Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Newsletter
Support Kaniva
Home Blog Page 169

COMMENTARY: Does Australian-supported business plan  hold key to Lulutai’s future – and where is it?

By
Kalino Latu
-

COMMENTARY: What is the future of Lulutai airlines?

After Lulutai airlines was given the sole license to fly in Tonga, critics said the government should have left the airlines in the hands of the private sector.

They said the government should assist the private sector in whatever it could do to make it financially viable.

Former Prime Minister Pōhiva Tuionetoa said the government’s interest in the airlines business was to fix it and make sure it was stable before giving it back to the private sector.

However, the government never did this, despite repeated offers from two of the country’s former airline operators to step in.

Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku echoed the same policy as Hon. Tu’i’onetoa – to keep the airlines until it is financially viable.

The question is whether an airline in Tonga can ever be financially viable. The previous operator, Real Tonga struggled to remain financially viable and incurred $500,000 after a bird strike on the airlines Saab340. Previous airlines have either failed financially or been the victims of political meddling.

Current government policies may be wishful thinking – and that can be dangerous for an airline.

Now, when Lulutai is in trouble financially, it has been reported that it has incurred $18 million in operating costs and there has been no mention of the government expects to recoup its investment.

The government appears to have guaranteed a loan of $13 million for Lulutai’s maintenance. This means if Lulutai dies tomorrow the government has to repay this loan from taxpayers’ money.

The Australian government has been paying Fiji Airways to run a passenger service seven times a week between Tongatapu and Vava’u. Tonga and Australia signed a financial agreement to help fund the service until at least June 30.

It is presumed that subsidy continues.

Announcing the rescue package in February, Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku said additional expenses incurred by the compensation deal would be covered by Australia.

The Australian High Commissioner in Tonga, Rachael Moore, said Australia was donating Aus$500,000 to the rescue package.

“Lulutai will continue to sell tickets. If there is a shortfall in the cost of any of those segments Australia will meet that shortfall to ensure that connectivity domestically for Tonga,” she said.

Australia has also been training pilots and engineers and providing  ground support equipment and aviation weather infrastructure.

Australia clearly has a strategic interest in keeping an airline flying in Tonga because it helps generate much  needed tourism revenue that helps make the kingdom more viable in the long run, but what about the long term? Will Australia really be prepared to keep subsidising Lulutai forever?

Would it be prepared to see  Lulutai become another financial wreck like Royal Tonga, which collapsed owing millions at the beginning of the century?

The answer may lie in a statement buried in the February announcement of the Australian rescue package, which said that Australia would provide technical advice to Lulutai to develop a long-term business plan.

What has happened to that business plan? Does it exist? And if it does, when will it be released?

How could such a plan protect Tonga’s air services and guarantee that the government will be able to meet its multi-million pa’anga financial obligations and recoup its investment? Did the Australian and Tongan governments involve commercial operators in their discussions?

Asked in February whether the government had considered selling Lulutai to a private company, the Prime Minister said that was part of the process to resolve the Lulutai crisis.

The question would be whether the government would let one of the previous operators back in the air or look for an overseas operator to step in, as happened when the New Zealand-based Chathams Pacific ran the domestic service.

Tongans who depend on a reliable airline service to travel and keep their businesses afloat deserve answers to these questions.

Concern over incident at Kaufana airport grows as  government guarantees $13 million maintenance loan   

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Pacific Aviation Safety Office is concerned about yesterday’s incident at Kaufana airport on ‘Eua in which a Lulutai airlines Harbin Y12 veered off the runway during an attempted take-off, Kaniva News understands.

Prime Minister Huakavameiliku (L), Lulutai Chief Executive Poasi Tei

PASO is an international organisation providing aviation safety and security service for Pacific nations.

After the event, which is technically known as a runway excursion, the aircraft returned to the terminal. Eyewitnesses reported that passengers refused to re-board the aircraft.

The flight was then cancelled.

Our source said the Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) had not been involved in auditing Lulutai airlines.

Lulutai’s main aircraft, a Saab 340, was taken out of service at the beginning of the year for an engine overhaul. Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni said the government had been told to ground the aircraft.

At the time it was estimated repairs would take three to four months.

Australia has been providing financial assistance and Fiji airlines provided an aircraft until June.

The Saab 340 is derived from a Swedish design which first flew in 1983. Several hundred of the aircraft are still flying. The Chinese-built Harbin Y12 first flew in 1982 and is still in production.

Our source claimed the cost of overhauling an engine for Saab was between US$780,000 and $820,000.

Our source also told Kaniva News that Lulutai’s  record may work against its ability to lease other aircraft.

Financial costs

The concerns about Lulutai come after it was revealed the government had spent about TP$18 million so far on the airlines after it replaced the Real Tonga Airlines in 2020, Kaniva News has learned.

The Tongan government had put TP$10.1 million in its budget 2022/2023  and $3.3 million on its 2023/2024 government budget towards loan guarantees for Lulutai airlines’ maintenance services.

Former Minister of Finance Dr ‘Aisake Eke, and MP for Tongatapu 5, asked the Minister of Finance Tiofilusi Titiuti in Parliament to explain the two figures.

Dr Eke asked Hon. Titiuti to explain why the budget did not bring forward the $10.1 million from the previous budget and add it up with the $3.3 million in the 2023 / 2024 budget.

Dr Eke said it could be that Lulutai airlines had paid off the TP$10.1 million, but as far as he understood the situation that was not possible because the airline had been struggling financially because of Covid and other causes.

The Minister vaguely briefly answered Dr Eke’s questions in Tongan.

The Minister said this was an agreement for the value of the guarantee to be provided in the budget annually, implying that the TP$10.1 million loan by Lulutai was still guaranteed by the government, but was not brought forward in the 2023/2024 budget.

According to the Hansard, the Minister said in Tongan: “Fekau’aki mo hono guarantee ‘o hono hono maintenance, hono maintenance ko eni ko ē ‘o e vaka ka na’e ‘i ai pē ‘a e ‘a e felotoi fakata’u pē fakata’u pē ‘a hono pē ko e ta’u fakapa’anga lolotonga eni ‘oku hā ai ‘a e amount ko eni ko e guarantee ko hono fakahoko ko ē ko ē ‘o e ‘o e hangē pē ‘oku hā atu ‘o hono maintenance ‘o e ‘o e ‘oku tu’u ma’u pē he maintenance pea kapau ‘e ‘osi e ta’u ‘oku ‘ikai ke ngāue’aki pea ‘oku hoko leva ki he ta’u hoko.”.

Hon. Titiuti said the figure for 2023/2024 was shown as maintenance and if the money was not used it would be transferred to the following year.

Since the airline began operations, there has been concern about how much experience the senior management of Lulutai has had in operating an airline and about its financial prospects.

Kaniva News has asked Lulutai chief executive Poasi Tei for comment.

For more information

Real Tonga ready to fill gap left by loss of Lulutai services, says former airline’s boss

Real Tonga ready to fill gap left by loss of Lulutai services, says former airline’s boss

Passengers terrified as Lulutai aircraft struggles to leave ‘Eua’s Kaufana airport

By
Kalino Latu
-

Lulutai airlines flight from ‘Eua was cancelled this afternoon after the Y12 passenger aircraft veered off the runway during its take-off run.

The aircraft spent 20 minutes trying to take off before it returned to the terminal at Kaufana airport.

The incident was filmed and shared on Facebook.

Eyewitnesses said the aircraft appeared to have engine problems when it arrived at the airport.

A Tongan resident from Auckland told Kaniva News that when the aircraft touched down, it stuttered repeatedly before making it to the terminal.

The passengers inside the aircraft included a palagi woman and her children.

The man said he was in ‘Eua with a team of surveyors and they were waiting for the flight after the one that did not get off the ground. 

“It’s shocking and the government should look deep into this before something sinister happens”, Saia Latai told Kaniva News in Tongan.

“There are too much politics and this is the results,” he said.

Eyewitnesses said they could see smoke as the aircraft tried to leave Kaufana airport this afternoon about 4pm.

The 19-seater aircraft with passengers was scheduled to leave for Tonga’s main island, Tongatapu, before returning to take on board the remaining passengers at Kaufana.

It was then announced the flight was cancelled.

Passengers waiting at the terminal appeared to be terrified and could be heard refusing to board the aircraft again.

They said they would take the ferry instead.

This afternoon’s incident comes after a passenger from New Zealand complained about her experience while flying from Nuku’alofa to Ha’apai last month on Lulutai airlines.

She said she regretted being in the aircraft after she heard a loud noise while they were in the air.

She said she thought the aircraft would crash.

Meanwhile, there were still ongoing complaints about the airline’s poor services, including unexpected cancellations of scheduled flights.

Passengers have complained that they have not received satisfactory answers when they have asked why the airline has not kept to its timetable.

Kaniva News has contacted the chief executive of Lulutai airline for comments on these previous incidents. 

‘It was a long earthquake, it wasn’t a jolt’

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A strong, deep 6.7-magnitude earthquake that hit 134 km from Neiafu has been felt around the group on Sunday.

There was no tsunami warning issued.

The quake, which struck at 11.27pm was centred at a depth of 247 km,  the Tonga Meteorological Service said.

USGS reported that the nearby places to the centre of the quake included Neiafu at 134.4 kilometre south east.

Reports on social media said it was long and it wasn’t a jolt.

“A bit of a shake – an earthquake? The bed was actually shaking”, a commenter wrote on Facebook.

“It is a sign we will have a sunny day tomorrow”, one commenter wrote.

Northland could see 110kph winds, Auckland Harbour Bridge under alert

By
Kaniva Staff
-

This story appears on RNZ.co.nz

Northland may cop squally showers, thunderstorms and potentially “damaging” wind gusts and tornadoes of more than 110kmh on Friday evening, as an active front is forecast to hit the region.

MetService has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the region from 8pm to midnight.

It is warning that wind gusts of this strength can cause some structural damage, including to trees and power lines, and may make driving hazardous, the weather forecaster says.

Meanwhile, there’s a risk that thunderstorms, tornadoes, heavy showers and hail could also hit Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) today, with speed being reduced on the Auckland Harbour Bridge amid an amber alert for high winds during peak-hour traffic.

“It’s quite showery and windy across Auckland, and this evening the thunderstorms could possibly be severe. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on updates,” MetService meteorologist Kathryn Hodge said.

A strong wind watch has also been issued for Northland between 8pm and midnight.

At about 6pm, both Auckland and Northland have a risk of “small tornadoes” as an unsettled southwesterly flow moves through the area.

In Northland, if any tornadoes occur, they will only affect “very localised” areas, MetService said.

“Strong winds and showering weather is going to be here for a few days to come,” Hodge said.

Looking ahead to the weekend, a strong wind watch has been issued for Hawke’s Bay, south of Hastings, and the Tararua District for nine hours, from 8pm on Saturday to 5am on Sunday.

MetService meteorologist Andrew James said we’re also in for a cold start to the weekend, with temperatures forecast in the single digits right across the country for 5am Saturday, and into the negatives in the south.

“Make sure you’ll be wrapping up,” he said.

The cold weather could also bring with it a “top up” of snow for Ruapehu and Mt Taranaki about 900m.

Weather impacts on the roads

An amber alert has been issued for Auckland Harbour Bridge, where speeds are reduced and some lanes on the bridge may close.

Waka Kotahi said high-sided vehicle drivers and motorcyclists should use the western ring route on State Highways 16 and 18.

Another amber alert is likely on Saturday morning, with a low risk of brief periods of a red alert.

From Sunday morning, gusts of 75 to 80kmh are still likely, especially with passing showers, Waka Kotahi said.

Heavy snow watches are also in place for Fiordland, from 9am Saturday to 1am Monday, and in parts of Otago, Southland and Stewart Island, from 2pm Saturday to 5am Monday.

Snow is expected to fall down to 100m at times.

Further north, SH1 Dome Valley remains closed for the fourth morning in a row, following a major slip where 30 truckloads of rocks and debris scattered onto the road.

At 7.20am Waka Kotahi said the SH1, between Wellsford and Warkworth, will remain closed on Friday “until further notice”.

Drivers should take alternative routes through SH16, Waka Kotahi said.

*This story was first published by Stuff

Parliament says Taione did not swear as row over alleged comments in House heats up

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Parliament has denied claims that MP Johnny Taione swore in the House.

As Kaniva News reported last night, Taione’s alleged swearing was picked up on a microphone and broadcast.

MP Piveni Piukala (L), MP Johnny Taione. Photo/Johnny Taione (Facebook)

Kaniva News has listened to the audio on Kele’a Voice livestream of the Parliamentary session and this is what it could tell.

At one stage during the uproar Piukala asked: “Ko e hā ‘a e ‘uhinga ke ta’ofi ai au Sea?”. This translates into English as “Why are you stopping me Mr Chairman?”.

It followed with what appeared to be the Chairman warning Piukala by saying “Me’a ki lalo” which translates into English as “Sit down”.

Another person then be heard as what appeared to be Taione swearing and said:

“Ful_’i ki lalo”.

We have decided to publish that part of the audio here for our readers’ information:

This morning Parliament said Taione has submitted a complaint to the House saying the accusation on social media was false and misleading and he did not swear.

The press release from the House also said the staff had reviewed the tape and they did not hear any swearing from Taione. 

The Speaker also said he ordered the tape to be replayed to the House and there was no swearing on it.

However, many of the Tongan online community including Radio Television Tonga International (RTTI) shared a copy of that part of the audio which the alleged swearing could be heard on Facebook.

As of this evening many commenters on Facebook still believe that what they heard was swearing.

The Parliamentary press release said some other MPs in the House, including Mateni Tapueluelu from the people MPs’ bench, as well as Lord Tu’iha’angana  had witnessed they did not hear Taione swearing.

Kaniva News reviewed the tape again after the press release and can confirm what we  heard on the tape appears to be Taione swearing.

What the press release failed to clarify was a detail written record  of the alleged swearing that Kaniva News and other media have listened to and mentioned.

If that was provided it would be an easy way to solve the puzzle of what Parliament officially says it heard and what others say they heard.

The alleged swearing came after Piukala and the Chairman of the Whole House Committee became involved in a heated debate after Piukala claimed the government’s annual budget was falsified.

The Prime Minister and the Chairman, Lord Tu’ilakepa, asked Piukala to tell them which specific pages in the budget were falsified. Piukala asked the Chairman to allow the Tongatapu 5 MP to provide an answer before him.

The Chairman refused and told Piukala if he would not take the floor and clarify his claims about the budget he would not give him an opportunity to speak again.

The exchanges escalated into shouting amid warnings from the Chairman that he would suspend Piukala.

Taione interrupted and told the Chairman to stop Piukala.

Taione and Piukala  then began trading verbal punches before Taione allegedly swore at Piukala. This was carried  live on Parliament’s online streaming service.

The chairman finally announced he had suspended Piukala  for a day for “inappropriate behaviour”.

The public has been quick to condemn Taione’s behavior on Facebook, calling it disrespectful and unbecoming of an MP.

Many believe the Chairman should have suspended Taione instead of Piukala. They have also called on the Speaker to take action against Taione, with some even calling for his suspension from Parliament.

Critics said the Chairman Lord Tu’ilakepa should have been  fair to both Piukala and Taione.

Taione’s insult drew a backlash from many who said they were shocked and disgusted by his demeanour.

“That’s unbelievable. It is better to argue and dispute issues as much as you can, but you can’t swear in the House,” a commentater on Facebook said.

“If our MPs didn’t have good manners, that’s too bad,” wrote another.

Others asked why the Speaker was slow to do something about Taione.

Rats tests still vital, but NZ gov’t needs to find alternative use for millions of expired tests

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Covid-19 has not gone away and testing and treatment are still vital to protecting New Zealand from the pandemic.

However, the government has now found itself sitting on millions of expired tests. They were bought in 2022 with a different environment and different version of the disease,  but have not been used.

New Zealand Health is sitting on nearly two million expired rapid antigen tests and another 16 million that are nearly at their expiry date.

The Rats tests were bought to provide people the opportunity to test themselves, but changes in the  nature of the epidemic and responses meant they were not used.

The unused tests are worth about $160 million.

Health New Zealand is trying to work out what to do with the tests.

A Health spokesperson said large quantities of Rats were first purchased in late 2021 and early 2022 during the Delta outbreak and in preparation for the new strain that became Omicron.

Rats tests were then in short supply and it was expected they would become central to testing at home and work.

There was a lot of pressure to re-open its borders allow New Zealand to remove restrictions.

The spokesperson said Te Whatu Ora was “actively scanning the market” for ways to promote “re-purposing, alternative uses or recycling” of the tests.

“When the Rats were purchased, there was a global shortage and no crystal ball to know how much we would need – and it was important that we were prepared for a variety of different possibilities,” Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said.

Rats tests still play a vital role in detecting the virus and protecting families. As recent  reports have shown, people in New Zealand are still dying from the disease.

For information on how to get a free Rats test and how to use them, go to  https://covid19.govt.nz/testing-and-isolation/covid-19-testing/how-to-get-a-covid-19-test/#where-to-get-a-test

Covid-19: Two children under 10 among 36 deaths, 7702 cases

By
Kaniva Staff
-

‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga

There have been 7702 Covid-19 cases reported in New Zealand over the past week.

The numbers cover the week from Monday, June 19 to Sunday, June 25.

Case numbers continue to fall, with the latest numbers coming after 8544 cases were reported the week before.

As at midnight Sunday there were 181 people in hospital with the virus.

Five people were in an intensive care unit as at midnight Sunday.

Thirty-six more people with the virus have died.

Two were less than 10 years old, one was in their 40s, three were in their 50s, four were in their 60s, seven were in their 70s, 13 were in their 80s and six were aged over 90.

Seventeen were women and 19 were men.

Of the 36 deaths reported today, seven were from Auckland region, six were from Canterbury, four were from the MidCentral District, three each were from Northland, Waikato and Nelson Marlborough, two each were from Bay of Plenty, the Lakes District, Whanganui and the Southern District, and one each were from Taranaki and the Wellington region.

The total number of deaths confirmed as attributable to Covid-19, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor, is 3117.

FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA

Kuo ‘i ai ha toko 7702 ko e keisi Koviti 19 fo’ou ia kuo lipooti ‘i  Nu’u Sila’ ni he uike kuo ‘osi’.

Ko e fika ‘eni mei he Monite Sune 19 ki he Sune 25.

Oku hokohoko atu pe holo ‘a e fika pea ‘i he uike atu ko e toko 8544 na’e lipooti.

I he tu’upō Sapate ko e toko 181 ne ‘i fale mahaki ma’u ‘e he vailasi’.

Ko e toko nima ne ‘i he ‘initenisivikea  pea mate toko 36 ‘a ia ko e toko ua ne na ta’u 10, toko taha ta’u 40 tupu, tolu ne ta’u 50t fa ko e ta’u 60t, fitu ko e ta’u 70t, toko 13 ko e ta’u 80 pea toko ono ko e ta’u 90.

Ko e toko 17 ko e kakai fefine pea toko 19 ko e kakai tangata.

Ko e toko 36 ne mate he ‘aho ni ko e toko fitu ai mei Aokalani, ono mei Canterbury, fa mei he  MidCentral District, tolu mei he Northland, Waikato mo  Nelson Marlborough, ua mei he  Bay of Plenty, the Lakes District, Whanganui mo e  Southern District, pea taki taha ‘a Taranaki mo  Wellington.

Kuo fakapapau’i ‘eni ko e kotoa ‘a e kau mate’ ko e toko 3117  ‘a ia ka hala pe ne ‘i ai honau mahaki tauhi ko ‘enau mate’ ne kaunga lahi ki ai ‘a e Koviti 19.

Calls on Speaker to punish MP Taione after swearing caught on hot mic and after MP Piukala’s suspension

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Critics have called on the Speaker to suspend MP Johnny Taione after the Chairman of the Whole House Committee Lord Tu’ilakepa threw MP Piveni Piukala out of Parliament for a day.

Taione and Piukala began trading verbal punches in Parliament this morning before Taione swore at Piukala.  

MP Johnny Taione. Photo/Fale Alea O Tonga)

Taione’s alleged insult was made live on Parliament online streaming.

“Ful_’i ki lalo”, Taione’s swearing in Tongan can heard which was picked up and broadcast.

As Kaniva News reported earlier, Chairman Lord Tu’ilakepa had suspended Piukala for “inappropriate behaviour” after he accused the government’s new annual budget of being allegedly falsified.

A heated debate erupted in the House after Piukala made the allegations.

The Prime Minister and the Chairman along with others from the government bench asked Piukala to tell them which specific pages in the budget that contained the alleged falsification. in response, Piukala asked the Chairman to allow Tt5 MP to provide an answer before him in which the Chairman had declined it.

Taione interrupted and told the Chairman to stop Piukala in which Piukala challenged him to a fight.

However, Lord Tu’ilakepa finally announced that he has suspended Piukala.   

The Chairman’s failure to take action against Taione had been widely criticised on social media.

The public has been quick to condemn Taione’s behavior, calling it disrespectful and unbecoming of an MP.

Many believed the Chairman should have suspended Taione instead of Piukala. They have also called on the Speaker to take action against Taione, with some even calling for his suspension from Parliament.

The Speaker has yet to comment on the incident.

Critics said the Chairman Lord Tu’ilakepa should be fair to both Piukala and Taione.

Taione’s insult drew a backlash from many who said they were shocked and disgusted by his demeanour.

“That’s unbelievable. It is better to argue and dispute issues as much as you can but you can’t swear in the House,” a commenter on Facebook said.

“If our MPs didn’t have good manners, that’s too bad,” wrote one commenter.

Some commenters asked why the Speaker was slow to do something about Taione.

Fist-fight challenge in Tonga Parliament; MP Piveni Piukala suspended over ‘inappropriate behaviour’

By
Kaniva Staff
-

MP Piveni Piukala was suspended from Parliament for a day after he was involved in a heated debate with the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Whole House Committee this morning.

Paula Piveni Piukala

Piukala had accused the government of falsifying the annual budget, and when the Prime Minister asked him to point out the specific pages that contained the alleged falsification, Piukala refused to do so and instead demanded more time to explain.

The Chairman Lord Tu’ilakepa allowed Piukala to speak, but he continued to be disruptive and refused to comply.

Piukala argued that the constitution stipulates that it was the duties of the MPs to check and scrutinise the budget.

“The king and the people are listening and waiting for us”, he said in Tongan.

Another MP, Johnny Taione, intervened and asked the Chairman to stop Piukala, but Piukala challenged Taione to a fight.

The Chairman then ordered the House security to remove Piukala from Parliament.

Lord Tu’ilakepa said if he submitted a formal report to the House on Piukala’s “inappropriate behaviour” he could be suspended for 14 days. Lord Tu’ilakepa said he decided to suspend him for just one day instead.

The incident highlights the tensions that exist in Tongan politics, and it raises questions about the role of Parliament in holding the government accountable.

1...168169170...912Page 169 of 912
© Copyright 2025 Kaniva Tonga News & Entertainment