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Tonga's first wind turbine goes live

The Nakolo Wind Turbine, the first of its kind in Tonga, was officially commissioned in a livening ceremony at Nakolo village on Friday, June 14th 2013.

The event marked the completion of the construction of the 11kW wind turbine. The project was made possible with funding from Tonga Power and the collective wind expertise from Gaia Wind, Craig Jones and Jim Cairns who came from Scotland and England.

Tonga currently generates electricity from costly imported diesel fuel. As the country‟s second renewable project now operational, the Nakolo wind turbine project is another step towards the Tongan Government‟s renewable energy targets. This project has developed skills that can be used to build further renewable energy facilities in the island.

The Wind Turbine Project Manager Setitaia Chen said, “Craig Jones and Jim Cairns who provided engineering support, acknowledged that this was the smoothest installation they have been involved in and they noted the professionalism and competence of the Project team that was shown during installation.”

He said this also achieved one of the goals of the project to build capacity to learn, be exposed to a new experience and maintain a new technology.

“Today marks a milestone for Tonga Power in the development of wind generation in the Kingdom. The only way to go now is forward with the wind”.

The construction on the project started in April 2013 and finished on-time and under-budget. The 11 kW Nakolo Wind Turbine began harnessing the energy from wind and produced electricity over the last month since its completed installation in May. The wind turbine will generate approximately 27, 000 kW hrs of electricity, enough to generate power to 23 homes.

Tonga Power is currently waiting for a proposal from Gaia Wind to secure low interest funding through the UK government to install another 4 turbines in Tonga.

Attending the event was Prime Minister Lord Tu‟ivakano, Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Samiu Vaipulu, Minister for Public Enterprises Hon. Fe‟aomoeata Vakata, estate holder Lord Luani, TERM CEO „Inoke Vala, Carl Saft chairman of the Tonga Power Board of Directors,Tonga Power Ltd CEO John van Brink and guests.

The oldest man in the world dies at 116

Japan's Jiroemon Kimura who was recognised in December 2012  by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest man in the history of mankind,  died at the age of 116. He was born in 1897.

He died in hospital early Wednesday morning after being hospitalised with  pneumonia in early May, an official in Kyoto’s Kyotango city said in a statement.

Kimura had seven children, 14 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren.

Japan has about 40 centenarians ( persons who are 100 years old or more)  per 100,000 people and has the world's highest proportion of elderly. Life expectancy is roughly 83, a figure that is expected to exceed 90 for women by 2050.

Kimura held the Guinness Records after French woman Jeanne Calment,  died in 1997 at the age of 122.

Chinese baby removed from toilet pipe

A baby was removed by fire fighters from a sewer pipe after nextdoor neighbours heard him crying.

A 22-year old mother admitted the baby was hers and a search found in her rented room toys and blood-stained toilet paper, the Chinese state news agency reported.

The two-day-old, 5lb boy has been temporarily named Baby 59 – the number of the incubator in which he lies with a fractured skull and severe bruising, Daily Mail reported.

Baby 59’s condition was said to be stable and he should recover. But the incident has succeeded in outraging a country in which brutal acts against youngsters are a common occurrence.

According to reports, Police initially treated the case as an attempted homicide.

A police officer reportedly said the woman tried to hide his pregnancy and claimed the baby failed “into the lavatory after she unexpectedly gave birth".

 


 

‘Ikale Tahi team “have done exceedingly well”

by 'Emeline Tuita, CEO Tonga Rugby Union

On the win today (18-9) against the USA, I would like to congratulate Captain Nili Latu and his team for a great performance on field. I know it was a disappointment for the USA as the host, but from the support from the Tongan Community in the US, it would also have seemed like the 'Ikaletahi was playing in a home game also.

On the performance of the 'Ikaletahi so far on the 2013 PNC Tournament, I would have to say that under the circumstances they have done exceedingly well. Their opening of the PNC wth the win in the match against Japan lifted spirits very high and on this note they arrived in San Francisco to a very warm "homecoming" thanks to the efforts in particular of the TUSF and Tongans in the Bay Area and from around the USA.

The overall USA part of the tournament was a success both on-field and off-field although it is regretted that there was an injury at the SFGG game on June 3rd. The Canada game which Tonga yielded to Canada was disappointing from the view that it could perhaps have had a different outcome, rather than the team having to bear the consequences of undisciplined play on-field which saw three players sit out the USA game.

As you know also, as part of acting responsibly to the press and in respect to the standards that have been set for making statements to the press, the 'Ikaletahi Coach has publicly apologised to the International Rugby Board and the Officiating Match Officials. The President of the TRU, 'Epeli Taione and the Tonga Rugby Union have also publicly apologised for any adverse impact that the statement may have. Hopefully as the team moves on to Japan for their final game against Fiji, we can take some of the hard lessons of the tour so far and use it to provide the global Tongan community with a finale performance in Japan.

I am well aware that it is a rather difficult period that the Tonga Rugby Union is going through at present and this has not made preparations for this PNC Tour easy for the 'Ikaletahi Team. As things stand at present, the governance issues are likely to be resolved late next week, which means that it is remarkable that the 'Ikaletahi Team has been able to maintain their composure in the manner they have. And I must say that without the support of the Tongans in the United States who expressed their keenness to help back in March, the success of the 'Ikaletahi would not have been so pronounced.

Thank you also for the positive coverage that Kaniva has made to following the PNC Tour because it has been important to the morale of the 'Ikaletahi Team so that matters on the home front, which sometime can take a bit longer to resolve do not adversely affect performance on field. The TRU Staff in Tonga and the President have over the past weeks been working tirelessly toward implementing strategies that can create financial stability for the Union and allow TRU to focus going forward on providing the necessary support for a consistent high performance at the international level by the 'Ikaletahi. A key Tour is the November Tour when the 'Ikaletahi is scheduled to play against France and Wales, and the PNC Tour this year had made participation in the 'Ikaletahi Team so much more meaningful.

Report says Nuku'alofa could be wiped out by a Tsunami

Tonga's capital Nuku’alofa  could be destroyed  if a Tsunami hits says a new research by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

The findings reveal the capital would likely to be sunk if an 8.7 magnitude earthquake strikes in the Tonga trench, One News reports.

According to the projections 25 minutes after the earthquake the first wave would roll in from the east – near the capital's harbour. When it hits the coast it would be around two and a half metres high, it says.

"Fifteen minutes later the second wave would come in, 4-5 metres high, and take out most of the town area".

"If we have a tsunami it will be very hard to save Nuku'alofa," Tonga's deputy Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu told One news.

Leveni ‘Aho, Director of national emergency office told the News that "If you are looking at vulnerability here, Nuku'alofa is the highest risk because that is where the biggest bulk of the population is sitting, you are talking about forty-fifty thousand. We need to work on this and find out how best we can get people to safer ground and how quickly we can get the message out."

Thanksgiving dinner for Tongan rugby stars

Over 100 diners enjoyed a meal served by the New Zealand Tonga Rugby Association (NTRA) last night June 14 at Manurewa Rugby League Football Club to acknowledge  Tongan rugby stars  who played for All Blacks,  New Zealand professional rugby teams as well as ‘Ikale Tahi team.

Two Tongan former All Blacks,  Charles Riechelmann and Pita ‘Alatini attended the function. ‘Emosi Koloto, president of the NZTRA told Kaniva News, the Association was happy with their attendance as it marked a good start in their attempt to provide an opportunity  to honour the success of the talented Tongan rugby players.  

Malakai Fekitoa from Auckland Blues also attended.

Koloto said the initiative was made in appreciation of all Tongan rugby players in New Zealand as well as parents and supporters who helped to make dreams of these famous players happened.

The NZTRA was aware of  the values and benefits Tongan rugby players who joined All Blacks and other New Zealand rugby teams as well as 'Ikale Tahi contrubuted to the Tongan communities but once these players retired their heroic achievements seemed to be ignored, he said. 

Koloto,  a New Zealand former rugby league and rugby union footballer since 1986 said the function was planned to take place every year and to be one of the Tongan biggest function in Auckland.

The dinner function was an inspiration and a great chance for young Tongans who still at high schools and have the potential of becoming rugby stars in the future, he said.

As with many other Tongan functions, solo dances were performed and provided by families and friends from the communities and a team of  Tongan bodybuilders also entertained the guests.

NZTRA was established on March 2013.

Featured image by Melino Maka

Man calls police to complain about 'ugly prostitute'

A Birmingham man dialled 999  on Tuesday evening after he met a hooker in a car park in the dark and found out she was not as pretty  as she claimed.

The man complained to police that the prostitute had breached Britain’s Sale of Goods Act which states “the  purchase needed to be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose”, Telegraph reports.

But an officer in the call centre at Solihull, Birmingham, responded by telling the man the woman had not committed any offences and explained to him that paying for sex was illegal.

The operator sounds frustrated and questions the man: “What’s happened then? Something’s obviously happened.”

The man replies: “What’s happened is basically this woman she’s like basically advertised in the newspaper for like private services like massages and stuff.”

“She’s miss-described herself and misrepresented herself totality,” he tells the phone operator.

The Sale of Goods Act 1979 states that all goods must match the sellers’ description.

Police  were able to identify the man and sent him a  letter warning him about wasting police time.

Dysfunctional System of Government Confused Leaders

The dysfunctional system of government generates the cycle of conflicts. In fact, leaders of the world are confused and desperately trying to befitting system with the current demands of these modern days.

It is evident from the past history and have witnessed by us at present time to the continuously impact of avoidable dysfunction system of government. The failure system somehow happens to contribute earnestly to conflicts that affecting ordinary people daily. Conflicts generate many problems in family, government, health, education, politics, religions and more. It is mounted regardless of various attempts to break the cycle.

The fast decaying of governing systems is also unavoidable. Conflicts and bloodshed over-ruled any systems of government. The newly formed system, democrat, has done no better to the seemingly unavoidable force of conflicts. Because of the unstable of the present known systems the equilibrium of our society is shaken tremendously and badly affects multitudes of very decent citizens, especially the working class.

Since then, from the new offshoots of autocracy, problems have mounted to a stage nowadays that the leaders are struggled to find a way or system that suited appropriately with the past and current affairs of the people of the world including New Zealand.

We see and witness daily, through individual experiences, televisions, and other media outlets to diverse forms of avoidable conflicts. The economic conflicts, political conflicts, marketing and trading conflicts, religious conflicts, family conflicts and many more conflicts that have made leaders and those with powers and authority confused.    

Unbreakable Cycle of Warfare and conflicts

It is said that – in the post-World War II era, warfare has broken out in virtually every corners of the globe. The majority of those conflicts have been internal — nations fighting with themselves over age-old ethnic and religious hostilities. Moreover, the fighting has been about territorial autonomy, political ideologies, the nation’s wealth, and more. And even the past 20 years, the bloody wars in the Middle East like the Persian Gulf War which killed more than two thousands and five hundreds (2,500) Iragi civilians and probably more than twenty thousand (20,000) soldiers were killed. In fact, casualties were included grandparents, parents, children and other family members but there were no weapons of mass-destruction found in Iragi.

The tribal warfare in Africa, the Cold War that fuelled conflict in Europe and Asia, the fight against terrorists, and the current civil war in Egypt, Syria, the civil war in Siberia and many more, which seemingly indicate the unbreakable cycle of warfare and conflicts.  At a time when historians are devoting more and more research to conflicts within nations, a book called “Civil Wars of the World: Major Conflicts since World War II” is an invaluable addition to the available resources. In two volumes, it ranges around the globe to cover the most volatile and deadly civil wars of the past 60 years.  

Ruling by suppressing and oppressing

Truly we seem to learn only by the outburst of a new conflicts. It appears that we only prefer to control by suppressing and oppressing. The way we choose to friending others is to invade first and then compromise. The bigger and stronger nations invaded smaller nations including pacific islands, for instance. Those who have power and authority over people are often attempting to use dictatorship kind of governing as the way of ruling.

The Consequences

Consequently, peoples are turning away various ways and put their trust under different institutions like Education, Religion, Science, Government and other affiliated organizations of like manner. It is shown very understandably the struggle and incapable of the government to work together with these institutions. Government does not like to ask appropriate institution for help or advice especially for moral issues, parenting issues and others. Religious leaders and other affiliated institutions like various branches of education are ignored in times of decision making.    

Governments have made decisions that overshadowed the power and authority of religious institutions like churches and educational outlets and others. The recent decision made by the government over same sex marriage, for instance, has done by the government without any serious attempts to use directives of religious leaders. That and other decisions indicate the dysfunctional of the current system.

The parents have been forced controlled without providing any sufficient parenting tips to effectively cope with world views and its relation with that typical holistic way of livings. So, the parents are confused as well as children especially young people. The youth suicide is sky-rocketing. The average number of suicides each year since the Ministry of Justice began to campaign against suicides is 543. In June last year, there were 543 suicides case were confirmed and reported and the most high risk age level is 15 to 19-year old.

Some parents have lost their children to foster-care parents mainly because of unprepared and misunderstanding of the way to parenting their children in compliance with the naive politicalize way of parenting.

Perhaps, the people are obviously suffocating and struggling to survive economically, socially, emotionally, mentally, and morally. The costs of essential needs are so unrealistic. It is so expensive. The food prices, housing, health clinics, medications, traveling, petrol, and other essential needs for decent living are too high and unaffordable. The minimum wage tax-payers are definitely struggling to budget after renting, credit agencies, power and phone payments are made. So, foods and school stuffs depend mostly on the remainder from the first part of demanding payments. Obviously the heat has felt by some in the middle class. The Hamilton City Council, Wellington City Council and the Warehouse staffs have agreed for a salary increase from thirteen dollars ($13.00) hourly rate to eighteen dollars ($18.00). Government should act bravely to meet with this great call.           

Man charged with drug possession

A Tongan man was charged with possession and selling of illegal drugs following a police raid at the village of Tofoa last Friday.

According to police, the man whose name was not released, was taken into custody and is due to appear in court.

Police found and seized raw materials from which they believe drugs were made.

They also investigated if an amount of money collected during the raid was linked to the drug deals.

Tonga Parliament’s speaker launches “ art competition ”

Tongan artists will be competing towards the end of this year in an art competition initiated by the speaker of the House , Lord Fakafanua.

The competition was launched on June 13 and the successful artist will have the opportunity for his artwork to “be permanently showcased at the Speaker’s Conference room”.

Winner of the open category competition will be awarded a cash prize of TOP$1,000.00.

Second and third place winners will also receive rewarding prizes.

The deadline for submission of art pieces is October 17th, 2013, when Parliament closes.

Artists are asked to submit at least one piece portraying one of the following themes.

They are “Tonga today, The Future of Tonga and The Parliament of Tonga.”

Lord Fakafanua says the competition is a unique opportunity for local aspiring artists to showcase their talents to the countries leaders, foreign dignitaries and the government community.