PHOTO: L-R: Hon. Sēmisi Sika (Chair of Parliament’s Whole House Committee), MP Veivosa Taka, Lord Tu’ilapeka and MP Viliami Manuopangai during the opening of Tonga’s Legislative Assembly on Thursday. All are members of the Mormon Church which owned Liahona-Sainehaa’s alumni association.
Members of the Liahona-Sainehā Alumni association were in euphoric mood this afternoon after it was announced the king will attend a luncheon it would host on July 7, the last day of His Majesty’s coronation’s celebration programs.
“I take this opportunity to inform that his majesty The King has been pleased with the invitation and will grace the Alumni Luncheon at Liahona High School on 7th of July at 12.30pm,” a letter by the king’s Lord Chamberlain obtained by Kaniva News says.
The formal acceptance letter was addressed to the associations’s president Hon. Sēmisi Sika.
Hon. Sika uploaded the letter to Facebook this afternoon in which members of the association quickly shared their excitement over the news.
“What we were praying for has been accepted,” Hon. Sika wrote in Tongan.
“Good job your highness!” one respondent wrote.
“Heaven assisted what we planned,” another wrote in Tongan.
King Tupou VI, 55, assumed His title in 2012 after His brother king George V died in Hong Kong.
His coronation will be marked by an 11-day celebration program which will run from June 27 to July 7.
Liahona and Sainehā High Schools are owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, the second largest denomination in Tonga.
In His opening speech at Parliament on Thursday, King Tupou VI said the government should continue to enhance agriculture, fisheries and tourism as the most important sectors to help the nations’ economy.
Speaking at the opening of the kingdom’s legislative assembly, he said there were important matters for the House to address this year, including the nation’s financial status.
He said the government had set goals to work on such as good governance and initiatives to reduce poverty, promote social welfare, development and technological education.
His Majesty said it was important for the nation to be prepared for natural disasters and become used to using renewable resources.
The king said the government had work in place to improve transportation and communication as Tonga prepared to host the South Pacific Games 2019.
His Majesty thanked foreign donors including the governments of Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of China and Japan, international non-government organisations such as European Unions and World Bank for their assistance in the development of the kingdom.
He concluded His opening speech by expressing his gratitude to the people and the government for all the work they had done in preparation for the coronation in July.
The opening of parliament was marked by a march by students from all the high schools on the mainland, Tongatapu.
They paraded along Taufa’ahau Road to parliament and through the grounds of the royal palace.
The main points
In His opening speech at Parliament on Thursday, King Tupou VI said the government should continue to enhance agriculture, fisheries and tourism as the most important sectors to help the nations’ economy.
His Majesty said the government had set goals to work on such as good governance and initiatives to reduce poverty, promote social welfare, development and technological education.
He also said it was important for the nation to be prepared for natural disasters and become used to using renewable resources.
The king said the government had work in place to improve transportation and communication as Tonga prepared to host the South Pacific Games 2019.
Tonga’s Minister of Justice Hon. Vuna Fa’otusia told Kaniva News last night that holding a referendum on the Convention to Eliminate all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) would be “political suicide” for the government.
Hon. Fa’otusia said that in any case the government could not immediately hold a referendum because the kingdom’s legal framework did not allow for it.
The Minister’s comments follow a statement by Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva that he was thinking of calling a referendum on the issue.
Speaking on the way back from Japan, the Prime Minister said he had considered the referendum option after a number of church leaders led protest marches in Nuku’alofa while he was away.
The first march was on Wednesday and local media claimed it had been joined by about 300 members. The second march was held on Friday, with Matangi Tonga online estimating that about 500 people had taken part.
The marchers claimed CEDAW would open the door to same sex marriage and abortion.
CEDAW supporters claimed the church leaders who were behind the protests were opponents of the current government.
The Justice Minister said CEDAW had become an issue because of “misconceptions” about the convention by some church leaders.
No referendum law
“The government cannot hold a referendum because we do not have the legal mechanism to do so,” Hon. Fa’otusia said.
He said the government would have to introduce and adopt legislation to make a referendum possible.
Many countries that had not ratified CEDAW allowed “all the things the church leaders are afraid of,” such as same sex marriage and abortion, he said.
The Minister said the government would not legalise such practices because it would be politically dangerous to do so.
Tonga’s Minister for Internal Affairs Hon. Fe’ao Vakata said those opposed to CEDAW had forgotten that the UN’s convention was design to “elevate” women in their rank, power and dignity.
The Minister told Kaniva News the cabinet’s decision to ratify CEDAW still stood.
Hon.Vakata said cabinet would hold its next meeting this Friday and he hoped the Prime Minister’s referendum option would be on the agenda.
Warning
However, the Prime Minister has warned that any referendum process would be costly and time consuming.
He said CEDAW was a United Nations’ initiative introduced in Tonga 12 years ago to help local women.
He said he was mystified that no church leaders or groups had raised concerns about the convention while it was debated in the House or while the Tonga Civil Society conducted workshops on it in the past.
In an interview with Tnews New Zealand in Tongan, Hon. Pohiva said the issue had divided the nation and that he “believed” a referendum should be carried to let the people make the decision.
The main points
Tonga’s Minister of Justice, Hon. Vuna Fa’otusia, told Kaniva News last night that holding a referendum on CEDAW would be “political suicide” for the government.
Fa’otusia said the government could not hold a referendum because the kingdom’s legal framework does not allow for one.
The Minister’s comments follow a statement by Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva that he was thinking of calling a referendum on the issue.
CEDAW supporters have claimed the church leaders behind the protests were opponents of the current government.
Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva said there is a possibility to hold a referendum on his government’s move to ratify the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) after he found out while he was in Japan in a meeting last week there were protest marches in Nuku’alofa against the convention.
But he warned the referendum process would be costly and time consuming.
Hon. Pohiva’s government has announced it move to ratify CEDAW in March.
The Honourable Prime Minister said CEDAW was one of the United Nations’ initiatives that were introduced to help women in Tonga in the last 12 years or so. He said he was mystified by the fact that no church leaders or groups ever raised any concerns over the convention while it was repeatedly debated in the House or while the Tonga Civil Society conducted workshops on it in the past.
In an interview with Tnews New Zealand in Tongan, Hon. Pohiva said the issue has divided the nation and he “believed” a referendum should be carried out and let the people make the decision.
Ratification
CEDAW critics claimed the convention would open the door for same sex marriage and abortion but Tonga’s Minister for Internal Affairs Hon. Fe’ao Vakata said they “forgot” the fact the UN’s convention was design to “elevate” women in their rank, power and dignity.
The minister told Kaniva News this evening the cabinet decision to ratify CEDAW still stands and the government has not changed it.
Hon.Vakata said cabinet will hold its next meeting this Friday and he hope the Prime Minister’s referendum option would be on the agenda.
PHOTO: Dr Nasili Vaka’uta lashes out at his fellow church leaders in Tonga
A Tongan minister has lambasted churches and groups which oppose the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), calling them “confused men and women” who “hide behind church, Bible and God in order to continue to discriminate against women.â€
Rev. Dr NÄsili VakaÊ»uta, who is a lecturer at the University of Auckland’s School of Theology, took to Facebook last week after some church leaders marched to Parliament and presented a petition to the Speaker of the House.
The petitioners claimed CEDAW would open the door to legalised abortion and same sex marriage.
Last Friday about 500 protesters marched to the Royal Palace and presented petitions to the king asking him to intervene with government’s move to ratify CEDAW.
The petitions were reported to have gathered around 15,000 signatures.
Some Tongan women who support CEDAW said the attitude of church leaders in Tonga showed how intolerant and backward they were.
Dr Vaka’uta, a former lecturer at the Free Wesleyan Church’s Sia’atoutai Theological College,  applauded those women who supported the government’s move to ratify CEDAW.
“It is utter stupidity to protest against a very straightforward convention to ensure gender justice and gender equality,†Dr Vakaʻuta wrote on his Facebook page.
The protests against CEDAW have divided the Tongan community at home and abroad.
Supporters of CEDAW claimed some church leaders misled their followers about the convention.
The placards carried by marchers seemed to prove what CEDAW supporters’ have claimed to be true
One placard read: “Tonga rejects colonialism†while another said: “CEDAW = 666! Evil!†and “God created Eve and Adam not CEDAWâ€
Another placard read: “I am proud of my family mother and father not CEDAWâ€.
CEDAW supporters claimed some church leaders in Tonga misled their followers about CEDAW. Photo/ Supplied
Approval
Dr Vaka’uta’s post on Facebook met with approval.
One respondent said: “Well said Dr Principal… sadly, discrimination against women is a global epidemic… and to use the scriptures written in a different context and different era to support their superiority and trash equality in the 21st century is shamefulâ€.
Another said: “It’s a pity that in this day and age some people would still want to use the Bible to advance their own interests. When will people realize that women are also human beings. Shame to those groups in Tonga, and thanks Nasili for sharing thisâ€.
A female commentator who shared Dr Vaka’uta’s post wrote:
“It’s a convention to allow women the opportunities that men have enjoyed for centuries and to eliminate all discrimination against women.
“Sadly, our women in Tonga are taking part in a campaign that’s against their very quest for self determination.
“This is a huge backward step. Despite the Government and Minister Fe’ao VakatÄ assuring that there are exceptions that will not interfere with our Tongan laws and traditions, no one seems to listen or pay attention. What a shame!â€
The government has vowed to stand firm on its stance to sign CEDAW.
A Tongan man found guilty of shooting and killing of another Tongan man in the parking lot of a Maverik store in Salt Lake City was sentenced to 15 years in jail, a court ruled Friday 22.
Vilisoni Tuiono Angilau, 22, was sentenced by Judge Bernards-Goodman to serve three to 15 years in jail on the manslaughter count and one to 15 years on the firearm count. Goodman ordered the terms to run concurrently.
In April 13, 2013 Angilau and other members of the Tongan Crip Gang were looking for Sione Fakatoufifita,19, who was part of the rival Baby Regulator Gang, through the Glendale area before finding him at the store, shooting him multiple times, police reported.
Angilau’s defence attorney, Michael Langford, told the 3rd District Court judge his client was not in the right state of mind on the day of the shooting, having spent days drinking and smoking methamphetamine, LA Media report.
Angilau is the younger brother of Siale Angilau, who was shot dead by a U.S. marshal as he lunged at a witness in federal court in 2014.
PHOTO: Protesters march from the Basilica of St Anthony Padua to parliament in protest against government’s move to sign CEDAW. Photo/Supplied
The Tongan government has vowed to stand firm over its move to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women despite protests staged by church members in Nuku’alofa this week.
Known as CEDAW, the government declared it has passed a resolution to ratify it in March and announced it has processed the signatory with the United Nations office.
Of the 189 countries in the world which ratified CEDAW, Tonga is one of seven countries, which includes the United States, not to have signed the convention.
Hundreds marched up to the royal palace in Nukuʻalofa this afternoon and submitted a petition asking the king to intervene with government’s move to sign CEDAW.
The march came after a protest march was staged on Wednesday in protest against the United Nations’ convention.
The marchers submitted a petition to the Speaker of the House saying the convention would ease Christianity’s opposition to same sex marriage and abortion.
Majority of the marchers were women and Christian church members.
The government believed protesters have been misinformed on CEDAW and that there was lack of education in Tonga about the convention.
The government said work was under way to translate CEDAW’s articles and relevant information into Tongan and they would be made available to the public shortly.
Tonga’s Public Service Association claimed the marches led by some church leaders were politically motivated by those who dislike the government.
Tonga’s Minister of Internal Affairs was quoted by Radio New Zealand International as saying “I just talked to the CEO and told him that they have to print the Tongan version of the CEDAW in the paper next week and also with some FAQs, (frequently asked questions), of CEDAW because I think a lot of people in Tonga still don’t understand what CEDAW is about.”
The minister told the radio the government listened to protesters but it has to do its best for the nation as a whole.
Hundreds arrived at the Royal Palace in Nuku’alofa and submitted a petition to the king asking him to intervene with government’s move to sign CEDAW. Photo/Supplied
A man whose body firefighters brought to shore before paramedics pronounced his death at 9:45 p.m has been confirmed as 45-year-old Dean Hūhane,45, of Kaneohe.
A medical examiner’s office in Hawaii said the victim was apparently drowned after his body was found in Laniakea Beach Tuesday 20, Hawaii Star Advertiser reports.
Autopsies will be conducted to determine cause of his death, it said.
His older brother Tokolahi Hūhane told Kaniva News family members will travel from Tonga to Hawaii to attend Dean’s funeral this week.
Tonga’s Ministry of Tourism has been brought under the Ministry of Infrastructure starting June 1.
The Tourism Ministry is currently under the control of Minister of Police, Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa.
“The transfer was approved last Friday 15 May 2015, before the Honorable Prime Minister left for the PALM7 meeting in Japan,” a statement from the government says.
“This transfer makes Hon. ‘Etuate Lavulavu the new Minister of Tourism, and Mr. Ringo Fa’oliu continues to be the Chief Executive of all services under the Ministry of Infrastructure”.
“The Tourism Department will continue to use the Tonga Visitors Bureau (TVB) office and other facilities elsewhere”.
