A fire has badly damaged a house in northern Auckland and flames have spread to a neighbouring property, according to Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
FENZ said it received calls to a house fire in Wainui around 11.20am.
On arrival a two storey home was on fire, with flames encroaching on a next-door property.
Over half-a-dozen trucks were at the scene, with more on the way.
There are no reports of injuries.
A man has received a sentence of four-and-a-half years in prison after being apprehended for possession of methamphetamine and $2,800 in cash.
Kisina Neiufi, 33, was arrested after Police found in his car 3.51 grams of methamphetamine and five empty dealer packs.
His sentencing means he violated the 12-month suspension imposed for a prior drug conviction, prompting Justice Cooper to activate that suspension.
The court was told that the police, acting on information received, specifically targeted Neiufi’s car.
As he approached an ‘api in Vaotu’u, police in two vehicles boxed in his car, and as they moved in to search him and his wife in the front passenger seat.
He was seen throwing an item from the front passenger window, which the police later identified as methamphetamine.
The police also found TOP$ 2,800 in Neiufi’s possession. Along with the cash, empty ‘dealer’ bags were recovered from his hand.
A pre-sentence report showed Neiufi was a talented rugby player.
He married in 2016, and his wife told the Probation Officer that his constant illicit drug use had deeply affected her, their marriage and attempts at a stable life.
She had tried many times to forgive him, having been assured he had changed, but to no avail.
They have a child together whom she supports through her hard work.
Vaotu’u town officer, Mr. Amipeliasi Tu’akoi, told the court Neiufi is not a bad person and as such is not detrimental to their community.
While Neiufi maintains his innocence, it is noteworthy he never put forward any explanation for the ‘dealer bags’ found in his possession and were photographed by police, wrapped around some of the $50 bank notes that were found in his hand by the officers.
“That tends to underline how unrealistic his protestations of innocence are”, Mr Cooper said.
Reports said Police in Sydney allegedly found an arsenal of weapons after searching a car linked to two Tongan suspects.
Sydney Police allegedly found a Glock pistol, a grenade and a semi-automatic rifle in a stolen car after police were shot at during a pursuit through Sydney’s west, with the suspected gunman extradited from Queensland after a week on the run.
A Sydney Morning Herald report said the discovery comes after Paea Tu‘iniua, 20, and Faez Finau, 20, had been arrested after a report of an attempted robbery at a home on Calaria Close in Edensor Park around 1.30am on December 31.
“When officers located the vehicle on Cowpasture Road in Hinchinbrook and the pair refused to pull over, a pursuit began but was soon abandoned due to the driver’s erratic behaviour”, the report said.
Another chase was initiated shortly after the car was spotted on St James Road in Varroville.
Police alleged during this pursuit, Tuiniua leant out of the window and fired multiple shots at a police car.
One bullet hit the wheel arch and the other hit the car grill. The officers were unharmed.
Police deployed road spikes, running the car off the road.
Finau was arrested at the scene while Tuiniua allegedly escaped into nearby bushland, sparking a major police operation with dozens of officers including heavily armed tactical units combing the area.
Finau was taken to Campbelltown police station and charged with nine offences including possessing or using a military-style weapon without a permit, possessing an unauthorised pistol, possessing a loaded firearm in a public place, and special aggravated break and enter with intent and armed with a dangerous weapon.
He faced Parramatta court on January 1 where he did not apply for bail and was formally refused it.
Tuiniua was arrested at Brisbane Airport last month wearing luxury brand Burberry board shorts and a T-shirt and extradited to NSW after he allegedly fled the state following the New Year’s Eve pursuit.
A photo of what appeared to be New Zealand immigration compliance officers inside a house where a Tongan family lived has ignited heated debates on social media.
Many users are weighing in on the implications of the image, claiming that law enforcement officers were apprehending a family member due to allegations of visa overstay.
Immigration New Zealand could not immediately be reached for comment.
The photo purportedly shows a female officer placing her hand on a man who is hugging a child, believed to be his daughter, with two other officers standing by their side.
While the community agreed that the officers were doing their job, many raised concerns about what they had described as the actions of certain members within the Tongan community, accusing them of allegedly alerting immigration authorities about the address of the person in question.
Some community members took their actions a step further by sharing photos of people whom they claimed to have reported the man to immigration on Facebook.
However, supporters of these people have defended them and refuted the allegations of their involvement.
The news comes after Immigration Compliance officers located six unlawful migrants last year following an investigation into their failure to depart New Zealand in accordance with their visa requirements.
Steve Watson, General Manager Immigration Compliance and Investigations, said at the time that the legal obligation to leave New Zealand before a temporary visa expires is clearly communicated on visas.
“Temporary visa holders must ensure that their visa is current. People who overstay their visa are expected to leave New Zealand. Wherever possible, we contact people who overstay their visas through texting, email and – if they fail to depart – Compliance staff may undertake enquiries and if there are no special circumstances to consider, will locate and deport them.
“When someone is unlawfully in New Zealand, we know it is harder for them to legally engage in society and this means they can be vulnerable to exploitation. Employers are also committing an offence by employing unlawful migrants.”
Reports said an attempted arson incident took place at Tonga High School buildings on Wednesday 19.
Photos posted to Facebook show black discolouration on room doors, resembling damage caused by fire.
Former Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku, who is also the Chair of the school’s alumni association, said the matter has been reported to the police.
“Early yesterday morning, a fire started at the doors of several classrooms at Tonga High School”, he said in Tongan.
He expressed relief that the attempted arson was identified and thwarted before significant damage occurred.
“This terrible act nearly disrupted the education of our students, affecting approximately 1,400 students at THS.
“We hope this was just a reckless act and not something with a deeper motive.
“Please support the police and firefighters in identifying those responsible. We do not want such destructive incidents to continue happening”.
In 2000, the school experienced a huge fire that destroyed classrooms and equipment, with damages estimated at $3 million.
EDITORIAL: Professor Siosiua Lafitani’s ongoing denial that Tonga’s 2010 political reform was not a change into a democratic form of government, despite significant evidence proving it to be the case, is a complete lie.
He has continued to attack Kaniva News, claiming that its comments and reports on the kingdom’s democracy were lying (”loi”).
He alleged that Kaniva News and other media personnel such as veteran Pacific Journalists Michael Field from New Zealand and Kalafi Moala from Tonga as well as Kele’a newspaper were lying (“nau talanoa ki he faka’amu / loi”) when they reported that there were undemocratic activities (‘ikai fakatemokalati”) in Tonga.
He previously made a similar attack against Kaniva, with some Tongan lawyers saying Tonga was not a “Pule’anga Fakatemokalati” (democratic form of government). He accused us of allegedly promoting unenlightened thinking (“fakakaukau fakapo’uli”) which he described as speculative (“fakanāfala”).
Posting on his Lo’au UniversityFacebook account recently, Professor Lafitani said in Tongan: ““Ne ‘ikai ke fai ha liliu fakatemokalati pe fakalepapulika he 2010, ko e liliu pe ia ke monomono mo fakamo’uihake ‘a e ngaahi konga fakatemokalati mo fakakonisitutone ne ‘osi ‘i he’etau konisitutone pe”
This translates into English as: “There was no democratic or republic change in 2010; it was just change made to mend and re-enact democratic and constitutional parts (Konga) which were already in our constitution”.
Lafitani also claimed that the term democracy was not written in Tonga’s Constitution, arguing that this was one of the reasons why he asserted that the political reform 2010 was not meant to be a change for democracy.
The Lo’au University professor also asserted that he was the first scholar to introduce the term “democracy” in Tonga during a speech delivered in 1988 at the University of ‘Atenisi. He said he did not mean to change Tonga to a democracy. He argued that there existed no record in newspapers or any public discourse in Tonga prior to that event that references democracy.
Democratic reforms
Tonga’s political reform 2010 was indeed a change to a more democratic system of governance.
The reform involved a significant change delegating the king’s executive powers to nominate ministers and operate the government to a Cabinet elected by the populace under the accountability of the Parliament.
The change serves as a pertinent illustration of governmental operations within a democratic framework, as the majority of Cabinet Ministers were elected to Parliament by their constituents rather than appointed by the monarch, which was the prior norm. This situation underscores the fundamental principle of democracy, which can be succinctly defined as “rule by the people.”
It is important to note that the monarch retains certain powers classified as executive in nature. Critics have viewed this as a significant shortcoming in the development of the constitution that was intended to transfer all of the king’s executive authorities to the Prime Minister, in accordance with the wishes of the late King George V.
Despite these issues, many proponents of democracy were thankful that the change had finally come into fruition. King George V maintained that he expected his successors to make the necessary changes as the new democratic government continued to evolve.
King George V democracy will
The late King George V clearly articulated, during an interview with Australian broadcaster Bruce Hill in 2010 that the political reform was a shift towards democratic governance.
Part of the king and Hill’s interview is copied verbatim below (click this link for the full interview):
“King George V: I think it’s a natural development of the original 19th century constitution. It’s an attempt to take the principles of that constitution and apply them in a 21st century idiom, which of course has to be democracy.
Bruce Hill: Is this something that you particularly support?
King George V: Yes! Yes, I ‘ve always wanted to do this for the country and it’s a very practical idea….”
Numerous media analyses and academic studies conducted both prior to and following the 2010 political reforms, including the works of Professor Guy Powels and Dr Christine Bogle confirmed that the 2010 political reform marked a shift from the status quo to a democratic system.
Introducing democracy
Professor Lafitani’s claim that he was the one who first introduced the idea of democracy to Tonga is not true. The Late ‘Akilisi Pōhiva, globally recognised with the Defender of Democracy title, was one of the pioneering advocates for democracy in Tonga. In 1981, he openly shared his views on transitioning the monarchy’s executive powers to a democratic system through his Matalafolaukai radio programme, doing so seven years prior to Lafitani’s alleged speech.
Additionally, Pōhiva’s Kele’a Newspaper, which he initiated as a newsletter in 1986—just two years before Lafitani’s speech claim—featured numerous articles highlighting his democratic beliefs.
Other than that, in 1975, Late Hu’akavameiliku Snr. the father of the current Hu’akavameiliku, appeared to be the first commoner to have submitted to the then King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV and his Cabinet a proposal of sweeping democratic changes. Late Prime Minister Pōhiva later said this was the foundation of his fight to bring democracy to Tonga.
Author Kenneth Bain quoted Dr Hu’akavameiliku Snr’s proposal in his book The New Friendly Islander: A Voice from Within.
Constitution and democracy
The Professor’s claim that the term democracy was not written in the Tongan constitution is untrue. There are Acts in the Tongan laws that clearly mention the word democracy and its essential mechanisms such as good governance, accountability and transparency.
Page seven of the Cabinet Manual says: “The constitutional framework of the Kingdom encompasses the Monarchy, representative democracy and the rule of law”.
Lack of academic rigour
Professor Lafitani’s arguments are problematic due to their inherent contradictions and paradoxical nature, as well as their reliance on unfounded claims. He alleged there was no democratic changes yet concludes in the same breath that certain democratic elements within the constitution were re-enacted in 2010.
His analysis lacks specific references to the clauses of the Constitution to clearly substantiate his claims. This makes it difficult to believe his arguments are based on established principles.
Professor Lafitani’s failure to directly quote or reference any of Kaniva’s articles in order to clarify his position while critiquing those works based on their merits reflects a notable deviation from the accepted standards of academic criticism.
Such standards require critics to provide credible evidence, such as facts or relevant examples, that directly support their claim so that we can see whether or not they demonstrate any valid reasoning and make a well-founded and convincing argument.
Instead, the arguments against Tonga being a democracy seem to be based on an unwavering loyalty to the monarchical system and traditional norms.
Police have reopened a homicide investigation into the suspected murder of David John Robinson, more than 26 years after he was found dead on a remote beach on the West Coast.
The investigation was first launched on 28 December 1998, after the 25-year-old’s body was found on a remote beach on the West Coast near Ross.
Robinson was killed around 10 days before his body was found, Detective Inspector Geoff Baber said.
During its initial investigation, police found Robinson’s possessions scattered across the beach, which suggested he had likely been staying in the area before he died.
An “extensive” investigation was launched, which saw police interview several people in the community and conduct searches of the nearby beach, bush, and river areas.
Eventually, it was “scaled back”.
Since then, the probe has “been periodically reviewed, and police continue to make additional enquiries over the years,” Barber said.
“I want David’s family and the community to know we will not give up – Police are determined to find out what happened in this small rural community shortly before Christmas over 26 years ago.”
Barber said police were canvasing the Kakapotahi area this week, with enquiries expected to continue over the coming days and weeks.
“We know people may not have wanted to previously tell us what they saw or heard, but the passing of time may have changed things for them, and they may see things differently now with regards to David and what happened to him.
“If you do know something, we encourage you to come forward and speak to us – it is not too late to provide David’s family with answers.”
Anyone with information is being asked to call 105.
COMMENTARY – A recent report indicating a judge’s concern about a missing file from the court registry added to a growing list of long-standing issues related to the performance of specific Ministries that have been worrying some court judges.
In his decision earlier this month to set aside a court order he had previously announced regarding a dispute between the Tonga Development Bank and media whistle-blowers, Lord Chief Justice Malcolm Bishop turned the spotlight on the court’s filing system.
He noted that there have been instances where important legal documents have gone missing or been misfiled, raising questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of the current process.
In his decision, Mr Bishop said:
“… there is some dispute or least difficulty about matter but having regard to the unfortunate circumstance that documents filed sometimes go astray in the present State Of the registry”.
The document in question was a response submitted by one of the accused addressing the TDB’s allegations against him. Due to the absence of this document, the Chief Justice previously imposed more than a million fine on the accused after he allegedly failed to submit a reply within the stipulated timeframe.
However, the accused disputed the decision and submitted an affidavit to prove he had filed his response on time, and the Chief Justice finally agreed.
Mr Bishop’s concern is only the tip of the iceberg, indicating a much deeper problem within the government ministries and departments. Therefore, it is pertinent to look at a selection of the issues that have been reported in the media previously.
We previously reported concerns raised by a former Chief Justice regarding the Ministry of Transport’s issuance of a driver’s license under the table to a disabled young man. The disabled, while driving his car, struck a mother, resulting in her death.
Police performance challenged
As Kaniva News reported previously, Justice Nicholas Cooper had been concerned about the police’s failure to disclose what appeared to be names of drug ringleaders listed in “note books” confiscated during a drug bust.
Mr Cooper commented when sentencing a drug dealer, Palatoni Laimani, to seven and half years in prison in December.
He was concerned about the police failing to submit to court the list to assist in his decision making.
He described Laimani’s case as very serious, and “it was large scale commercial supply” of drugs. He said, “ the presence of a firearm in the context of this drug dealing I consider a serious aggravating feature”.
Ministry Lands staff
We also previously reported that the Land Court of Tonga has ruled that the Minister for Lands was incorrect in refusing to rectify a mistake made by his office on a land deed.
In that case, it was claimed that the Ministry of Lands mishandled files and only found a minor mistake they overlooked when confronted with them in court.
The court ruled in favour of the client, however, the judges expressed concerns regarding the inability to resolve such a minor issue at the Ministry level. This failure to address the matter adequately escalated to the judicial system, ultimately imposing a financial burden on the taxpayers.
The judges’ remarks reflect growing frustration within the community, including Tongans in the diaspora, about persistent problems in maintaining accurate and accessible court files.
The Ministry of Lands is commonly associated with issues related to missing files and inadequate record-keeping, which have resulted in various ongoing challenges.
Police Records unlawfully cleared
As reported in 2013, 172 former criminals in Tonga had their records wiped by police officers.
Tonga police had created the scheme to dishonestly clear former records of criminals who had wanted to allow them to apply for visas for overseas travel.
The then Police Commissioner Grant O’Fee made a quick turnaround of the police record keeping and said:
“We’ve put new locks on doors, we are in the throes of replacing filing cabinets and ensuring that it is physically locked away. The staff – the young staff that work in that office are very good people – and I am working very, very closely with the New Zealand and the Australian High Commissions to ensure that they get all the information that I have got. I have done everything that is humanly possible to ensure it does not happen again, but I am not going to use the word guarantee.”
Eke review policy
The Eke government is currently conducting reviews of all ministries and departments.
It was to ensure each ministry was functioning properly and delivering intended outcomes in line with government goals.
However, it has also been indicated that the objectives included reviewing to identify potential deficiencies that allegedly pertained to mismanagement and the abuse of authority.
Establishing guidelines for thoroughly investigating and tracing all instances of reported mismanagement highlighted in the media is essential.
This program should document each case and analyse the context, patterns, and consequences of the mismanagement.
By doing so, it can identify systemic issues, hold those responsible accountable, and implement necessary reforms to prevent future occurrences.
A transparent and accountable approach will enhance public trust and ensure that the concerns raised by the media are addressed effectively.
A chaotic punch-up among women on a street in Tonga has been captured on video.
The footage, which appeared to have been taken from inside a vehicle before being shared on Facebook, shows about a dozen women throwing punches at each other, resulting in some falling to the ground.
They proceeded to attack each other numerous times for around 20 seconds before some men rushed in, trying to diffuse the situation.
Kaniva News could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
The viral footage has drawn significant attention, prompting discussions about the underlying issues contributing to the confrontation.
Some were guessing about the identity of the women.
“It is because they missed their Valentines”, a commenter wrote in Tongan.
“They were workers at Luna’eva”, one commenter wrote.
“They appeared to be people leaving the Tonga High School in-house athletic competition”, another wrote.
Some wanted to know why they were fighting.
“It’s embarrassing”.
An investigation is currently underway into the suspected suicide of a female teenager at Tatakamotonga.
Tonga Police said they responded to a report of the 15-year-old female teenager’s death.
“While police investigation remains ongoing to establish further details surrounding this incident, we extend our condolences to the family during this difficult time to find comfort in their tragic loss”, a statement said.
Women and Children Crisis Centre (WCCC) Tonga
Call 0800444
If you’re struggling with suicide, you are not alone. There are always people who can help. 1 free helplines are available in Tonga for anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts. If you’re feeling any of the following, reach out and talk to someone who understands and can help.
Experiencing suicidal feelings is a response to intense emotional pain that feels impossible to escape from. It’s not uncommon to feel that nothing can be solved when you’re emotionally overwhelmed. However, with the right support, you can end your emotional suffering without having to end your life.
You may be concerned that nobody will understand what you’re going through, but helpline volunteers in Tonga are specially trained to offer support to people in an emotional crisis. There is no right or wrong way to talk about suicidal feelings. Reaching out for help is what counts.
Consider contacting a hotline in Tonga right away for free, private help with suicide – 08004444
