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Tongan company applies to have bank liquidated

By
Kaniva Pacific
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On January 30 Kaniva News published a story which said that the Pacific Commercial Bank Ltd had gone into liquidation.

This was incorrect and we apologise for this error and any embarrassment or distress it may have caused.

In fact an application had been placed before the Tongan Supreme Court to hear a case brought by Nukuʻalofa Investment Ltd for liquidating the bank.

We expect to publish full details of Nukuʻalofa Investment Ltd’s application next week.

The Pacific International Commercial Bank was established after the Princess led a delegation of Tongan business agents to China in 2010 and began operating on April 7, 2014. It was officially opened in Nuku’alofa by His Majesty King Tupou VI.

Chinese millionaire Mr Jianhua Hu promised the bank would help boost the country’s economy and brings more overseas investors to Tonga.

At the time the bank promised it would set its interest rates at six percent, the lowest rate in the kingdom.

A number of sources, including International Banker have described Princess Pilolevu and Jianhua Hu as major shareholders of the bank.

However, Kaniva News has been informed by a spokesman for the Princess that she holds only eight percent of the shares in the bank.

According to the Tongan Business Registry and other sources, the Princess was a director of the bank until April 8, 2013.

For more information

http://internationalbanker.com/banking/commercial-banking-round/

https://opencorporates.com/companies/to/9005289

Welcome to the Business Registries Office of Tonga

Roadside vendors start using Siamelie market

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Vendors who used to sell their products on footpaths in Maʻufanga have moved and are now using Siamelie, a temporally market in the village.

However not all vendors immediately vacated the roadsides after government announced that it was a breach of law if people continued to put their stalls there. Some vendors complaint the roadsides were more convenient and easy for trading despite the fact it was free to use.

Market Authority charges each vendor TP$1.50 per metre square of the area they use to build their shelters in the new market.

The government made the decision to shift vendors from the roadsides after it received information from the public citing lack of public toilets, sanitations and road congestion.

Lord Tu’ilakepa to be sentenced next week

By
Kaniva Pacific
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If a former Speaker of the Tongan Parliament, Lord Tu’ilakepa will be sentenced on February 5 to two or more years of imprisonment his rights and entitlements as noble of the crown will all be stripped off.

The offence has a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment.

The current Vavaʻu Noble’s representative pleaded guilty to four counts relate to possession of firearms without a license and two others relate to possession of ammunition without a license.

In 2010 Tongan Police acted on a tip-off from the Australian Federal Police after a global trafficking operation that allegedly used yachts to carry cocaine from South America through Tonga to Australia and China was uncovered.

It was alleged the syndicate responsible for the illegal drug activity bribed Lord Tu’ilakepa to sponsor a Colombian drug boss to go to the kingdom in an attempt to facilitate shipments of the drugs.

Letters and tapped telephone records revealed how Lord Tu’ilakepa communicated with the drugs syndicate.

Tongan Police raided Lord Tuʻilakepa’s premises in 2010 and instead of getting drugs they were looking for they found the firearms and the ammunitions.

Tongan constitution stipulated that if a noble was found guilty of possessing ammunitions and firearms without having licenses he would lose all his rights and entitlements as a noble.

But since some of the nobles were recently charged over possessing weapons and ammunitions without holding licenses an amendment to the Tongan law in 2013 was made. It says a noble would not lose his job as a civil servant or his noble title even if he was found guilty and sentenced to less than two years in jail.

Two cruise ships diverted to Tonga following cyclone warning

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Three cruise ships will arrive in Nukuʻalofa this Saturday 31 including two which were diverted after a tropical cyclone warning issued for Samoa, Tahiti and Niue in the South Pacific.

The diversions had been made after Tropical Cyclone Niko, a Category One storm reported earlier this week but was later downgraded to a depression for some areas in the region.

MS Amsterdam would be in Tonga on her normal schedule while MS Seven Seasons Marina and MS Marinas would be in the kingdom on forced diversions, according to Tonga Radio Broadcasting News.

Tonga’s under 20s coach fired

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Tonga’s Under 20s coach Fe’ao Vunipola has been fired in what he described as a result of his fight to achieve more opportunities for the local players .

The post is now given to Liueli Fusimalohi assisted by former ‘Ikale Tahi coach Kutusi Felea.

There was speculation that Vunipola was  dismissed because he made comments against the Tonga Rugby Board on social media.

TRU has yet to release any official information regarding why Vunipola was sacked.

On Facebook, Vunipola said: “I was prepared to walk away thinking that we would achieve promotion last year but beaten by Japan in the final.

“Japan had been losing finalist for the last four years. That to me was a great achievement because we beat the USA who were the favourites in the tournament.

He also said: “This is the result of standing up for more opportunities for local players to make the Ikaletahi..allowing quarters that are used in South Africe [sic] to be utilised in Tonga and our Ikaletahi”.

Vunipola claimed he offered to work as coach for Tonga without pay.

Hepisipa Tupou's body recovered from Waikato River

By
Kaniva Pacific
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The body of a man recovered from the Waikato River in Hamilton this morning Tuesday 27 has been identified as being that of a Tongan male reported missing on Saturday 25.

Police says the 23-year-old Hepisipa Tupou tried to swim across the river near Jellicoe Drive on Saturday night when he found himself in difficulties. Attempts from a family member to save his life was unsuccessful.

Police recovered the body after calls from the public shortly after 7am Tuesday 27 .

Shift Manager, Acting Senior Sergeant Martyn Hughes, said: “On behalf of the New Zealand Police I would like to express our sympathies to the family of 23-year-old Hamilton man, Hepisipa Tupou.

“Mr Tupou was reported missing on Saturday after getting in to dificulties while swimming as he tried to cross the Waikato River. His loss is a timely reminder to swimmers to ensure they do not venture into activities outside their capabilities while in streams, rivers, lakes or in the ocean.”

Amazing images of Tonga’s new volcanic island

By
Kaniva Pacific
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New images of an island created in Tonga in the last few weeks reveal the island turned into a lighter colour and no longer in its dark coloured ash seen previously.

The powerful volcanic eruption that led to the birth of the new island and the disruptions of Tonga’s international and domestic flights two weeks ago “appears to be over”, Taniela Kula, Deputy Secretary for Tonga’s Ministry of Land and Natural Resource said.

Mr Kula said the creation of the new island began when the volcanic activity between the Hungas took place in December 19, 2014.

Westward view of the join between Hunga Ha’apai (left) and the west end of the new island taken 100m from shore. (Taken 24-Jan-15). Photo/Ministry of Land and Natural Resources
Westward view of the join between Hunga Ha’apai (left) and the west end of the new island taken 100m from shore. (Taken 24-Jan-15). Photo/Ministry of Land and Natural Resources

He said the new island is about 120m high, 1.5km wide (NS) and 2.0km (WE). It is joined with Hunga Ha’apai to the west and about 150 – 200 meters short to Hunga Tonga.

“There were no sign of any emissions of ash, gas or steam observed coming out from the vent of the new formed island”, he said.

Westward close up view of the new island crater taken 100m away. Note the color of the material is lighter than it was in the last visit (7 days before) due to oxidation of the elements such as iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) (Taken 24-Jan-15). Photo/Ministry of Land and Natural Resources
Westward close up view of the new island crater taken 100m away. Note the color of the material is lighter than it was in the last visit (7 days before) due to oxidation of the elements such as iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) (Taken 24-Jan-15). Photo/Ministry of Land and Natural Resources

“There were no trace of rafts of pumice or other floating volcanic debris observed.

“No smells of volcanic gases were noticed within 100m of the island. Hunga Tonga (200m to the north of the new island) and Hunga Ha’apai islands (joined to the west) were covered by dark coloured ash from the eruption over the last month, but now turned into lighter colour due to oxidation of iron and aluminum elements”.

Real Tonga denies claims MA60 aircraft's license cancelled

By
Kaniva Pacific
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The Real Tonga Airline controversial MA60 aircraft operates as normal amid reports its license expired and cancelled on January 20, 2015, the company has confirmed.

The Director of the Airline, Tēvita Palu told Kaniva News today, reports by local media quoting the Minister of Infrastructure as saying the MA60’s license expired on January 20, 2015 was “not true”.

He said the aircraft is operating “as normal everyday” from Tongatapu to Vava’u.

Infrastructure minister, Hon. ‘Etutate Lavulavu was also quoted by a local newspaper as saying his ministry was working on the licensing of the plane urgently because the Chinese Embassy wrote and requested the Tongan government  not  to terminate the aircraft’s license to operate in the kingdom.

The paper also quoted the minister as saying there was a problem with processing of the renewal of the MA60’s license as Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) has warned the license given to  the aircraft did not meet all necessary legal requirements expected by the international aviation authorities.

The aircraft was given to Tonga by the Chinese government as a gift in 2012.

We were unable to obtain comments from the Chinese Embassy.

When we called and spoke with Hon. Lavulavu today he asked to call him back in 1-2hours as he was in a meeting in Vava’u. When we called him for the second time the minister’s phone was answered by another man. He told us the minister was in a meeting. We sent Hon. Lavulavu a text message asking for comments but he did not return it in time for publication.

The Chinese made aircraft involved in a number of fatal incidents recently. In May 2011 an MA60 went into sea only 500 metres from the runway in Kaimana Airport in Indonesia. All passengers and crew were killed.

New Zealand authority said the Chinese-built MA60 was not certified to fly in New Zealand and was not certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency, the US Federal Aviation Administration or the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

New Zealand withheld more than $10 million aid for Tonga’s Tourism industry because of concerns over the aircraft.

In September 2014 , the former Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakano vowed to ground the Chinese made aircraft after he received a letter from the International Civil Aviation Organisation warning his government about how the MA60’s license was processed. It was later revealed the MA 60 continued to operate after a number of meetings between its manegements and the former government.

The airline authority as well as the former Tongan government’s Minister of Infrastructure, who was instrumental in brining the plane to Tonga, insisted the MA60 aircraft was safe to operate in the kingdom.

Sēmisi Sika named new chairman of Parliament Whole House committee

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Tonga’s Legislative Assembly has elected MP Sēmisi Sika as new Chairperson of the Whole House Committee for 2015 – 2018 parliamentary term.

He was nominated by Ha’apai 13 constituency MP, Veivosa Taka and he was the only nominee.

Hon Sika now replaces Sunia Fili the former Chairperson and MP for ‘Eua 11 who did not make it to Parliament after last November general election.

Hon Sika was first elected into Parliament in 2010 election and he is a current member of the ruling Democratic Party government.

Father drowned at Vaipua as wife and son watched in horror

By
Kaniva Pacific
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A mother and a son watched in horror while a husband and father drowned in the sea at Vaipua yesterday Monday 19 at about 4pm, Vava’u Police said.

Tevita Seluini Tu’itupou, 55, of Taoa, Vava’u and Tofoa, Tongatapu was believed to have died shortly after he found himself in difficulty when he swam to rescue his wife Tupou Tu’itupou and son Kulu Tu’itupou.

Tevita was already  in the water when he invited  his wife and their son to jump in and swim with him, Police Superintendent in Vava’u, Netane Falakiseni told Kaniva News

The duo came down to the water while Tevita was waiting for them but they missed him in a move Police believed they were caught by a rip.

Vaipua water is notoriously dangerous and known for its strong rip current.

Police said there is a warning sign at the beach alerting swimmers about the danger they would encounter if they swim at Vaipua water.

As Tevita struggled to get to his wife and his son he was overcome with exhaustion and eventually died.

Superindentend Falakiseni said a post mortem was carried out today and his body would be returned to Tofoa tomorrow.

The dad man was a civil servant working as a clerk at Tonga’s Retirement Fund Board.

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