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PM says claims his son-in-law’s company won Teufaiva construction bid “absolutely wrong”

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva has denied  that his son-in-law’s construction company in Hawaiʻi was given the task of building the Teufaiva Stadium for the South Pacific Games in 2019.

The Prime Minister was responding after a letter circulated on social media last week, asking whether it was true he had won the contract.

The letter was claimed to be from Tonga’s Media Council, but the name of the letter’s writer was not shown on the part of the document uploaded to Facebook. The Council has not claimed responsibility for the letter.

Hon. Pohiva said his son-in-law recently helped with the construction work for the Va’epopua National Park while he was holidaying in Tonga with his family.

The Prime Minister said this was part of his effort to contribute to the building of his country before they returned to Hawaiʻi.

Hon. Pōhiva said his son-in-law was doing the work voluntarily. He was not being paid by the government and had not asked to be paid.

The Prime Minister’s daughter told Kaniva News this evening her husband did not own a construction company in Hawaiʻi.

ʻAna Fifita Koli said her husband was a stonemason and worked for his brother in Hawaiʻi.

The letter circulated on social media last week was addressed to the Acting CEO of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Pesalili Tuiano, asking him to hold a press conference with the Tongan media.

“I wish to ask you on behalf of the Tonga Media Council for a press conference pertaining to the following issues,” the letter said.

“Is it true that the Prime Minister’s son-in-law’s construction company from Hawaiʻi got the reconstruction of Teufaiva Stadium?”

“If it’s true, was it advertised to the public? And how many construction companies bid for the reconstruction of Teufaiva? And who pick the company of the Prime Minister’s son-in-law?”

The letter also asked Tuiano whether it was true or not same company will conduct that construction work as well?

“What do you think if the above questions are all true? Do you think it’s a conflict of interest?”

“Looking forward to your available time for the requested press conference as we all want to inform the public with the truth but not hearsay or rumours.”

In a press statement this afternoon Hon. Pohiva said the rumour that his son-in-law would lead the building of Teufaiva Stadium for the Pacific Games was “absolutely wrong.”

He said the reconstruction of Teufaiva would be led by a team from the government of Papua New Guinea and the requirements for the work were still being discussed.

The Prime Minister said the construction of the first part of the Va’epopua National Park was jointly funded by all government’s ministries and businesses.

The budget and planning for the rest of the work had been finalised and the government was seeking funding from stakeholders and overseas donors.

The government was optimistic funding from donors, businesses and stakeholders would be enough to complete the Va’epopua National Park.

The Prime Minister has donated TP$10,000 for the project and that money and funds from donors who had pledged financial support would be deposited into a new vote opened at Treasury.

The government  said money could be allocated from the 2016-17 budget towards the work.

The Prime Minister said Tongans who had the talent and experience should be given the opportunity to contribute to the building of Tonga.

“We ask the people of the nation and stakeholders to work together and help what the government do to keep our environment beautiful,” he said.

The main points

  • Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva has denied that his son-in-law’s construction company in Hawai’i was given the task of building the Teufaiva Stadium for the South Pacific Games in 2019.
  • The letter was claimed to be from Tonga’s Media Council, but the name of the letter’s writer was not shown on the part of the document uploaded to Facebook.
  • In a press statement this afternoon Hon. Pohiva said the rumour that his son-in-law would lead the building of Teufaiva Stadium for the Pacific Games was “absolutely wrong.”
  • The Prime Minister’s daughter told Kaniva News this evening her husband did not own a construction company in Hawai’i.

For more information

Tonga will host the Pacific Games 2019

A teacher who was also a mother apparently electrocuted before she dies in Toloa

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A young mother who was also a teacher at Tupou College was killed by apparent electrical shocks at the college today.

Details surrounding the death of Mele Lausiva Felemi Manu were not immediately available to Kaniva News.

However Facebook users have reported and confirmed she died this morning.

“What a saaad news (cry emoticon) my dear sister Mele Lausiva Felemi Manu whyyyyyyyyy you leaving us so early (cry emoticon)” a commentary posted to Toloa Ex-Student Facebook page read.

Posted by Toloa Ex-students Page on Monday, March 14, 2016

One of the best happy mother’s and a teacher in Tonga. My condolences to Mele Lausiva Felemi Manu has passed away this…

Posted by Digicel on Monday, March 14, 2016

ITU SG visits Tonga, first in the Pacific, presents satellite gifts, launches new portal

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary General Mr Houlin Zhao’s visit to the kingdom of Tonga last week marked the first time in history the head of the international body visit the Pacific region.

During his visit Zhao launched a new government web portal and presented new satellite systems and IT equipment.

“These will be used to address the lack of telecommunication connectivity in the outer islands. The Minister of Internal Affairs Hon. Fe’ao Vakata received two sets of the satellite on behalf of the Niuas.

“The two sets will be used in both Niuatoputapu and Niuafo’ou high schools to better their telecommunication connectivity. The equipment presented also included laptops, PCs, headphones, wireless routers, printers, wireless adapters and webcams”.

The donation from ITU is part of the organisation’s Project Development of Satellite Communications Capacity and Emergency Communications Solutions for Small Development States of the Pacific.

Mr Zhao said:  “I am very much excited with my first official visit to the Pacific Island areas. I never got a chance to come to this region except Australia.”

“I was looking for opportunities to come to the region because I have heard a lot of good development in the region particularly Tonga, because I met with the Honorable Deputy Prime Minister many times in the past and particularly the last two months, I met him four times.”

“So it’s very fortunate that today I have a chance to come to your beautiful country of Tonga and witness the development of ICT and Telecom.”

Mr. Zhao said Tonga has made great efforts to improve the capability of its ICT and Telecom.

“I applauded this good achievement and today I am very honoured to have the chance to launch this government portal which is another milestone to see how the Tongan people can profit from this new technology to increase their contacts with the government,” he said.

Zhao said : “the new portal is a good example of how ITU’s Pacific region member uses ICT as great enablers to facilitate social and economic developments”.

Mr. Zhao said that at ITU conferences, there are resolutions about assisting the union’s island member countries.

“At our conferences we always put some special resolutions to talk about assistance to our island countries. And this morning I discussed with Hon. Deputy Prime Minister the development and also the challenges in front of us. I think that through my visit, we’ll have some good first kind acknowledges to understand the challenges in front of us and in particular to address the issues such as emergency communication after natural disaster and problems happened.”

Zhao assured the government that ITU will do their best to cooperate with the Government of Tonga.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for MEIDECC, Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni said he was thrilled with the new initiative because the new portal is a mechanism to support the government’s vision.

“I am indeed excited because of the potential of this portal as a stepping stone, has in supporting the government’s vision to communicate better and to serve the public more effectively,” he said.

He explained that the first government portal was established by the Ministry of Information and Communications in order to create a more connected and empowered society between the public and the government.

“The idea was that the existence of such ministry will promote a more accountable and transparent environment by providing information about government’s policies, programs and activities. With that aim a first government portal was designed.”

“The launch of this website fully recognised these developments and hopefully a step in the right direction. It is much more than just a simple embracement of ICT. It is more than an information portal.”

“This new portal embodies the government’s unwavering quest to ensure that its citizens can have an easy access to government information and empowering them to exercise their rights stated in our constitution.”

The focus of the new site is based on the government’s services where the public can keep track of information and events of different ministries and there is a possibility that the new database will attract foreign investors to further Tonga’s development.

Crown Prince Tupouto’a was the guest of honour and present in the special occasion were the Prime Minister, Ministers of the Crown, Australian High Commissioner, Japanese and Chinese Ambassadors to Tonga and representatives from communication operators.

Mr. Zhao met with the Prime Minister Hon ‘Akilisi Pohiva at the Prime Minister’s Office to discuss issues in regards to ICT and Telecom and to look at ways of how to further the cooperation between Tonga and ITU.

Mr. Zhao met with communication operators and was able to visit the Ha’amonga ‘a Maui last Thursday afternoon. He also met with the principal of Tonga High School and Tupou College to observe the use of PC’s in the computer labs and to talk with the principals of the challenges faced in regards to ICT.

On Friday morning, Mr. Zhao visited the Tonga Cable Limited and departed Tonga in the afternoon.

ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICT) The ITU coordinates the shared global use of the radio spectrum, promoting international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, works to improve telecommunication infrastructure in the developing world, thus providing a seamless global communications system that is robust, reliable and adaptable to the evolving needs of the word regarding Information and Communications.

“Meʻakai Tonga Ki ai”, World Consumer Rights Day campaign

By
Kaniva Staff
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A campaign is underway in Tonga urging the public to avoid  eating easily prepared processed food served in snack bars and restaurants as a quick meal.

The campaign is part of the kingdom’s move to support the World Consumer Rights Day.

Since there is no fast food chain in Tonga such as KFC and McDonald, the Ministry of Labour and Commerce sees the international day as an opportunity to remind Tongan people about the benefit of eating indigenous Tongan food.

The campaign is titled as “Meʻakai Tonga Ki ai! / “I love my Tongan food”.

People are being urged to share their favourite Tongan food and recipes with others on internet, radio broadcasting programme and on social media.

The campaign targets “antibiotic fed meat products that all the big fast food chains worldwide use which can be KFC, McDonalds or Burger King etc”, the Ministry said in a statement.

“The message is, that as we consume products from these Fast Food places, it will slowly make our bodies resistant to antibiotics”.

Proposed program to commemorate the World Consumer Rights Day.

  1. Direction boards (Consumer Work program) on work premises in Ha’apai (Governor’s Office) and Eua Office
    2. Buyer Beware ( FAKATAU TOKANGA) Billboard installed at the Police Station in Neiafu
    3. World Consumer Theme Banners installed in Eua, Ha’apai, Vava’u and in Tongatapu
    4. ( Week 2 March – 11-15) – Press Releases and general discussions with TV and Radio Programs drawing attentions to the actual World Consumer Day and its theme
    a) Co-ordinating school visits to carry out presentations on the World Consumer Day theme as well as general awareness on the roles and responsibilities of the consumer and we will invite along food authority as well).
    b) Photo Competition
    We are putting up soon on Facebook and will be part of the school presentations a special competition to get people to upload any images of them and with any idea associated to the theme for World Consumer Day to our Facebook page.
    c) Radio Talk-back on 87.5FM promoting of “Meakai Tonga Kiai! / I love my Tongan Food” campaign on Friday 11th March. An officer from Ministry of Health is joining us this program.
  2. World Consumer Rights Day 15th March–
    a. radio talk back program on 87.5 ( with Ministry of Health and Food Authority)
    b. TV program with TBC( with Ministry of Health and Food Authority)

IMF says Tonga’s economy will grow, but warns of problems with international markets and climate

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Tonga’s economy is predicted to grow by 3.1 percent this year, but the International Monetary Fund has warned that the government still needs to keep an eye on its spending and needs to prepare for the effects of climate change.

The warning comes after a visit to Nuku’alofa by an IMF team led by Elena Loukoianova.

Ms Loukoianaova said that agriculture and construction would drive growth in the kingdom in the 2015-16 financial year and inflation would remain low.

However, there were risks.

Markets in Australia and New Zealand are likely to be slowed by a reduction in international demand. This could lead to less aid money being provided by those countries, less money being sent to Tonga by families living overseas and less income from tourists.

On the domestic front, Ms Loukoianaova said large increases in government spending and potential cost overruns on the South Pacific Games could cause increased public debt.

She also warned that slowing the country’s economic reforms could lead to problems with donors and create gaps in the kingdom’s finances.

Natural disasters could also take a toll on the economy.

Ms Loukoianaova  said the Tongan government needed to improve the kingdom’s ability to resist the economic shocks that could be caused by climate change. The government needed to develop a way to prepare for natural disasters and ensure proper risk management.

The IMF praised the government’s initiatives in reforming the Tongan economy.

She said the IMF welcomed the government’s commitment to rein in the wage bill, to reform the civil service and to seek grant financing for the SPG.

Continued progress in improving tax and customs administrations and strengthening public finance management was also important to preserve fiscal sustainability

“The current accommodative stance of the monetary policy is appropriate in the light of low inflation and robust external position,” Ms Loukoianova said.

She said the recent rapid increase in credit growth was not yet a concern because it started from a low base.  She said the IMF welcomed the National Reserve Bank’s plans to avoid excessive credit growth and strengthen the financial sector’s regulatory framework.

Raising Tonga’s potential for economic growth would require improving opportunities for private sector development. The IMF encouraged Tonga’s financial authorities to continue improving business climate, facilitating access to external markets, improving access to finance, investing in transport, communications, human capital and developing tourism.

The Tongan economy

In the 2014-15 financial year the Tongan economy grew by 3.7 percent, supported by construction, tourism, and strong remittances.

This was despite slow growth in advanced and emerging market countries and disruptions to agriculture caused by the El Niño weather pattern.

Inflation declined in January 2016, reflecting lower global fuel and commodity prices.

The external balance and the international reserves improved substantially thanks to low oil prices and stronger remittances.

The main points

  • Tonga’s economy is predicted to grow by 3.1 percent this year, but the International Monetary Fund has warned that the government still needs to keep an eye on its spending and needs to prepare for the effects of climate change.
  • The warning comes after a visit to Nuku’alofa by an IMF team led by Elena Loukoianova.
  • Ms Loukoianaova said that agriculture and construction would drive growth in the kingdom in the 2015-16 financial year and inflation would remain low.
  • However, a slowdown in the Australia and New Zealand markets could lead to less aid money being provided by those countries, less money being sent to Tonga by families living overseas and less income from tourists.

READ MORE: 

Tonga’s economy growing, financial system sound says Reserve Bank in report to Cabinet

 

VIDEO: Palagi children in Cowra surprise guests with Tongan national anthem

By
Kaniva Staff
-

People who were expecting news from Cowra on internet last weekend because Tonga was the guest country in the NSW town’s 2016 Festival of International Understanding had a surprise.

A YouTube video was uploaded to Facebook showed the Tongan national anthem was sung by palagi school children.

The music was fine but for the little children to sing the national anthem beautifully in a language totally different from their mother toungue, was amazing.

After the MC of the day welcomed Princess Angelika Tukuʻaho, the guest of honour of the day she then invited the guests to stand for the kingdom’s national anthem.

To the surprise of most viewers, the palagi school children did an awesome performance in singing the national anthem with great confident.

“I get emotional when I sing the Tongan national anthem (mafana ki ai lol) this video is cool! Young Australian singing our anthem,” John Nicholas Pulu,  a reporter on TVNZ’s Tagata Pasifika programme wrote on Facebook.

The event gave members of the New South Wales community the opportunity to taste Tongan food and enjoy Tongan entertainments and arts.

The message of the Festival of International Understanding is one of inclusion, friendship and understanding — which Tongan guests in  Cowra could not be more excited and proud to be a part of.

The Festival of International Understanding runs from March 11­–20.

Opportunities open to Tongan nurses and apprentices to work in Australia,  NZ

By
Kalino Latu
-

Nurses and apprentices in Tonga can now go to New Zealand and practice what they are being trained for in Tonga.

The opportunity follows an agreement signed by New Zealand and Australian Trade Ministers and representatives from Pacific nations at the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus talks in Brisbane last month.

Tonga’s Customs and Revenue CEO ‘Anisi Bloomfield said all apprenticeship-type training in Tonga including welding, fishing, building and eletricians would benefit from the agreement.

He said this was a great opportunity for Tongans and academic institutions which ran technical training in Tonga such as the Fokololo ‘o e Hau Institute, the ‘Ahopanilolo and Tupou Tertiary Institutes.

However, the greater opportunity comes with stricter requirements.

Bloomfield said before the Brisbane’s Pacer Plus agreement, countries from the Pacific nations could choose whoever they wanted to go to New Zealand and Australia to pick fruit under the Recognised Seasonal Employer Work agreement.

Under the agreement signed last month the selection of apprenticeship candidates from the Pacific must involve the employers, representatives from Australia and New Zealand as well as the Tongan government.

Bloomfield said he could see this as a good move to make sure people who were selected could make use of the opportunity and never cause any other problems that could fail the programme.

He said there were other opportunities, including an agreement to allow more commodities from Tonga to be imported into New Zealand.

He said in the past it took five years for New Zealand to accept Tongan fruit to be sold in its markets.  The new agreement meant more fruit, such as zucchinis, would be exported to New Zealand.

Another advantage for Tonga was that the programme could open another door to New Zealand and Australia to upgrade and improve syllabii used by technical training schools in Tonga.

Bloomfield said this was a significant part of the agreement as the two countries wanted to make sure their syllabi were aligned.

“Pacer Plus is an extension of the already strong political and community ties we have with Pacific nations,” Australian Minister Fierravanti-Wells said.

“Deepening regional trade ties will help to increase the skills of workers throughout the Pacific, boost economic empowerment and strengthen the stability of Australia’s immediate neighbourhood.”

The Australian Minister Assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment, Senator Richard Colbeck said PACER Plus would provide an opportunity to create jobs, enhance private sector growth and raise standards of living in Pacific Island countries through enhanced regional trade and closer economic integration.

He said he was particularly excited by the potential for the Pacific to make more money from marine resources, fisheries and tourism potential.

The two countries are now processing the agreement requirement to enable apprentices from the Pacific nations to travel to New Zealand and Australia.

The main points

  • Nurses and apprentices in Tonga can now go to New Zealand and practice what they are being trained for in Tonga.
  • The opportunity follows an agreement signed by New Zealand and Australian Trade Ministers and representatives from Pacific nations at the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus talks in Brisbane last month.
  • Tonga’s Customs and Revenue CEO ‘Anisi Bloomfield said all apprenticeship-type training in Tonga including welding, fishing, building and plumbing would benefit from the agreement.
  • However, the greater opportunity comes with stricter requirements on who can go to Australia and New Zealand.

Murdered man ‘sits up’ at his own funeral

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A Puerto Rican man who was shot and killed earlier this month has been laid to rest “just as he was in life” in an extremely unconventional funeral.

Fernando de Jesus Diaz Beato, 26, was shot 15 times in the Villa Carolina neighbourhood of San Juan on March 3 and police say they have no leads on the crime.

Describing him as a “happy and very active person”, the family decided against a coffin for the funeral service in favour of a chair, sitting Diaz Beato with his legs crossed, dressed in his favourite clothes and with a cigarette between his fingers.

Finally, as a “surprise”, the funeral home chose to leave his eyes open.

“Everybody is really surprised because seeing him like that is like seeing him as if he were alive,’ one of Diaz Beato’s sisters said in a video obtained by Live Leak.

A man fun1
The funeral home admitted they ‘surprised’ the family by keeping Diaz Beato’s eyes open for the service, while dressing him in his favourite clothes, finished with the hat and glasses that were his signature

Another sister, Ihizz Diaz Beato, said: ‘We decided to embalm him like this because he was a very happy person, very active and we want to remember him as he was.’

The final effect was if Diaz Beato was sitting and staring at the family and friends who gathered at the funeral.

Marin Funeral Home, in Rio Piedras, has become something of a pioneer of such services in San Juan.

This is the ninth unconventional funeral they have done – but the first where the eyes of the deceased have been left open.

Damaris Marin, the owner of Marin Funeral Home, said they worked closely with the family to achieve the desired effect.

“This time is different because he is seated with his legs crossed but this is the first dead man in history with his eyes open,” she said.

“We have seen that the families wish to see the dead men just as they were when they were alive.

“We gave [the family] a surprise by leaving the eyes of the dead man open.

“I think that this time was the most impressive reaction to any of the work we have done.”

A man fun2
Designed to look like he was sitting in a living room, Diaz Beato’s legged were crossed and a cigarette was placed between his fingers

While the result shocked the family, they said they were happy with how Diaz Beato looked.

“We didn’t want to see him lying in the coffin,’ sister Ihizz said.

“We wanted something different. And also, we wanted him to be remembered by his friends and family the same way he was when he was alive.”

– Daily Mail

Helicopter rejected by Tongan authority welcomed in Samoa

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A helicopter Tongan authority could not give its owner a license to fly in Tonga had its maiden flight in Samoa last week.

According to Samoa Observer, Caretaker Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, met with the Company’s principal and founder, Rodger McCutcheon early last week before he granted approval for the copter to fly in Samoa.

“When it comes to private investments where lives will be saved then government must take decisive action,” Tuilaepa was quoted by the website as saying.

“It is utter nonsense and ridiculous for any government to discard a service of this nature”, he added.

The helicopter was brought to perform life saving emergency work, sightseeing flights for tourists and commercial work.

McCutcheon told Kaniva News the Eurocopter AS350 helicopter arrived in the kingdom last month and because Tongan civil aviation authority could not allow them to fly it on their Australian licenses they decided to transfer and send it to Samoa

He said another helicopter was on its way to Tonga but still they do not have a license to operate it in the kingdom.

McCutcheon said the civil aviation authority needs “up to 3 months to bring in experts to assist them with approving us to fly in Tonga”.

Tonga’s civil aviation authority would not respond to our request for comment but the manager of Tonga International Airport Viliami Ma’ake said he was approached by McCutcheon about the helicopter. He said he told him to talk to civil aviation authority.

Tonga’s aviation safety rules came under strict scrutiny since 2013 after the kingdom accepted the  controversial Chinese MA-60 aircraft in 2012.

The aircraft, which is based on an old Russian design, has been involved in several accidents in different countries. In the worst accident 27 people died.

The New Zealand government released a travel advisory warning that New Zealanders flying in the Real Tonga MA60 did so at their own risk and withheld $10 million aid for Tonga’s Tourism industry because of concerns over the aircraft.

In 2014 the International Civil Aviation Organiation demanded Tonga to fully respond to its request to submit a report on Real Tonga’s controversial MA60 aircraft.

In his response the former Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakano promised the international body he would revise Tonga’s civil aviation rules and regulations within 60-90 days, commit to meet New Zealand aviation standards and replace the Real Tonga with a New Zealand operator during the revision period.

READ MORE: 

Mothers and children dying in childbirth prompted plan for helicopter rescue service 

Mothers and children dying in childbirth prompted plan for helicopter rescue service 

PM revokes Real Tonga’s airline license, promises to adopt New Zealand aviation standards in confidential letter

Rift over Chinese aircraft splits Tu’ivakano and Deputy

Vaipulu removed from Infrastructure portfolio because of errors in aviation report, Justice Minister claims

Valerie Adams on Real Tonga aircraft as it slides off runway at Fua’amotu

VTF’s radio host, Mele Hifo, laid to rest

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The funeral of Tonga’s  radio internet personality Mele Hifo Finau took place today in Nukuʻalofa.

Hundreds of fans gathered to say their final goodbyes to the Tongan prominent broadcaster and producer, after a short but brave fight with cancer.

Amongst those in attendance were Managing Director Katalina Uili Tohi and staff of Letio Tonga FM 87.5. The radio broadcasted the funeral services live on air and on internet.

Earlier this week the manager and staff of the government’s sponsored national radio and television Tonga in which Hifo was a former employee arrived at her residence with holo (gifts).

The funeral sermon was held this morning at Fasi’s SUTT church.

Many of Hifo’s friends and colleagues over the years attended the services, among them many Tonga High School’s ex-students and prominent members of the Tongan communities in US and Tonga.

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