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New committee to boost Vavaʻu tourism

By
Kaniva Staff
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A new committee known as Vavaʻu Cruise Boat Steering Committee has been elected to improve and encourage Vavaʻu tourism.

As the Fiji new air services are expected to give Vavaʻu tourism a substantial lift starting next month, the new steering committee has been given the duty of finding ways to increase the number of cruise ships coming to Vavaʻu.

Chairman of Tonga Tourism Authority Tomifa Paea said: “The Cruise Boat arrival into Vava’u has declined in the last 3 years as no such committee was in charge to make sure the Cruise Boat arrival is secure, safe, clean” and visitors are warmly welcomed.

He said Tonga Tourism Authority  (TTA) has planned that for the next two to three years any cruise ships coming to Tongatapu would have to call at Vavaʻu.

This year only eight cruise liners out of 19 scheduled for Nukuʻalofa would visit Neiafu.

VV!
Meeting to select Vavaʻu Cruise Boat Steering Committee. Photo/Supplied

Paea said he “was happy to see the energy and enthusiasm from the operator wanting to do something to help build tourism in Vava’u”.

“With the Fiji Airways new international flight route Nadi/Vava’u this opens up Vavaʻu  to the rest of the world”, he said.

The newly elected Vava’u Tourism Association Executive Officers:

1.  President –  Mr. Calvin  Schumaker ( Aquarium  Cafe )
2.  Vice  Pres. –  Ms. Amber  Bowe ( Mounu  Resort )
3.  Secretary  –  Mrs. Beth  Black  ( Mafana  Island  Beach  BPkers. )
4.  Treasurer  –  Mrs. Caryl  Jones ( Jones  Business  Services )

Other  members
1.  Mrs. Sandy  Cieslinski ( Vava’u  Adventures )
2.  Mrs. Vaasi  Kupu ( Hill-top  Hotel )
3.  Charles  ( South  Pacific  Sea  Adventures )
4.  Mrs. Tupou  Tua ( ‘Utulei  my  Tongan  home )
5.  Mrs. Brenda  Cox. ( Endangered  Encounters )
6.  Mrs.  Setima  Hanif ( C’scape  Adventures )
7.  Mr. Allan Morey ( Vava’u  Boat-yard )

Cowra festival showcases Tongan food and entertainments

By
Kaniva Staff
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Bookings are now available through telephone calls for those who would like to take part in celebrating the 2016 Festival of International Understanding in Cowra in which Tonga was chosen as the guest country.

The next week’s events give members of the New South Wales community the opportunity to taste Tongan food and enjoy Tongan entertainments.

Kaniva News has been reliably told Princess Angelika Tukuʻaho held a meeting with Tongans in NSW early this week as part of the preparation for the festival.

“To learn about this colourful island Kingdom, come to the Senior Citizens’ Centre in Railway Lane on Thursday, March 10 at 11am. A typical island welcome awaits you”, Cowra Guardian said.

Known as U3A it said it is “the world-first virtual U3A operating exclusively online” providing “short courses for older people who enjoy learning but prefer the freedom to study where and when they choose”.

Cowra is located at Central West region of New South Wales with a population of 9,730.

“The members of Cowra U3A are preparing their contributions to the 2016 Festival of International Understanding, the guest country this year being the Kingdom of Tonga”, the paper said.

UA3 has invited the public to join them and participate in “an Island feast at the same venue on Tuesday, March 15 at 12.30pm”.

“The cost is $12.50 per person and bookings are essential on 6342 2806 or 6341 1030 by Friday, March 11. The optional dress for the feast is grass skirt with lei – we might even be able to loan you one, but we will certainly have leis for you”.

Tonga Police call school brawls ‘absurd’, sports could be cancelled

By
Kaniva Staff
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Police in Tonga say school brawls that continued in Nuku’alofa last weekend were absurd and they could lead to cancellation of this year’s intercollegiate sports competition.

In the most recent violence, videos were uploaded to Facebook last week which show fighting between students wearing Tonga College and Liahona High School’s school uniforms while some did not.

Local media reports said Police tried in vain to stop a brawl between college students last weekend.

The Nuku’alofa Central Police Superindentend Tevita Fifita told Radio Tonga he could submit a report to the Police Minister and Police Commissioner to cancel this year’s sports if school students continued doing this ‘absurdity’.

A massage was also posted to Facebook last week claiming the brawls started by ex-students of the schools.

A Liahona student is seen in one of the videos led out from the brawl with his face almost covered with blood.

Another video shows a brawl took place in Nuku’alofa but this time the youth involved did not wear school uniforms.

In that video a group of youth attacked one male adult and a voice is heard saying the group from Liahona students was attacking a Tonga College student.

Tonga’s intercollegiate sports would be held early next month.

Posted by Kakalu O Tonga on Friday, February 26, 2016

Mele Hifo Fīnau loses battle to cancer, dies at 52

By
Kaniva Staff
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A prominent Tongan radio broadcaster and producer diagnosed with cancer has died at 52.

Mele Hifo Finau was the Chief Executive Producer and broadcaster at Vākē Tali Folau internet radio station based in the United States.

It is the first and largest internet radio for the Tongan international community.

Fīnau’s  family have announced her death on Facebook last night.

“On behalf of My mother and sisters as well as the husband Sione Tutulu Finau and their children, With the outmost pain in our heart I humbly inform relatives and friends of Mele Hifo Makahili Finau that the Good Lord have gain the most beautiful angel but a biggest loss for our family”, the message read.

“She sweetly left us on Tuesday night the 1st of March 2016 at 11:15pm to be with her Lord.

“We would like to express our deepest appreciation and gratitude for all your support, prayers and above all your Love during the most difficult time.

“Ofa lahi atu Ateli Vailahi, Sione Tualau Makahili and all my sisters from the house of Vake Tali Folau of Fasi mo e Afi o Tungi”.

READ MORE:

PM Pōhiva surprises cancer-stricken broadcaster by paying her a visit

Tourists dance with local entertainers in Tonga

By
Kaniva Staff
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Tourists arriving in Tonga last week from Australia and New Zealand apparently all enjoyed welcoming music and entertainments at Vuna wharf.

But Tongan music and dancing were exhilarating that they could draw some of the tourists to cheer and dance along with local entertainers.

Two groups of entertainer were performing  at the wharf as part of Tonga Tourism’s policy of welcoming and entertaining tourists who arrived in  Tonga. The groups were the  ‘Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute and Royal Tonga Police Brass Band.

Two palangi women were spotted leaving the cruise ship and as they came close to the entertainers who were performing by the walkway they started dancing and showing off to other tourists how they can perform the hakas (hand movements).

The tourists were passengers of the Black Watch which arrived in Nuku’alofa at dawn on Saturday, February 24, 2016.

Unuaki
Talented entertainers from Unuaki o Tonga group. Photos/Courtesy of Akosita Lavulavu

The 28,613-tonne liner carries 820 passengers with 330 crew.

The Director of the ‘Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute Akosita Lavulavu said some of the tourists told her the welcoming entertainments they received in Tonga were the best they came across in the Pacific.

Unuaki 2
Akosita Lavulavu (L) with girls from Unuaki ‘o Tonga entertainment group. Photo/Courtesy of Akosita Lavulavu

She said they “displayed” various Tongan attires including what Tongans formally wear on wedding and funeral as well as to church and hu louifi event.

Lavulavu said it was “the way we greet them and welcome them, they feel very welcome in the Kingdom”.

Unuaki 6

On February 27 the Pacific Pearl liner also arrived in Nuku’alofa after it rerouted to skip its scheduled ports in Fiji because of the widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Winston.

Unaki 1
Two of the tourists enjoyed the dancing and singing performed by the Unuaki ‘o Tonga entertainment group. Photo/Courtesy of Akosita Lavulavu

17 families in Vavaʻu housed in tents

By
Kaniva Staff
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Seventeen families in Vavaʻu are living in tents amid the massive cleanup effort in the islands following last month’s category four Cyclone Winston.

The Governor’s office in Vava’u said these are families from Feletoa, Ha’alafuli, Tu’anekivale, ‘Utulangivaka, Okoa, Pangaimotu and Mataika whose houses were destroyed during the cyclone.

The tents were part of relief supplies arrived with VOEA Late over the weekend including  blankets, tarpaulins, kitchen kits, water and sanitation hygiene kits donated by the New Zealand government. Most of these supplies  were  for future emergency responses it said.

New Zealand government also  helped fund fuel for the VOEA and willing to fund another two trips, depending on needs.

The shipments including building supplies and goods donated by the families of affected people in Vava’u.

Meanwhile Tonga sent one of its naval patrol boats, the VOEA Pangai to Fiji’s island of Vanuabalavu with food, water, shelter and kitchen kits as well as Fijian assessment teams to the island of Namuka.

Fiji’s death toll from Cyclone Winston has been confirmed to be 43 and about 55,000 people living in 899 evacuation centres.

“Fiji helped Tonga back in 1982 I think when we had our big cyclone then. It’s been ongoing relations in the past. This is the first time it’s a major disaster for Fiji and Tonga is only too willing to help,” Tonga’s Director of NEMO told Radio New Zealand International.

Hundreds of homes in Vavaʻu destroyed by Cyclone Winston

Sam Tuivailala aims to make Cardinals’ roster

By
Kaniva Staff
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JUPITER, Fla. — Players at spring training fall into three general categories. Established major-leaguers with guaranteed contracts are here to get themselves ready for the regular season. Very young players are trying to make good first impressions before they head off to the bush leagues.

The players with the most to gain and the most to lose in the spring are those in between, trying to make the big-league team, but with no guarantees. RelieverSam Tuivailala is only 23, but he has already learned that opportunities aren’t there forever.

“Everyone has a clock on their back,” Tuivailala said. “My time was up. I was lucky enough to have a Plan B.”

Tuivailala was just 19 when his first door closed. A third baseman stuck in rookie ball for the third straight season, he was a career .219 hitter when his manager at Johnson City asked him to step into his office and close the door. Several teams had wanted to draft him out of Aragon High in the San Francisco area as a pitcher. The St. Louis Cardinals drafted him as a hitter, but they were ready to go to Plan B.

Sam Tu’ivailala has become the first Tongan to be promoted to American baseball big league. The 21-year-old pitcher from San Mateo started the season at Class A Palm Beach before joining AA Springfield and then moving to AAA Memphis.

It has worked out well thus far. Tuivailala made his major-league debut two Septembers ago in Cincinnati, a month shy of his 22nd birthday. Last year, he was called up three times and contributed, pitching to a 3.07 ERA and striking out 20 batters in 14 2/3 innings. Now, he’s intent on breaking camp with the team for the first time.

To stick might require a bit more finesse than Tuivailala showed early in his pitching career. Last May, Cardinals pitching coach Derek Lilliquist started insisting he throw cutters as a complement to his upper-90s fastball and slider. Tuivailala said it started feeling more natural this offseason. If he can master it this spring, he thinks it will help him throw off hitters’ timing and make his four-seam fastball seem faster.

As a result, his career timeframe could speed up.

“I just wanted to come this spring to win a job,” he said. “I’m trying to get in that bullpen and show myself I can be consistent. I’m looking forward to it and I feel pretty good.”

– Espn

READ MORE:

Tu'ivailala becomes first Tongan to play in baseball’s big league

PM Pōhiva surprises cancer-stricken broadcaster by paying her a visit

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva visited Mele Hifo Finau, the Chief Executive Officer of Radio Tonga VTF USA internet radio station who is battling cancer at her home.

A video and images uploaded to Facebook this afternoon showed Hon Pōhiva standing by a bedside said to be of Finau, accompanied by his children PoÊ»oi and Lautala as well as Finau’s husband and family.

The Prime Minister is heard saying on the video “I come with my children” to see you.

Kaniva understands Pōhiva is related to Fīnau.

Commentaries and caption written on the video said the Prime Minister and his children visited Finau yesterday.

The prominent producer, broadcaster and one of the pioneers of the largest internet radio live streaming station in the Tongan international community has been fighting with the deadly illness recently .

Facebook users made emotional comments on the video and the pictures.

Falamoe Fau’ese Weber wrote: *Tears Tears*… ‘Ofa atu Ta’ahine Mele Hifo, can still hear your powerful voice though, speaking n laughing! Love n endless prayers.

 

Ofa lahi atu Mele Hifo!!! Praying for relief n comfort for you. I had no idea what you are going through. May our Heavenly Father give you strength n comfort! wrote Tuesday Finau‎

Akilisi MH

Tonga launches NCD prevention strategy 2015-2020

By
Kaniva Staff
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It was with great enthusiasm and words of wisdom that the Prime Minister of Tonga Hon. Samiuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva, officially launched the National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases 2015-2020 on  Wednesday 24 February 2016.

The National Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Strategy is the result of almost a year of multiple sectorial and stakeholder consultations, including international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).

The NCD Strategy is a multiyear strategy funded by the Governments of Tonga and Australia, and other donor partners. The launch included the signing of a five year, A$2.1 million dollar (T$3.2 million) agreement, between Tonga Health and the Government of Australia to support the implementation of Tonga’s National NCD Strategy 2015 – 2020. Australia’s support is part of its A$10 million (T$15.3 million) bilateral support to Tonga’s health sector through the Tonga Health Systems Support Program Phase 2 (THSSP 2).

NCD

TongaHealth as the national coordinating body and Secretariat for NCD activities in Tonga, is responsible for ensuring a coordinated and integrated approach in the implementation of the National NCD strategy. Its role will include harmonizing funding streams for NCD prevention, strengthening communication and collaboration among implementing partners and strengthening the monitoring, evaluation and reporting of progress.  The introduction of an NCD Secretariat is an innovative first for the Pacific.

As the third phase of Tonga’s National NCD Strategy, this strategy builds on the expertise and knowledge of implementing partners, and global and regional guidelines. It focuses on good practice and feasible actions that address the whole population with a clear emphasis on young people and a healthy start to life.

The launch was attended by Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, the Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency Andrew Ford, the New Zealand High Commissioner, Her Excellency Sarah Walsh, members of the National Non-Communicable Diseases Committee (NNCDC), and high level Government officials and representatives of implementing partners.

This launch will be televised today, Thursday, 25 February 2016 at 7:30pm on TV Tonga1 and then a repeat on Saturday 27 February 2016 at 7pm. For more information please visit www.tongahealth.org.to.

NCD1

Minister vows to establish children’s court and restorative justice system for Tonga

By
Kalino Latu
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Tonga’s Minister of Justice, Vuna Fāʻotusia, has revealed work is underway to establish a Children’s Court and a restorative justice system for victims.

Hon. Fāʻotusia said the current justice system dealt only with punishing offenders and nothing was done to make sure the lives and welfare of victims of crime were restored to the way they were before the crime took place.

Speaking in Parliament, he said the need for the new justice system for Tonga was long overdue.

The Minister’s announcement came after a report released in the United Kingdom listed Tonga as one of the countries where the court system was ineffective in defending children’s rights.

The list ranked 197 countries from number 1 as the best down to number 197. Tonga was ranked number  165 while its neighbours,  Fiji was placed 116 and Samoa was in number 105.

“Two things I want to tell you members, there is work underway to establish the juvenile court, and the rights of the victims – the restorative system,” Hon. Fa’otusia told the House.

Fāʻotusia was responding after Lord Vaea told the House he wanted the government to establish juvenile courts for children under 18.

The noble was concerned that children under 18 were sentenced in Tongan courts with the same laws used to sentence those regarded as adults.

Lord Vaea said it would be wise to have a special court to take care of children when they committed offences.

He said he felt that under the current system children were affected, especially when it comes to crime of sexual abuse.

Children and justice

The Child Rights International Network (CRIN) 2016 Report was released in Britain on February 15.

Entitled Rights, Remedies and Representation, it condensed  findings from 197 country reports, researched with the support of hundreds of lawyers and NGOs.

It said the report was not a ranking of how well countries protect children’s rights, but of how well states enabled children to access justice and enforce their rights.

“Nonetheless, it is hard to ignore the fact that the countries with the most deplorable human rights records do not score well on access to justice,” the report said.

Writing in the report’s forward, the Chairperson of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, Benyam Dawit Mezmur, said: “I hope this study is only the beginning of a new shift in making access to justice for children a priority that will enable other rights to be fulfilled.”

The main points

  • Tonga’s Minister of Justice, Vuna Fa’otusia, has revealed work is underway to establish a Children’s Court and a restorative justice system for victims.
  • Fa’otusia said the current justice system dealt only with punishing offenders and nothing was done to make sure the lives and welfare of victims of crime were restored to the way they were before the crime took place.
  • Speaking in Parliament, he said the need for a new justice systems for Tonga was long overdue.
  • The Minister’s announcement came in the wake of a report released in the United Kingdom listed Tonga as one the countries where the court system was ineffective in defending children’s rights.

For more information 

Rights, Remedies and Representation (full report)

United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child

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