 the TRU asked Taione and Kitekeiʻaho to tell them how much debts TRU still owed and they replied that the remaining debt was “50-60,000 sovereigns.”

(Editor’s note: A sovereign was a British gold coin. They are still made for special occasions, but are not normal circulating currency.)

Vunipola claimed he was told that when board members asked Kitekeiʻaho and Taione about the debts they became furious and told members to go and look for money to pay for the debts.

However Kitekeiʻaho said Vunipola should not point his finger and take the issue up with media.  He should put forwards a plan to pay the debts, he said.

“I wish to make it clear to the new TRU board members that when you come in to the board it is you who make the decisions and if there is debt there or profit you start with it. If there is financial debts try to pay it,” Kitekei’aho said.

“Making noise will not help pay if off.”

Kitekeiʻaho claimed he made a deal with lawyers for Carinat and Mt Smart Stadium  in an attempt to settle the debts.

He said an arrangement had been made to pay US$1000/TP$2199/NZ$1477 to Carinat and NZ$1000/TP$1488 to Mt Smart Stadium every month since November 2015 until the end of March 2016.

It had been intended that after this point  the TRU and its creditors would discuss how to settle the balance.

However, Kitekeiʻaho claimed that after Vunipola took over he stopped the arrangement.

Concerns

Vunipola said he was concerned that in the past the IRB and World Rugby had continued to help Tongan rugby financially despite the fact it was in deep financial difficulties in 2007 and 2012.

The IRB was withholding funding until reforms are made within the TRU.

It is understood a team from World Rugby will arrive in Tonga shortly to look at the problems faced by the Tongan union.

Vunipola said it was a pity that the staff at the TRU office had not been paid since the third week of January.

READ MORE:

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CEO ‘Emeline Tuita’s role with Tonga Rugby Union terminated

“Best paid ever” ‘Ikale Tahi failed to perform as expected, rugby boss says after three losses

Tongan Rugby Union has no money to pay its players an allowance, it was claimed this week.

VIDEO:Mother of three described as “woman of the church” as mourners present hala

By
Kalino Latu
-

Mele Manu, a mother of three and a teacher at a Free Wesleyan Church who died after she unplugged an electric extension cord on Tuesday, was described yesterday as a “woman of the church”.

The description was made during the presentation of the hala (gifts) during Mele’s wake.

In a tearful and emotional speech the herald of the woman’s in-laws greeted the  deceased’s herald, Lelenoa, with the fakatapu, in which she expressed respect and asked permission to speak.

Using figurative speech, she told Lelenoa that a sudden strong wave had taken away the lover of her child, referring to the husband.

She then revealed the gifts they had  brought was a kumifonua or gift to be taken with the deceased to her resting place.

She said the gift was a fala’aofi (mat accompanied by another mat or ngatu). She said the fala’aofi was placed on another fala’aofi.

She then asked the receiving herald if their gift could be used as  Mele’s cover as she had been chosen by their brother as his lover.

While the herald was still speaking the in-laws and mourners were visibly and audibly composing their emotion and weeping.

The herald told Lelenoa they would wait until they knew what he wanted them to do with their gifts.

“We are free and we are here to listen to you as we intended to come here and to bid farewell to the woman of the church,” the herald told Lelenoa.

“Our souls are thankful for that,” she said.

Lelenoa received the gift with thankfulness and thanked the in-laws for coming to join him and the rest of the family in trying to withstand the tragedy that unexpectedly hit them.

The main points

  • Mele Manu, a mother of three and a teacher at a Free Wesleyan Church who died on Tuesday, was described yesterday as a “woman of the church”.
  • The description was made during the presentation of the feitu’ui (gifts) straight after the burial services.
  • In a tearful speech, the herald of the woman’s in-laws greeted the deceased’s herald, Lelenoa, with the fakatapu, in which she expressed respect and asked permission to speak.
  • Using figurative speech, she told Lelenoa that a sudden strong wave had taken away the lover of her child, referring to the husband.

Fakatu’uta e hala e uitou faifekau Raymond Manu mohono famili kihe meafaka’eiki hono hoa ‘ofa’anga..

Posted by Vaikalafi Tuiono on Saturday, March 19, 2016

Kainga lotu Afo e 100 iheenau failotu moe hiva malie kohono e fakanoga kii Faifekau kaeumaa e fanau paea..R.I.L LAUSIVA 󾬎

Posted by Vaikalafi Tuiono on Saturday, March 19, 2016

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to say the in-laws presented their hala not feitu’ui as we said earlier on.

Tearful students and crowd say farewell to electrocuted mum

By
Kaniva Staff
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A community fell silent today as grieving family and friends gathered to pay their last respects to a young mother killed in a tragic accident.

The death of 42-year-old Mele Lausiva Felemi Manu, who was electrocuted while trying to deal with an electric extension cord outside a house she and her family lived at Tupou College, has rocked the close-knit community.

Hundreds of mourners were gathering at the college and later in  Tatakamotonga to say a tearful final farewell to “smiling and vibrant” Mele, who was popular with lots of friends.

Emotions ran high as mourners met and hugged the deceased three children who were standing by her coffin together with their father.

Tupou College students in formal school uniforms carried Mele to the church and to her final resting place at Siamoka cemetery in Tatakamotonga.

Mele was a teacher at Tupou College.

She was living with her husband Rev Raymond Manu with their three children.

Koe tengihia ena e kau faiako e Kolisi ko Tupou moe uitou kaeumaa e fanau kohai ha taha e taetagi koe taahine mata mali mo fotu fiefia Lausiva sio hake kihe faga tokoua ??enau tagi moe taefiemavae

Posted by Vaikalafi Tuiono on Saturday, March 19, 2016

https://kanivatonga.co.nz/2016/03/rip-to-my-favorite-teacher-tributes-flow-in-for-mother-killed-in-school-electrocution/

Construction begins on huge Faua wharf expansion

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The construction of  Faua wharf expansion has begun with  installation of a safety fence around the construction site.

The new Japanese funded project, on the western side of Queen Salote Wharf, includes two ship berthing areas with each having a length of 90 metres and a three story terminal building.

The spaces behind the berths will be used as cargo yards.

The ticket office will be at the first floor.  There will be restaurants at the second floor while office spaces for shipping companies will be provided at the third floor.

The TP$55.5 million (an equivalent of $23 US million) building will be partly powered by solar panels that will be installed on the roof.

The new wharf, which is constructed on top of a shallow fringing coral reef of approximately 200 metres wide, will provide parking spaces on the north and south sides of the terminal building which they can accommodate a total of around 100 cars.

During the construction about 153,000 cubic metres  of seabeds will be dredged and scooped up out of the water. The dredged materials will be used  for the reclaimation of Queen Salote Wharf.

The wharf will be protected from waves by a breakwater of approximately 250 meters in length.

TOA Corporation from Japan will conduct the construction under the supervision of JICA, a Japanese agency which monitors the project.

It was expected the construction will take about three years before it will be completed.

Tonga Water Board sends manager on forced leave

By
Kaniva Staff
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The General Manager of Tonga Water Board Saimone Helu, has been sent on compulsory leave.

The position is currently taken over by Kolopeaua Tonga.

The Minister of Public Enterprises, Hon Poasi Tei was quoted by local media as saying he was informed about the decision against Helu.

The minister did not give the details of why Helu was ordered to go on leave.

Conference to address health and wellbeing of young Pasifika a first for New Zealand

By
Kaniva Staff
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The first national conference to address the concerns of New Zealand’s Pasifika youth population will be held in Auckland next month (April) with around 350 professionals from the youth, health and social sectors in attendance.

GPS 2016 – Growing Pasifika Solutions for our young people will be held on April 20 – 22 at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau City. It aims to address the social sector issues that are relevant for New Zealand’s young Pasifika, such as preventing suicide, violence and addictions, improving mental wellbeing, understanding cultural identity, and public health and education priorities.

The conference has been organised by a committee of 14 young Pasifika people under the guidance of Pasifika non-government organisation Le Va.

Le Va chief executive Dr Monique Faleafa said GPS was not a business as usual conference because it is led by young Pasifika people with Pasifika views but modern approaches. “We’ve taken an authentic youth participation approach, co-designing this conference with young Pasifika people from all around New Zealand. Like so many of us, these urbanesians lead with traditional cultural values and deliver with contemporary execution. This is cutting edge leadership that will further identify solutions that work best for them, in the context of their families and communities.”

“Pasifika people make up 7.4% of the NZ population and is considerably younger than other ethnicities in NZ – the median age for Pasifika is 22 years. More than half the Pasifika people in New Zealand are under 24 years so it’s important we have young people leading GPS.”

Suicide prevention, mental health and addictions will be some of the big issues discussed at the conference. Since 2000, there have been three national surveys of high school students that found Pasifika students are three times more likely to attempt suicide than New Zealand Europeans.

“Suicide is a tapu subject for many Pacific people, but in 2014 Pasifika communities across Aotearoa told us they were ready to talk about suicide, and they were seeking solutions to prevent suicide with a sense of urgency. Le Va has been leading New Zealand’s first Pasifika suicide prevention strategy and responding in many ways, and the talanoa (discussion) and action will continue at GPS 2016,” Dr Faleafa said.

“The community support for this conference has been amazing. Pasifika youth issues clearly strike a chord for many of us. We’ve been inundated with offers of support and contributions from role models our young ones are inspired by – including Krit Schmidt (MTV), Frankie Adams (Shortland Street actress), King Kapisi, Tofiga Fepulea’i from Pacific comedy duo The Laughing Samoans, and Buckwheat (Lealailepule Edward Cowley) a Pasifika rainbow leader; they will be our MCs.  We also have our northern region Pasifika Matua Council, consisting of cultural leaders and knowledge holders from each Pacific nation.”

A discussion about what more can be done to ensure the mental wellbeing of high performance Pasifika sports people will open the conference on day two, with a high profile panel of Polynesian athletes leading the discussion including Sonny Bill Williams, Fiao’o Fa’amausili, Nigel Vagana, John Palavi and Jerome Ropati. The panel will be chaired by former All Black and Le Va manager, Savetama Eroni Clarke.

Dr Faleafa said GPS would be identifying solutions that young people say work for them. “Over the last 6 months, our Youth Action Committee have developed three concepts that they say will create change: If we support radical acceptance, absolute inclusion and full participation, we will unleash the full potential of our young people.”

With this in mind, three young Pasifika people will lead keynote presentations.

Student Whitney Pa’u-Tuitasi, Pasifika youth advisor and board member Riki Welsh and Genesis Youth Trust mentoring services manager Flora Apulu will share their unique perspectives on the support that is needed to help young Pasifika reach their potential in New Zealand.

This is the third GPS conference hosted by Le Va. GPS conferences are run every two years, building on knowledge and actions from previous conferences with a particular focus on improving the health and social issues for Pasifika.

Registrations for the conference are now open. For more information and to register online, go to www.leva.co.nz

ʻEua man dies of possible electrocution

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A 52-year-old ʻEua man died Thursday following a possible electrocution at his Taʻanga residence.

The man returned from sea before the incident happened after 8pm, police said.

He and his family were preparing their evening meal in a kitchen outside their house.

The deceased was working on an extension power cord to connect a 4ft electric fluorescent tube light into the kitchen, Police Communication Officer Telēsia Adams told Kaniva News.

The victim’s  daughter told Police the tube light was not working and while his father was trying to fix it she heard something falling. She ran outside to check and she saw her father lying on the floor with the light tube on top of him.

The man died at the scene but he was taken to hospital, Adams said.

This comes after a 42-year-old mother of three, Mele Lausiva Felemi Manu died at Tupou College on Tuesday after she tried to disconnect an electric power cord outide her house.

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