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Tongan entrepreneurs – Paul Hala, Hala Hair

By
Kaniva Pacific
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by Caitlin Sykes, the NZ Herald’s Your Business editor
Paul Hala is the founder and creative director of central Auckland salon Hala Hair.

Can you tell me a bit about your background?

I was born in Tonga, on the island of Vava’u – the youngest of eleven children, where my parents ran their own plantation. We moved to Auckland when I was eight because my parents wanted us to have as good an education and life as possible so saw that our future would be brighter in New Zealand.

In high school I discovered my ability in creative work and hairdressing was a natural choice for me. After school I was accepted to train at Cut Above Academy, which was at that time the top training school. I graduated in the upper part of my class and was offered employment with the Cut Above professional salon attached to the academy.

That was a fantastic first step, which helped me really develop my creative experience while working around and being inspired by some of the top hair stylists of that era.

After Cut Above I worked around Auckland for a few years to gain wider experience while I looked around for the opportunity to go it alone.

So how did you go about starting your own business?

In 2010 my partner and I found what we felt was the perfect location – an empty space on K Road in George Courts building. I felt I was ready for the next big challenge and had learned a lot about how I wanted it to look and work.

The timing was amazing – during the building phase I entered the L’Oreal Colour Trophy; it was a crazy time with the builders and electricians in one end of the new salon, and me working on the model for my entry in the competition in the back corner. I ended up with two great results: the salon really looked beautiful by the time it was finished and my trophy as the winner of the L’Oreal Colour Award looked great on the reception counter! Part of my prize was a media campaign run by a prominent PR company, which really helped us get started.

We had a Tongan blessing ceremony, which was a wonderful and proud evening for my parents and family, just before the grand opening party. The day after the party we were open for business.

Why did you want to go into business for yourself?

As I worked around the great mentors I had at Cut Above I realised I wanted to develop a unique brand and style that I could explore and build as my career progressed. There was also the personal challenge of going it alone and making a difference in my profession. I really wanted to control all aspects of the environment and the customer experience in a way that was unique to my culture and personality.

Taking on the risk and initiative of my own business would, I knew, make me grow a lot as a person. The people I have met who have done this have always been interesting and inspiring people who I admire for their determination, vision, and their preparedness to take one step at a time, to persevere and never lose sight of where they wanted to go.

What have been the challenges on the journey so far?

The biggest challenge has been attracting staff who are passionate about the quality of their work and who can understand my obsession with being the very best.

The most important aspect is to create really good working relationships with the right staff – great salons are only possible when run by great people who are enthusiastic, happy and highly competent.

Learning all of the details of business and financial management has been a big learning curve and so unlike the creative training I had been through. I realised the best thing was to leave that to someone who could do it better, so I leave the financial management to my partner and focus on what I do best.

Information systems are also critical. I have everything documented in a well-designed custom software package for salons. It seemed quite an expense initially but has been invaluable to our success.

What do you think could be done to encourage more Pacific people to set up their own businesses?

Carefully designed and culturally sensitive microfinance, with close relationship-based banking, is one important step for Pacific people setting up businesses. Many people with good ideas don’t succeed because of the financial hurdles and inexperience with money matters in business.

Pacific culture is about strong community, so I think structured support for groups of Pacific people setting up their individual small businesses is important. Business incubators are common in some industries now, but I see this idea working very well by setting up mentored communities of Pacific small business owners sharing knowledge and supporting each other with their experiences and successes.

What advice would you have for other Pacific people looking to start a business?

• Above all, believe in yourself and your capability. Be very proud of your unique style and culture.
• Look around for the people whose success you admire and get alongside those people to learn how they have achieved their results.
• Ask, learn and study all the aspects of business you will need so you know as much as possible before you take the big step. Search around for any help available from banks, educational and business organisations, written material and online learning.
• Have a clear vision and a plan along with clarity about the niche you see yourself occupying. Don’t try to do it too quickly or all at once.
• Don’t be discouraged by setbacks or when things go wrong. Learn from them, change whatever you need to change and above all don’t give up the dream.

– NZ Herald

Warning light forces MA60 to return to Tongatapu

By
Kalino Latu
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Kiliki heni: ki he ongoongo ni 'i he lea faka-Tonga

Real Tonga’s director Tevita Palu said the airline’s controversial MA60 aircraft returned to Tongatapu while on its flight to Vava’u on Monday 16 because an indicator light came on.

This was the second time within two days the MA60 could not land in Vava’u and it had to return to Tongatapu after it failed to land on Saturday 14. 

Palu said it was a ‘false indication’ warning that something in the aircraft needed to be fixed.

He said the aircraft landed safely after it returned to Tongatapu.

Palu was cautious in his response to Kaniva News, saying it was not something serious, that the problem could be fixed and the aircraft continued on its normal schedules.

“It now flies two to three times a day,” he said.

The aircraft returned without landing in Vava’u on Saturday because of bad weather. The Monday incident was due to technical failure and it had to return to Fua’amotu airport because there was no engineer in Vava’u to fix it, he said.  

Asked whether the MA60 would be grounded, Palu said the matter had not been discussed.

However, Radio Australia has quoted Stuart Perry, the general manager of Tourism Tonga, as saying Real Tonga would stop flying the MA60, which was a gift rom China.

New aircraft

Real Tonga recently bought two British Aerospace Jetstream 32 aircraft from Australia.

Palu said the two new aircraft were bought as alternatives for passengers who did not want to fly on the Chinese-made MA60.

“We are test flying the two new Jetstream today and hopefully they will start servicing the outer islands tomorrow,” he said. 

Kaniva News has been reliably informed that Tonga’s Prime Minister, Lord Tu’ivakano met New Zealand Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon Murray McCully in March. They allegedly agreed to ground Tonga’s MA60.

However when the Prime Minister declared the MA60 had to be grounded he was strongly opposed by his Deputy and Minister for Transport, Hon Samiu Vaipulu in Nukualofa.

Vaipulu threatened to resign if Tu’ivakano grounded the MA60.

Vaipulu was instrumental in establishing Real Tonga Airline and forcing the New Zealand-based Air Chatham out of the kingdom.

NZ travel advisory

New Zealand government has issued a travel advisory warning that the MA60 is not certified to fly in New Zealand and anyone who flies on it does so at their own risk.  

The New Zealand government withheld NZ$10 million dollar funding for Tonga’s tourism industry because of its concern over the MA60.

It eventually released half of the money last month.

However, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key told the Tongan government earlier this month that the travel advisory would stay.

Tourism Tonga head Stuart Perry told Fairfax Media this week the Tongan economy had suffered dramatically as a result of the travel warning.

The main points

  • Real Tonga’s controversial MA60 aircraft has had to abandon a flight to Vava’u for the second time in two days.
  • Real Tonga’s director Tevita Palu told Kaniva News the problem was not serious.
  • Overseas tourism in Tonga has suffered seriously because of the New Zealand government’s warning about travelling on the MA60.
  • Real Tonga has now bought two British Aerospace Jetstream 32 aircraft from Australia to provide an alternative for foreign tourists.

For more information

‘Tonga to replace troubled MA60 plane’

‘Real Tonga caves to New Zealand pressure; acquires Jetstream 32s’

‘China's Gift Causes Big Trouble for Tiny Tonga’

‘Chinese plane forces NZ airline out of Tonga’

Jetstream 32

Tongan consulate in San Francisco relocated to Burlingame

By
Kaniva Pacific
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The Consulate General of the Kingdom of Tonga held a Reception this evening Thursday 19th June 2014 to mark the relocation of the office from the City of San Francisco to the City of Burlingame, in the Bay Area. It has been 26 years since the Consulate General had been established and operated from the same location at Union Square in the City.

In April 2014, His Majesty-in-Council approved for the relocation to take place to principally allow for the Consulate General to be more accessible by the Tongan community.

According to the U.S. 2010 Census, there are currently 57,183 Tongans living in the U.S, mainly concentrated in the States of California, Utah and Hawaii. The primary responsibility of the Consulate General has been to provide consular services to and maintain good relations with the Tongan Community in San Francisco, including those living on the Mainland. Equally important is keeping a close working relationship with the resident consular corps and local government; and promoting trade and investment, and tourism.

The Reception included the Guest of Honour, H.E. Mr Mahe Tupouniua, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Tonga to the U.S. & Permanent Representative of Tonga to the U.N, along with members of the Consular Corps, clergymen and key representatives of the Tongan San Francisco community.

The current Acting Consul General of the Kingdom of Tonga is Mrs Sela Tukia and the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Tonga in San Francisco is now located at 1350 Bayshore Highway Suite 610, Burlingame CA 94010, tel +1 650 685 1001, fax +1 650685 1003.

– Press Release: Tonga Consulate General, San Francisco, CA

Slain Tongan student’s family accept apology from Nauruan ambassador

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

Kiliki: heni ke ke lau e ongoongo ni he lea faka-Tonga

The brother of slain Tongan student Sione Tufui in Fiji has told a number of mourners at his deceased brother’s prayer service to “… look forward to forgive” and conccentrate on the reason why they came to Fiji, “it is to start a journey to grow as young leaders and to study hard in order to return and help” their “parents and communities back in Tonga”.

The Tufuis were both students at the University of the South Pacific.

Sione was a second-year student studying a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems and Physics while Tupou was a third year student.

The 22-year-old, was allegedly killed Saturday morning 21 by a group of Nauruan high school students in a night club in Suva.

Five Nauruan secondary school students are in police custody in relation to Tufui’s death, Police Chief of Operations, ACP Rusiate Tudravu said.

Dr Robin Havea from the university said Tufui’s body will be leaving Nadi tomorrow Friday 27 through Auckland before arriving in Tonga on Saturday.

Dr Havea told Kaniva News he will be in Tonga to represent the university in Tufui’s funeral.

Tupou was with his deceased brother on the night of the incident but returned home before the fight happened. He only became aware of his brother’s death after he received a call from hospital at 2am.  

The Fiji-based Tongan community has gathered at Api Tonga for failotu (prayers) since Sunday night and it is continuing until the deceased will be taken to Nadi to be returned to Tonga.

‘Eleni Tevi, secretary for the Tongan community told Kaniva news the Nauruan community was represented in the failotu by a group of Nauruans led by the Nauruan ambassador to Fiji.

She said the ambassador, accompanied by his wife, apologised at the failotu and it was embraced by the victim’s brother.  

"When I called my parents today they told me, Tupou if you have forgiven them in your heart then we have forgiven them too”, Tupou said in response to the ambassador’s statement of apology.  

He said in Tongan according to Tevi: “I stand today to represent my family in accepting this plea for forgiveness from the Nauruan Ambassador and the Nauruan community because I wish to send out a message to all our Tongan students:

“We do not look back to what had happened and try to pursue revenge but look forward to forgive and refocus our values to why we are really here in Fiji; and it is to start a journey to grow as young leaders and to study hard in order to return and help our parents and communities back in Tonga.

 “They long every day for our return with great pride and hope to that day we will return to relieve them of their long-standing daily struggles in trying to make ends meet back home so that we are educated to return one day to help make life easier for them.

“This Saturday I will take my deceased brother back home to our parents and mourn with them a lost dream, but I hope that in this lost dream we will all learn a great lesson as students not to be here for all the wrong reasons. I stand together tonight with the Tongan community's clear message to urge all students to refrain from any further violence and refocus our priorities to help our community and not to destroy it!".  

Rev 'Ahio re-elected as FWC president

By
Kaniva Pacific
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The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga’s 91st Annual Conference has re-elected President Rev Dr Ahio this afternoon June 25 as president of the church till next year.

The conference is held in Neiafu, Vava’u attended by church members from overseas and Tonga.

President ‘Ahio was first elected in 2009.

The church secretary general Rev Dr Tevita Koloa'ia Havea was also re-elected with 305 votes.

Student stabbed at Tokaikolo’s school fights for his life

By
Kaniva Pacific
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A 10-year-old male student is fighting for his life at Middlemore Hospital following a stabbing at a Tokaikolo Church's co-educational school in Mangere this morning.

Police officer Shawn Rutene said he could not elaborate where the injuries were sustained but confirmed the boy was fighting for his life.

The boy has been stabbed in the head according to 3News.

The prinicipal of the school, Lisita Paongo said she could not ne able to talk to Kaniva News according to a woman who answered the phone. The woman said there was a fight at the school and a student was injured.

“Yes I can confirmed to you there was stabbing here but we cannot be able to comment further. We are working together with police and we will put out a press statement shortly,” the lady said

A source said there was a fight between two male students and a pair of "scissors" was involved.

Briefing the media at the school, Inspector Shawn Rutene said: "We were advised of a fight between students here where one student had received critical injuries."

He said the boys involved were from the intermediate school and there families were receiving support from victim support.

An ambulance staffer said a male patient has been taken to Middlemore Hospital.

The primary and intermediate school is located at the Tokaikolo's Nasaleti church on the coronation road.

‘Akilisi Pohiva declares he will stand for Tongan elections one last time

By
Kalino Latu
-

Kiliki: heni ke ke lau 'a e ongoongo ni 'i he lea faka-Tonga

Tonga’s long-time democratic veteran campaigner ‘Akilisi Pohiva will stand for election one last time in this year’s Tongan elections.

If re-elected, the veteran democracy campaigner will end his 30 year political career with one last term in the Tongan Parliament.

Pohiva paid tribute this week to his democratic supporters and wished them well in their coming election.

Pohiva’s supporters want him to become the next Prime Minister of Tonga, an ambition many believe would represent a significant milestone in his political aspiration.

The November election will be Pohiva’s ninth parliamentary terms since 1987, giving him 28 continuous years of being a member of Parliament.

The leader of Tonga’s Democratic Party has come under the spotlight recently, after his Deputy and Secretary rejected a candidate list he endorsed for the party, saying the selection of candidates was biased and unfair.

Pohiva ,72, said the dispute between him and his party members was not something new as he had come through similar rifts during the past nine general elections.   

In the past Pohiva has told his supporters to choose particular candidates because he thought would help him in his fight to bring democracy to Tonga.

These former parliamentarians included lawyer Laki Niu, former Ministry of Education director and first editor of ‘Akilisi’s Kele’a newspaper Viliami Fukofuka and former Ministry of Finance secretary ‘Uhilamoelangi Liava’a.

However a rift developed between Pohiva and his former political colleagues and it reached the point where Pohiva called on his supporters to vote Niu and Liava’a out of Parliament.

Fukofuka was not voted out after Pohiva declared he no longer wanted to work with him, but only retained his seat after a tight contest in which his supporters were almost outvoted. Fukofuka declared he would not stand again at the following general election.   

Analysts say Pohiva’s power was shown when his supporters removed some of his rivals from parliament in the next election.

This week Pohiva spoke encouragingly to his party members. He said Tonga had the academics and a lot of good  economic development plans in place, but the country needed people who had strong ‘political will’ and ‘loyalty to Tonga’ to implement them.

‘Isileli Pulu, Pohiva’s long-time democratic supporter told Kaniva News the dispute between him and Pohiva appeared to be new because this was the first time it had been reported  in the media, but they had disputes in the past.

“It is normal to have disputes over organisation matters and I am the one who always strongly challenged Pohiva on conflicting issues within the party,” Pulu said.

“But when it was sorted out it finished and we continued on to work together as if nothing had happened between us.”

Pulu said the party met early this month and assured Pohiva its members would stand together and support him in the election campaign and make sure he became the next Prime Minister.

“I will not forget the fact that had it not been Pohiva I would not have entered Parliament in 2002,” Pulu said.

“I was given the ministerial post in the government of Lord Tu’ivakano in 2010. I resigned in 2012 and returned to the party before the November 2012 vote of no confidence because I wanted to vote for ‘Akilisi to become the next Prime Minister.” 

The November 2012 vote of no confidence was won by Lord Tu’ivakano after a member of the Democratic Party defected to the government, giving them the number to win the vote.

Pohiva said he stuck by the select committee’s candidate list he endorsed last week. The list selected Pulu as candidate for Tongatapu 4, but dropped party members, including Dr Sitiveni Halapua, for Tongatapu 3, Sione Havea Taione for Tongatapu 8, Semisi Tapueluelu for Tongatapu 10 and Sunia Fili for ‘Eua.

Addressing party colleagues this week, Pohiva said the will of the people was the basis of democracy.

“It is your will that I am seeking and it is your will that people are searching for, just as we are going to seek their will in the upcoming election,” Pohiva told Kele’a.

Veteran New Zealand-based Tongan journalist Sefita Hao’uli said in a document published recently by Dr Teena Brown Pulu that without Pohiva’s political sacrifice Tonga would still be facing a long road to democracy.

 “‘Akilisi  [Pohiva]  is  Tonga’s  most  influential  politician  ever  to  hold power but be uncorrupted by it,” Haouli said.

“When people ask me what has he done in politics, I say that without ‘Akilisi’s 28 year contribution to political life, Tonga would not have changed towards a general acceptance that a democratic arrangement of power is the most relevant way to govern the country.”

Kalafi Moala, the publisher of the Lali Media Network and one of the fiercest opponents of Pohiva in the past 10 years, declared he would support Pohiva in the November election.       

Dr Pulu quoted Moala as saying: “I have to tell you what I’ve been thinking about and working on and maybe you won’t want to be friends with me anymore.”

“I’ve decided to support ‘Akilisi [Pohiva] in the election. Some people don’t want to talk to me now, but there are a lot of people who say, good on you Kalafi, and they agree with me. They say it quietly. In Tonga it’s the common people, the poor who are ‘Akilisi’s support base. But the public servants and the business people, they might endorse him, but they don’t say it loudly.

“It’s possible to lose friends because of who you are supporting in the election.”

The main points

  • Tonga’s long-time democratic veteran campaigner ‘Akilisi Pohiva will stand for election for the last time in this year’s Tongan elections.
  • The November election will be Pohiva’s ninth parliamentary term since 1987, giving him 28 continuous years of being a member of Parliament.
  • Pohiva paid tribute this week to his democratic supporters and wished them well in their coming election.
  • Pohiva’s supporters want him to become the next Prime Minister of Tonga

Tongan student killed in a brawl in Fiji

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

A Tongan student, Sione Tufui, 22,  at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji was killed last Saturday morning 21 after a brawl broke out between Tongan students and another group.

He was unconsciuos and rushed to the Colonial War memorial Hospital in Suva.

His older brother Tupou Tufui who was also a student at the university said he received a call from the hospital at 2am and informed him about the death of his younger brother.

There were other Tongan students who were reported to have been injured during the fight.

Police have yet to release any details regarding the incident but a message from the Tongan community leader in Fiji, Eleni Tevi was shared on Facebook calling on the USP Tongan students to calm down and asked to refrain from making any revenge.

“There has been a terrible news that was relayed to the Tongan committee this morning of a Tongan USP student who got killed last night from a brawl in Suva" Tevi said.

“There is great concern for the safety of the USP students whether you are Tongan or Nauruan or otherwise who may have anything to do with the fight last night at a Suva night-club.

“The Tongan Community is sending out a plea to all Tongan students to stand down and keep away from further engaging in any confrontation with regards to last night's fateful occurrence.

“The main committee (more than half are still in Nadi) will be meeting at Api Tonga tomorrow after church to look into the details of the case and try to bring some control to the situation!

Tonight there are a lot of angry students who may wish to pursue some unfinished business from last night but we plea as a community to all Tongan students to please stand down for the sake of involving other innocent students in this mess.

“Take care of each other and we will meet tomorrow on what needs to be addressed to diminish any further damages and grievances to families and friends of victims.

“We also ask for your prayers at your churches tomorrow for this situation to be well taken care of in a peaceful and inclusive way to settle matters of Pacific Island students in Suva.

“At the moment the authority (Police) is taking care of the matter and we are in contact with Tongan doctors at ED at CWM hospital on students who are also injured and their well-being and safety while members of the Tongan community at USP are taking care of the communications with the authority now.

“This is not a time to judge, it is a time to stand together as a community and help each other find solutions that work for everyone,” Tevi said.

Tonga's Attorney General steps down

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Kiliki: heni ke ke lau a e ongoongo ni i he lea faka-Tonga

Tonga's Attorney General, Neil Adsett  said, "I confirm that I am finishing up soon as Attorney General in Tonga. It is the right time now for a Tongan lawyer to take over, especially with important cabinet meetings, parliament sessions and elections later this year".

‘Aminiasi Kefu is well respected and experienced as a lawyer and government adviser, and he will be the Director of Public Prosecutions and Acting Attorney General from 26th June.

It has been a privilege for me to be Tonga’s Attorney General for the last 2 and a half years and to have been involved at times in Tongan law for over 25 years.

I hope in time to continue to work in Tonga, perhaps keeping the laws up to date – and I hope to be living here in Nuku’alofa for part of the year anyway (my wife and I like it here at the house we have at Sopu.

– tongaportal.gov.to.

Inspired by Her Late Father, Graduate Sets Sights on Political Career

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Wellington, New Zealand — 25-year-old Astrid Mataele wants to follow in her late father’s footsteps into a career in politics.

Her father, Joe Tuilatai Mataele, was a Member of Tonga’s Parliament for 20 years.

"I grew up seeing what he did for people. He changed people's lives,” Astrid says.

In November 2008 Astrid’s brother and her four cousins were killed in a car accident.  Less than a year later, in August 2009, her father passed away.

The following January Astrid came to New Zealand to begin her studies.  It was a terrible time for her, she says, but the tragedy of losing her loved ones gave her the determination to just keep going.

Last month she graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a double degree in Political Science and International Relations.

Astrid is a volunteer leader in the young adult program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Wellington. She helps organize social activities and devotionals, and provides leadership to hundreds of other young Latter-day Saints throughout Wellington.

Next Tuesday she will join with other young Latter-day Saints as well as a group of Catholic young people as they assemble personal care kits for men who stay at the Wellington Night Shelter.

The following day the young adults will meet with Prime Minister John Key, several Members of Parliament and other officials at Parliament.

The group will be learning about how the nation is governed as well as discussing the place of faith in New Zealand society, and the role of religious freedom in allowing all people the capacity to live according to their consciences.  

–Press Release, Mormon Newsroom, New Zealand

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