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Ngele’ia woman arrested over passport forgery

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A 65-year-old woman from Ngele’a in Tongatapu has been arrested on December 10 following  Police investigation in relation to Tongan passports forgery.

The woman was charged with two counts of forgery and knowingly dealing with forged documents contrary to sections 170, 171 and 172 of the Criminal Offences Act, Telesia Adams, Police Communication and Media Oficer said.

“The Accused was released on bail on 11 December 2015 and will appear at the Magistrate’s Court on Monday 11 January 2016″.

“Deputy Police Commissioner Viliami ‘Unga Fa’aoa confirmed that four accused persons have been charged so far in relation to the passport investigation and are now pending trial in courts. The Police are likely to lay more charges as the investigation continues”.

“The Police will not be making any further comments as the matter is now before the Courts”, Adams said.

Lord Chief Justice to deliver judgement on Lavulavu trial in January 2016

By
Kalino Latu
-

Lord Chief Justice Owen Paulsen will deliver judgement on the Lavulavu case next month.

Failed parliamentary candidate Dr Viliami Uasike Latu lodged a complaint against former Minister for Infrastructure Hon. ‘Etuate Lavulavu alleging corruption and illegal campaigning in Tonga’s 2014 General Election.

Three weeks’ of hearings concluded in Tonga’s Supreme Court in Neiafu, Vava’u, yesterday.

Mr Justice Paulsen reserved his decision until January.

Hon. Lavulavu, who is also MP for Vava’u 16, was stripped of the Infrastructure portfolio by Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva, who also imposed a fine on him earlier this year.

The Prime Minister’s actions came in the wake of a move to impeach the Minister. Lavulavu remains Tourism Minister.

Yesterday the trial heard final submissions from Hon. Lavulavu’s witnesses.

Prominent commercial farmer Sione Lisala from Leimatua and Chairman of Leimatua Women’s Development Group and Leimatua Grower’s Association gave the closing depositions on behalf of Hon. Lavulavu.

Lisala told the court that he lived next door to Dr Latu’s house in Leimatua and was related by blood to both Dr Latu and Hon. Lavulavu.

Lisala said in his evidence that everybody in Leimatua was a member of the association, which approached the Minister for help in marketing and sourcing funding for the growers’ body

Lisala answered every question firmly in support of Hon.Lavulavu during questioning by Clive Edwards, who appeared for Dr Latu.

Edwards appeared to struggle during the cross examination.

Edwards argued that for Hon. Lavulavu to represent the Vava’u Road Council was unlawful according to documents and files submitted to court by the registration office in regard to the association.

The plaintiff subpoenaed the registration file for Vava’u Road Works Council from the Ministry of Labour and Commerce and also summoned its Principal Assistant Registrar, Maiseni Fukofuka to give evidence in court.

Siosifa Tuutafaiva, who acted for Hon. Lavulavu, asked Fukofuka if the Vava’u Road Work Council was still registered under the Ministry of Labour and Commerce. Fukofuka agreed that it was.

Mr Justice Paulsen asked Fukofuka to clarify the process and how the registration forms and other documents were filed when received by the registration office.

Fukofuka said there were discrepancies in the way the Ministry of Labour and Commerce office of registrar kept records.

The court was told there were differences between different copies of the registration of the Vava’u Road Council submitted to court by the defendant and those submitted by the plaintiff.

The respondent’s evidence showed the  Vava’u Road Council documents were stamped and marked as received by the Ministry of Labour and Commerce in 2010, but that this was missing from the Ministry of Labour and Commerce file submitted to the court yesterday.

The main points

  • Lord Chief Justice Owen Paulsen will deliver his judgement on the Lavulavu case next month.
  • Failed parliamentary candidate Dr Viliami Uasike Latu lodged a complaint against former Minister for Infrastructure Hon. ‘Etuate Lavulavu alleging corruption and illegal campaigning in Tonga’s 2014 General Election.
  • Three weeks’ of hearings concluded in Tonga’s Supreme Court in Neiafu, Vava’u, yesterday.
  • Mr Justice Paulsen reserved his decision until January.

For more information

Lavulavu trial continues this afternoon, but blood ties make it hard for witnesses (Kaniva News)

PM punishes Lavulavu to work without pay for 5 months (Tongan Parliament)

Child-poverty report reveals bleakness of young lives

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Child Poverty Monitor Report 2015 makes for very bleak reading, Labour’s MP for Manukau East Jenny Salesa says.

“It illustrates the reality in South Auckland, where entrenched hardship is severely affecting many children’s health, education and future prospects.

“The hike in the number of Kiwi kids living in poverty is a disgrace – 305,000 children, up 45,000 since last year.

“Poverty rates for Pacific and Māori children are consistently higher than for Europeans. Around a third of Māori children and 28 per cent of Pacific children live in poor households, compared to an average of 16 per cent of European children.

“Nearly 148,000 children are going without the basic things they need in life.

“And three out of five children living in poverty are living in “persistent poverty” – that is, they will live that way for many years, if not their whole lives,

“Far too many continue to live in cold, damp, mouldy homes, which trigger respiratory or infectious diseases. Their parents sometimes cannot afford to pay for medicines. This has led to significant increases in the number of children hospitalised with poverty-related health issues – now around 40,000 children per year, Deborah Morris-Travis reported early in 2015.

“I agree with Duncan Garner’s recent comments that the sheer cost of housing is a major driver of child poverty.

“Poor health and education outcomes are made worse by overcrowding, which is endemic in areas like Ōtara and Ōtahuhu because of spiralling rents in Auckland’s crisis-ridden housing market.

“About 16 per cent of children live in overcrowded conditions. Māori, Pacific and Asian children – the majority demographic of my electorate – are reported to be significantly more likely than European children to live in a crowded house. Almost half of Pacific children live in crowded homes.

“We are now seeing homeless children. The recent CAB report on emergency accommodation need highlighted the lack of options for those pushed out of rented homes with nowhere to go. Too many young children are living in cars without access to basic hygiene requirements let alone a bed.

“The Government’s scattergun approach is not making progress bringing down New Zealand’s OECD-leading rates of child poverty.

“It must take child poverty seriously before it gets any further out of hand, ruining the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and damaging this country’s future.

“Lifting low incomes is very much part of the solution as is a commitment to regular measurement and concerted action on the results.

“It is heartening to see the Children’s Commissioner’s #itsnotchoice campaign attracting great public support and I hope this can be leveraged to dismantle the causes of child poverty.

“The future of our children and our country is of the utmost seriousness to Labour. As Labour Party children spokeswoman Jacinda Adern has said, we will take on the production of the Child Poverty Monitor every year and would publish the results at every budget,” Jenny Salesa says.

Tongan artist’s work is “unique,” “beautiful”

By
Kalino Latu
-

An exhibition of acrylic painting by a South Auckland-based artist has been described as “unique,” “beautiful” and “new” according to a leading Tongan art scholar and academic.

Benjamin Works, who is of Tongan and Scottish heritage, showed his work at the Mangere Arts Centre in a public exhibition entitled For the King and Country, that ran from October 16 to November 21.

Works mainly painted on board using red and black acrylic paints. The colours are particularly used in Tongan material arts and fine arts.

Professor Hufanga ‘Okusitino Mahina, an acclaimed art scholar and artist in his own right,  said the two acrylic colours were prominent in the arts of kafa kula (red sennit) and kafa ‘uli (black sennit)  and kele ‘umea (clay) and vaitohi ‘uli (black ink) used in pottery and koka’anga (ngatu making).

Professor Hufanga said Works’ art portrayed the same conflicting, but beautiful, ideas that were embedded by Tongan artists in the past when decorating their wooden weapons such as clubs, arrows and bows.

They were also found in the Tongan music instruments such as tukipitu (hitting the bamboo on the ground so it can produce sound), blowing mouth-organs, drumming and blowing fangufangu (nose flutes).

According to Professor Hufanga, Works has successfully transferred these ideas into his paintings such as The Guardian, The Explorer, King and Country, Sign of Times and Ikai ke tapu (Not Taboo).

Professor Hufanga opened Work’s exhibition by blowing the fangufangu. This was followed by an opening speech by the Director of the Mangere Arts Centre, James Pinker.

The main points

  • An exhibition of acrylic  painting by a South Auckland-based artist has been described as “unique”, “beautiful” and “new” according to a leading Tongan art scholar and academic.
  • Benjamin Works, who is of Tongan and Scottish heritage, showed his work at the Mangere Arts Centre in a public exhibition entitled: For the King and Country, that ran from October 16 to November 21.
  • Works mainly painted on board using red and black acrylic paint. The colours are particularly used in Tongan material arts and fine arts.
  • Professor Hufanga ‘Okusitino Mahina said Works’ art portrayed the same conflicting, but beautiful, ideas that were embedded by Tongan artists in the past.

For more information

For King and Country (Artweek)

Exhibition opening (Mangare Arts Centre)

Silver Fern wins NZ flag referendum

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The Electoral Commission has confirmed Silver Fern (Black, White and Blue) was the winner  in the first referendum on changing New Zealand’s flag.

The next most preferred flag design is Option E: Silver Fern (Red, White and Blue), followed in order of preference by Option B: Red Peak, Option D: Silver Fern (Black and White) and Option C: Koru.

The total votes received were 1,546,734, which includes 149,747 informal votes (9.68%) and 3,372 invalid votes (0.22%).

Voter turnout is 48.78%. Turnout is calculated by taking the total votes received as a percentage of the total number of voters enrolled as at 19 November 2015 (3,170,726).

The breakdown of the iterative count process of the votes received is attached and is available online at www.electionresults.govt.nz. Information on the turnout by each electorate is attached and also available atwww.electionresults.govt.nz.

The second binding referendum on the New Zealand flag will be held from 3-24 March 2016. Voters will be asked to choose between Silver Fern (Black, White and Blue), being the most preferred flag design selected in this referendum, and the current flag. The flag that receives the most votes will be the official flag of New Zealand.

Voters should ensure that they are enrolled and their enrolment details are up to date well before voting begins in the second referendum atwww.elections.org.nz/enrol.

Research reveals Queen Sālote’s “great sorrow” about loss of tradition in modern Tonga

By
Kalino Latu
-

Fifty years after her death, new research by a Tongan scholar has revealed Queen Sālote’s fears for the demise of tradition in modern Tonga.

Queen Sālote Tupou III ruled from 1918 to 1965. The anniversary of her death comes this Wednesday, December 16.

She is widely remembered by many Tongans for her great talent in music composition, choreographer and arts.

According to Massey University Master of Philosophy candidate Paula Onoafe Lātū, who has been researching Her Majesty’s personal documents  for his thesis, she was worried about the loss of the kingdom’s traditions.

Latu said the beloved Queen Sālote “warned the twentieth century people of Tonga of the problem of neglecting talatukufakaholo [oral traditions] and their significance to the identity of the people as a sovereign nation.”

According to Latu, Queen Salote wrote: “Ko e makatu’unga ‘o e Fonua pe puleʻanga kotoa pe ko e loto mo e mo’ui mo e anga ‘o e kakai.”

In English, this means: “The foundation of every nation and government is the heart, life, and character of her people.”

“The problem is that we are throwing away [our traditions] too quickly, but have nothing to replace it, and we become gatherers of bits here and there. We have become pickers of crumbs, a generation of kailu (those who eat what has been thrown away by others),” the Queen wrote.

The Queen believed the loss of traditions meant the loss of identity of Tongans which was significant when identifying the fonua kakato (literally are still a complete country).

“That is the result of half-baked education (ako tuku konga loto) and shows the weakness of the leaders in holding on to their duties without knowing what they should be, and that is why they threw it away,” she wrote.

Queen Sālote lamented what she claimed as Tongan leaders’ disregard and carelessness in keeping and holding to the kingdom’s traditions.

She said: “We have looked at this throwing away of tradition with great sorrow, for our traditions is a good foundation for Tonga”.

In her dedication to the book Songs and Poems of Queen Sālote, which included English translations of her work by Melenaite Taumoefolau, editor Elizabeth Wood-Ellen described her Majesty as: “a gifted poet, musician, choreographer, intelligent and gracious, beloved of her people, promoter of peace and unity in Tonga.”

The main points

  • Fifty years after her death, new research by a Tongan scholar has revealed Queen Salote’s fears for the demise of modern Tonga.
  • Queen Salote Tupou III ruled from 1918 to 1965. The anniversary of her death comes this Wednesday, December 16.
  • According to Massey University Massey Master of Philosophy candidate Paula Onoafe Latu, who has been researching Her Majesty’s personal documents for his thesis, she was worried about the loss of the kingdom’s traditions.
  • Latu said the beloved Queen Salote “warned the twentieth century people of Tonga of the problem of neglecting talatukufakaholo [oral traditions] and their significance to the identity of the people as a sovereign nation.”

For more information

Poems and Songs Fit for a Queen (Radio Australia)

Royal Visit to Tonga 1954 – Queen Sālote meets Queen Elizabeth II

Tribute to Queen Sālote (NZ Film Archives)

Lavulavu trial continues this afternoon, but blood ties make it hard for witnesses

By
Kalino Latu
-

There were tears in the Supreme Court in Neiafu yesterday as witnesses told the corruption trial  of MP ‘Etuate Lavulavu  that blood ties to both sides of the case made it difficult to give testimony.

The hearing into a petition filed against the MP for Vava’u No. 16 constituency, who is also Minister for Infrastructure, on complaints of illegal campaigning and corruption has been the subject of repeated delays, appeals and adjournments.

It was adjourned again last week after 11 out of 18 witnesses for Lavulavu had testified.

The petition was filed by Viliami Uasike Latu and is being heard before Chief Justice Owen Paulsen.

Among the claims made against Lavulavu is that contracts for road construction projects were allocated corruptly.

The fact that the plaintiff (Latu) and the respondent (Lavulavu) are related by either blood or marriage to so many people giving testimony through connections within the village of Leimatua has made it hard for many witnesses.

Tears fell from Mr. Li’ekina Lavulavu as he told the court his oldest son was named after Viliami Latu and his second son was named Etuate Lavulavu Jr.

He said giving evidence was not easy for him as he was close by blood to both Viliami and Etuate.

Li’ekina gave evidence that all payment made by him to the Ministry of Infrastructure and other suppliers was on behalf of UTRI and Vava’u Road Council.

Clive Edwards, who appears for the plaintiffs, cross examined Li’ekina on whether Lavulavu was personally responsible for the cost of the Vava’u Road Council works.

However, Li’ekina repeatedly answered that responsibility for the road works  came under the Vava’u Road Council.

Officer in Charge of the Ministry of Infrastructure Automalu Tupou told the court all road construction work from July to November 2014 fell under the control of the Vava’u Road Council.

He said they were approved  by former CEO Ringo Faoliu under the community road programme.

Edwards cross examined Automalu Tupou about whether the road works came under the control of Etuate Lavulavu. Despite his repeating the question several times,  Tupou was adamant that the work was under the control of Vava’u Road Council.

In answer to questions about corruption, retired primary school teacher Aloeti Kena told the courts the school prize giving on November 26, 2014 was not a campaign function for Hon. Lavulavu.

Kena said the function was for Leimatua Women’s Development Group and Leimatua Grower’s Association. The function was chaired by Association member Sione Lisala.

Kena is also closely related by blood to both the plaintiff, Viliami Latu and the respondent, Etuate Lavulavu.

Muna Nasilai, who works as a school teacher for ‘Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute, said in her affidavit  that she helped UTRI students develop the winning website in  the Tonga in Business competition in July 2014. Ms. Nasilai gave evidence that Mr. Saia Moehau donated funds to UTRI to support Vava’u Road Council from July-November 2014.

The trial was adjourned by Chief Justice Owen Paulsen until 9am this morning (December 15).

The main points

  • There were tears in the Supreme Court in Neiafu yesterday as witnesses told the corruption trial of MP ‘Etuate Lavulavu   that blood ties to both sides of the case made it difficult to give testimony.
  • The hearing into a petition filed against the MP for Vava’u No. 16 constituency, who is also Minister for Infrastructure, on complaints of illegal campaigning and corruption, has been the subject of repeated delays, appeals and adjournments.
  • The fact that the plaintiff and the respondent are related by either blood or marriage to so many people giving testimony through connections within the village of Leimatua has made it hard for many witnesses.
  • The trial was adjourned by Chief Justice Owen Paulsen until 9am this morning (December 15).

For more information

Tongan minister’s bribery trial to continue (RNZI)

Tongan minister’s pay suspended for 5 months (RNZI)

Court says MP Tapueluelu’s election unlawful

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga’s Supreme Court has ruled that the election of Mateni Tapueluelu as MP for Tongatapu 4 to Parliament in November 2014 was unconstitutional.

According to Radio Tonga news, Justice Owen Paulsen ruled that Tapueluelu’s oath to become a member of the Tongan Parliament was unlawful.

Tapueluelu’s case was brought to court by Acting Attorney General ‘Aminiasi Kefu after receiving evidence from the Supreme Court Registry that Tapueluelu had breached the kingdom’s electoral laws after he failed to pay fines imposed on him by a Magistrate Court.

Kefu argued that clause 65 of the Tongan constitution stipulated that Members of Parliament could only be qualified to take their seats if they did not have an order from any “Courts in the Kingdom for the payment of a specific sum of money, the whole or any part of which remains outstanding or if ordered to pay by instalments the whole or any part of such instalments remain outstanding on the day on which such person submits his nomination paper to the Returning Officer.”

Tapueluelu’s legal team argued that Tapueluelu went through the government’s election registration procedures and was cleared to run as candidate.

They also argued that the Election Act requires that any challenges or complaints made against the election results or elected MPs must be filed within 28 days after the election.

Tapueluelu had failed to pay a fine imposed on him in 2011 after he was sued by former MP and Minister of Justice Clive Edwards over a defamatory article published in Kele’a newspaper when he was its editor.

The court was told that during the week of the elections, the newspaper published a story on its front page accusing Edwards of having a “secret list” of candidates backed by the then government for the election.

Edwards denied the claim and Tapueluelu failed to provide the court with his source of information when he was asked to do so.

Edwards represented himself in court while ‘Ofa Pouono, acting under instruction from Dr Rodney Harrison, acted for Tapueluelu.

The main points

  • Tonga’s Supreme Court has ruled that the election of Mateni Tapueluelu as MP for Tongatapu 4 to Parliament in November 2014 was unconstitutional.
  • According to Radio Tonga news, Justice Owen Paulsen ruled that Tapueluelu’s oath to become a member of the Tongan Parliament was unlawful.
  • Tapueluelu’s case was brought to court by Acting Attorney General ‘Aminiasi Kefu after receiving evidence from the Supreme Court Registry that Tapueluelu had breached the kingdom’s electoral laws after he failed to pay fines imposed on him by a Magistrate Court.
  • Tapueluelu had failed to pay a fine imposed on him in 2011 after he was sued by former MP and Minister of Justice Clive Edwards over a defamatory article published inKele’a newspaper when he was its editor.

Inquest confirms Muller drowned,  no suspicious circumstances

By
Kaniva Staff
-

An inquest found the death of  24-year-old Haini Muller of Fatai  was due to drowning in Hufangalupe beach, after he fell off cliff on November 26.

The inquest took place on December 4 before the deceased’s body was released to his family, Telesia Adams, Police Communication and Media Officer said today.

It is not yet known how Muller fell off the cliff but the inquest ruled there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death

The finding contradicted earlier reports on social media that Muller’s death was a suicide.

Muller was reportedly at the beach with his girlfriend and others on the night when the fatal incident happened.

Police attended the scene and a man from Vaini by the name Patelesio  reportedly jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue Muller but were unable to revive him.

More complaints about how PM’s office treats questions from Tongan media

By
Kalino Latu
-

In picture: L-R, ʻUluʻalo Poʻuhila, Dr Palenitina Langaʻoi and Kalafi Moala.

Dissatisfaction with how the Prime Minister’s Office treats questions from the Tongan media have surfaced again.

Kakalu ‘o Tonga editor ‘Ulu’alo Po’uhila said he had sent many questions to the Prime Minister’s Office and its Secretary to Cabinet without receiving a reply.

Po’uhila said they only responded after he publicly raised his dissatisfaction on Facebook.

“Is this how the Prime Minister’s office in Tonga treats the media; to only respond to their questions  after the media publicly  questions their silence?” he asked.

He said it was unfortunate that nobody signed the letter he received after criticising the PM’s Office on Facebook.

He claimed this was “unprofessional” and said he did not publish the information.

“It used to be said that the mass media is the fourth power after the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary,” Po’uhila wrote on Facebook.

“Press shall criticize the authorities when state officials and politicians make mistakes.

“If we have the opposite of the above mentioned we will have to deal with authoritarian regime.”

The editor was chatting with Kaniva News after we published a story featuring Kalafi Moala, the outgoing media adviser for the Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

Moala told us the Secretary to Cabinet and the Prime Minister’s Office would not respond to the media questions we sent them.

He said he had experienced the same problem when he was in the office.

Moala was employed by the Prime Minister as his Media Adviser on a part time position, but his contract ended on November 25.

Moala slammed Dr Palenitina Lang’oi, the Secretary to Cabinet and Chief Secretary and called on her to resign.

Moala claimed Dr Langa’oi “was not on the same page” as Hon. Pohiva.

He said Hon. Pohiva wanted his office to be transparent and never hide anything that was of public interest.

Kaniva News is one of a number of media outlets which have found it difficult to obtain a formal response from the Prime Minister’s Office when sent them questions.

We sent questions to Dr Langaʻoi on November 17 and asked to clarify whether or not the king has approved Hon Pōhiva’s proposal to revoke  ‘Aminisiasi Kefu’s role as Acting Attorny General.

We received no reply until on November 26, after Kalafi Moala appeared on Kaniva and criticised Dr Langa’oi for not treating media professionally. The Prime Minister’s Office responded and said they have not received any decision regarding Kefu. The response was said to have come from the Prime Minister’s Office and no one signed it.

We asked Dr Langa’oi early this year if we could have the Prime Minister’s contact details to enable us to contact him in matters related to media.

In her response, Dr Langa’oi told us to direct all questions to the Prime Minister to her and the Prime Minister’s Office as she would take responsibility for them.

Since then she has not replied to most questions we have sent to her personal email address.

If there was a response, Dr Palenitina appears to have either made a guess at the answer or directed it to somebody else, but that was the end of it.

Dr Palenitina Responses

In an e-mail to Kaniva News last week, Dr Palenitina apologised for any inconvenience she and the Prime Minister’s Office had caused when we sent them media questions.

Dr Langa’oi said the government’s procedure was that the  media should address their questions to Secretary to Cabinet and the Prime Minister’s Office and not to address them personally to her.

She said this was to facilitate the process so that whenever the Secretary to Cabinet was overseas, the person who was acting in her post could make the response.

In New Zealand we contact the Prime Minister either through his personal e-mail or working e-mail.

Within minutes we received a response informing us our email has been received and are told to expect a response within a fixed time, mostly it was within 24 hours.

When we get the response, someone – mostly the Prime Minister’s PA – signs it and says he or she has discussed the matter with the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister has agreed for him or her to respond to us.

Sometimes the person who signs the e-mail of response tells us to attribute the response to a spokesperson from the office.

Nothing like this has happened when dealing with the Prime Minister’s Office in Tonga.

If we send a letter and personally address it to the name of the New Zealand Prime Minister or a Cabinet Minister, no one in the Office answers the letter.

It will only be answered by the Prime Minister or the Minister and nobody else.

This procedure shows the three main mechanism of democracy which are accountability, transparency and good governance.

The Tongan Prime Minister’s Office does not seem to have any of these mechanisms.

The main points

  • Dissatisfaction with how the Prime Minister’s Office treats questions from the Tongan media have surfaced again.
  • Kakalu ‘o Tonga editor ‘Ulu’alofa Po’uhila said he had sent many questions to the Prime Minister’s Office and its Secretary to Cabinet without receiving a reply.
  • Kaniva News recently published a story featuring Kalafi Moala, the outgoing media adviser for Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.
  • Moala told us the Secretary to Cabinet and the Prime Minister’s Office would not respond to the media questions we sent them.

For more information

Moala launches stinging attack on Cabinet Secretary (Kaniva News)

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