COMMENTARY: The New Zealand government should treat Tongan overstayers as people fleeing economic war and persecution.
Decades of corruption and mismanagement have led people to flee to New Zealand looking for a better life. Often, because of the way land is owned by the nobility. They have nothing to go back to.
Deputy PM Carmel Sepuloni is being questioned by the media after a public meeting that included government ministers and community leaders following an incident recently that was reminiscent of the Dawn Raids of the 1970s. Photo/John Pulu
Kaniva News does not condone law breaking, but in many cases those who overstay are really in the same position as those fleeing war or persecution. In this case it is an economic war against ordinary people and persecution by a corrupt system that favours the rich and powerful.
The dawn raids of the 1970s were a black page in New Zealand’s history and to see them again is deeply disturbing. The most recent case triggered outrage in New Zealand’s Tongan community whose members were upset by reports that children had been traumatised by the early morning attack.
Immigration New Zealand called the raid an “out of hours immigration compliance visit.”
Tongan community leader Pakilau Manase Lua told a public meeting called after the latest incident: “We are crying for our dawn raiders, we are still being dawn raided.”
Such behaviour by police flies in the face of the Labour Party’s claims that its Children and Families policy puts “the wellbeing of children at the centre of everything we do.”
The dawn raids are uncivilised, inhumane and have no place in New Zealand when human rights are at the core of everything we do to eliminate violence against human beings. They should be scrapped.
New Zealand has a long history of offering a safe home to people fleeing war or persecution especially from the Middle East. Under its Ethnic Communities policy the Labour government has increased the refugee quota to 1,500 places per year and has boosted support to refugee communities already in Aotearoa, helping people reunite with family and supporting their settlement.
The government should re-examine the case of Tongans who come to this country and treat them as refugees. Although they have not fled a physical war or persecution in Tonga, in reality, years of corrupt behaviour by Tongan leaders has traumatised our people.
There is no Ministry of Social Development in Tonga, meaning there is no government help for the people living at the grassroots level. Jobs are scarce and the only reliable financial assistance available is the remittances sent from the kāinga in New Zealand and other countries to Tonga.
Yet while many of the kingdom’s 105,000 people live in poverty, the king is given a budget of about $TP5 million a year from taxpayers’ money. Each noble is given a salary of more than $TP20,000 a year, something that has been criticised for years because there is no job description to justify the Treasury paying out these salaries. The nobles are paid just for being nobles.
Tonga’s political system and constitution have been described by a Commonwealth Lawyer as the worst among all the Commonwealth countries. A poor constitution allows corruption and abuses of power by government leaders. It brings untold moral harm at the grassroots level.
Ordinary Tongans have seen classic examples of these abuses such as the transfer of tens of millions of pa’anga from a Chinese payment to Princess Pilolevu’s Tongasat company, condemned as illegal by the Supreme Court.
The former government of the late Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa was accused of creating its own multi-million roading project just to please some of his Cabinet Ministers who helped him win the premiership election. That roading project was estimated to cost $TP$400 million. It was heavily criticised, with many saying the budget would devastate Tonga’s annual national budgets, which relies heavily on overseas donations, for years. However, Tu’i’onetoa went ahead and approved it and that was his constitutional right to do so.
Some abuses and examples of questionable behaviour go back decades, such as the fate of the $TP119 million loan from China to rebuild Nuku’alofa after the 2006 riots. Critics said that the amount of the loan was imprudent and would burden taxpayers for ages. It was estimated by some economists that the loan should have only be $TP20-30 million. The then Prime Minister Sevele was later accused of not re-paying the money he used to rebuild his business which was burnt down in the disturbances.
About 30 percent of the land in Tonga is controlled by the nobility and the king. This means that most people living on these lands do not legally own them. They are obliged to donate to the nobility from time to time and in some cases, some people have been evicted when they have not donated.
Ordinary Tongans are facing an economic war and persecution and this is why many have overstayed their visas in New Zealand. They do not want to go back and face this war. Rather than stage dawn raids, the New Zealand government should help them.
For more information
‘We’re still being dawn raided’, Tongan leader tells emotional public meeting
Searchers have recovered a body at Abbey Caves in Northland where a student was missing after a school trip during bad weather on Tuesday.
Northland District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill announced the discovery of the body shortly before 6.30am today.
He said the body was found late on Tuesday night after police continued the search using specialist equipment brought up from Auckland.
The Year 11 student from Whangārei Boys’ High School went missing during a trip in to the caves with a school party.
The search for the missing student had been expected to conclude around 5pm yesterday, however, the equipment meant it could continue into the evening, Hill said.
“This helped enable searchers to locate a body, which was successfully recovered late yesterday evening. As such, the search has now concluded,” Hill said.
“While formal ID of the body is yet to take place, police are ensuring the family is being offered support, and our thoughts remain with them at this tragic time.”
Some cordons will remain in place around the caves area while police continued to conduct a routine scene examination, he said.
“We acknowledge this event has been very distressing for the school and wider community, and that there are a number of questions the public will have.
“At the moment, police’s focus is on supporting those affected, and we remind people to please not make assumptions as to what has occurred.”
A security guard was at the site on Wednesday morning. Photo: RNZ / Tom Taylor
Fourteen other students and two adults reported being in trouble around 10.30am on Tuesday but made it out of the caves to safety, where they helped by search and rescue teams and St John Ambulance.
‘Cloak of aroha around the whānau’
Ngāti Kahu o Torongare me Ngā Hapū o Whangārei has placed a rāhui at the caves.
Hapū kaikōrero Hūhana Lyndon was at the site on Tuesday evening for prayer and to offer support to the family.
“We received the call that our tamaiti had been found, and so made our way over with our kaumātua to meet the whānau and to support them as well as all of those kaimahi who worked tirelessly through the day to find him.
“All the emergency support services were united in aroha and grief for our whānau as they came through at the same time as us, once word was received that they had found him.
“It was terribly sad and a horrific situation but being there and united in that aroha manaaki for our whānau at that time certainly gave us strength for today and for the days to come.
“It’s a special tribute to the way with which New Zealand police, search and rescue, all of those support services were there and wrapped a cloak of aroha around the whānau.”
Hapū members had also earlier in the day been with the family as they suffered the grief of not knowing what would happen, she said.
“The wairua does settle once you know that you have your boy back.”
Aroha was extended to all the boys who were found and their families and their distress, as well as the staff who were also deeply affected.
“It’s really important to us to manaaki all, to all those affected.
“Our kaumātua are with the school this morning, they assembled early with school leadership as part of what is our approach for managing the emotions and supporting the school culturally and spiritually.”
Kaumātua would help lead in protecting and strengthening the spiritual integrity of the school community, and the Ministry of Education and Victim Support would be sending help, Lyndon said.
The family followed their boy to the hospital after he was recovered from the caves, she said. They needed time and space for themselves and for the wider whānau to be advised.
In a statement yesterday, Whangārei Boys High School principal Karen Gilbert-Smith promised a full investigation into the trip would be held.
The Ministry of Education North leader Isabel Evans said the ministry’s traumatic incident team was at the school to give support, and any investigation would be carried out by the appropriate agency or agencies.
A man has been convicted in the Supreme Court of serious indecent assault and online abuse.
‘Ofa ‘Alifelei, 32, appeared before Lord Chief Justice Whitten for sentencing on one count of serious indecent assault contrary to ss 124(3) of the Criminal Offences Act; and a second charge of using a service to abuse and cause harm by posting an electronic communication contrary to Section 4 of the Electronic Communication Abuse Offences Act 2020.
On July 1, 2022, ‘Alifeleti asked the woman he assaulted out for drinks with a friend Sioeli. The woman is a 24-year-old female from Pangaimotu, Vava’u. They were joined by another person.
During the evening the accused intercepted a phone call from a man on the woman’s mobile. That night he punched her, struck her with a stick and tried to hit her on the head with a piece of timber.
He later photographed her naked and performed sexual acts on her.
The Defendant then took the Complainant into his house and left her inside his room. He threatened that if she escaped, he would find her and shoot her with his gun.
After he left, the woman was able to call her aunt who alerted the police. ‘Alifelei was arrested and the woman was taken to hospital. She sustained swelling over her scalp, a bruise to her right eye, and a fracture to her left forearm.
‘Alifelei was originally charged with, and pleaded not guilty to, [1] causing serious bodily harm; [2] serious indecent assault; [3] using a service to abuse and cause harm by posting an electronic communication; and [4] unlawful imprisonment.
At the beginning of his trial in Vava’u on March 13, the Defendant was rearraigned, whereupon he pleaded guilty to counts two and three and not guilty to counts one and four. The Crown accepted the guilty pleas in discharge of the indictment.
Lord Chief Justice Whitten described the indecent assaults as “not committed to fulfil a sexual desire, but instead to unleash hate, and pure harm to the victim.”
He said the assaults “highly demoralised the victim and her family.”
He described them as the product of” intoxicated, emotional immaturity.”
The court was told that ‘Alifelei was educated to Form 4, but was uninterested in school. His siblings had all moved away and he lived in the family home alone. He earned money by selling crops and kava grown on his plantation.
The Leimatu’a Town Officer described the Defendant as an introverted loner who, much like the other men in his family, did not take part in community activities or attend faikava gatherings where he could socialise with people his age.
‘Alifelei told his probation officer that the victim was his de-facto partner. She and her two young children from her previous marriage moved in and lived with the Defendant in his home. Since last year, the two had been inseparable. However, he believed the woman was also having an affair with a man from her neighbour’s family.
In September last year ‘Alifelei and the woman he assaulted signed an agreement whereby he paid her TP$1000 in exchange for her dropping the charges. However, the Magistrate refused the application to cancel the charges because the woman’s family did not agree.
‘Alifelei has no previous convictions.
Lord Chief Justice Whitten sentenced ‘Alifelei to a total of two and-a-half years in prison. The final 12 months of the sentence is to be suspended for a period of two years from the date of the Defendant’s release.
The World Health Organisation has declared that Covid-19 no longer represents a “global health emergency”.
The organisation said the virus was now an established and ongoing health issue that no longer constituted a public health emergency of international concern.
WHO head Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the official estimate was that at least 7 million people died in the pandemic but the true figure was likely closer to 20m deaths and he warned that the virus remained a significant threat.
New Zealand epidemiologist Michael Baker said the WHO decision was the right move and global status change made sense at this stage but it made no practical difference to how countries managed the infection.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
Ko e keisi fo’ou ‘e 12,277 ‘o e Koviti-19 ‘i Nu’u Sila ‘i he uike ne lele mai ngata he tu’ua po Sapate.
Ne mate ai ha toko 30 pea ‘alu hake ai ‘a e fika fakakatoa ‘o e mate he Koviti ‘i Nu’u Sila ni ki he toko 2792.
Ko e tokolahi ‘o e kakai mo e vailasi ‘i falemahaki ko e toko 249 ‘o ‘i ai ‘a e toko 12 ‘i he ‘initenisivikea.
Uike kuo osi ne iai ‘a e keisi foou ‘e toko 11,063 na’e lipooti pea mo he toko 26 ne mate tupu mei he vailasi.
Kuo fakaha foki ‘e he Kautaha Mo’ui ‘a Mamani kuo ikai toe hoko a e Koviti-19 ko ha mahaki ke tokanga fakavavevave ki ai ‘a mamani.
Pehe ‘e he kautaha kuo ‘osi lava he taimi ni ‘o tali pea kei hokohoko atu ‘o ‘ikai ko ha toe ‘isiu ke fai ha hoha’a fakavavevave fakamamani ki ai.
Pehe e he ulu o e WHO Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus ko e fakaofiofi fakaofisiale kuo mate ‘a e toko 7 miliona he Koviti ka ko e fika totonu oku ‘i he 20 miliona. Pea ne fakatokanga ‘oku kei fu’u fakatu’utamaki pe ‘a e vailasi.
Kuo pehe ‘e he taukei epitemolosisi ‘a Nu’u Sila Michael Baker ko e tu’utu’uni taimi totonu pe ‘eni ‘a WHO pea ‘uhinga lelei pe ‘a hono liliu ‘o e tukunga fakakolope he taimi ni pea ko e toki me’a pe ia ki he ngaahi fonua ke nau tokanga’i e pipihi ‘a e mahaki.
Disgraced politician Etuate Lavulavu has been found guilty of contempt of court.
In a case brought by the Attorney General and heard by Hon. Justice Tupou KC, the court was told that on October 26, 2022 the former MP took part in a live streamed interview on Facebook and Youtube, during which he committed contempt of court.
‘Etuate Lavulavu
In the interview, Lavulavu made a number of comments about the conduct of an earlier trial before Judge Cooper involving him and his wife ‘Akosita.
They were charged with obtaining money by false pretences contrary to section 164 of the Criminal Offences Act, and three counts of knowingly dealing with forged documents contrary to section 172 of the Criminal Offences Act.
The offences related to the operations of the ‘Unuaki ‘O Tonga Royal Institute (UTRI), a private education provider with its head office situated at Tofoa. ‘Etuate Lavulavu was the president. ‘Akosita was the director.
The Lavulavus were convicted in a trial before Judge Cooper, but that conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal.
In the contempt trial, The Attorney General relied on six statements made by Etuate Lavulavu during an interview with VPON media that constituted remarks to the effect that:
i) Justice Cooper predetermined the case; ii) Justice Cooper’s application of the law was incorrect, iii) Justice Cooper disregarded the Lavulavu’ s arguments without any consideration of them; iv) their convictions were not based on evidence; v) Justice Cooper is not allowed to disregard the testimony of witnesses; and vi) Justice Cooper’s decision was influenced by political figures and persons of high rank.
On February 28 this year the Lord Chief Justice KC ruled that with the exception of the sixth charge, the other charges were broadly consistent with the decision of the Court of Appeal and did not constitute a prima facie case of contempt.
Lavulavu pleaded not guilty to the sixth charge.
The Attorney General tendered evidence based on the interview between Lavulavu and interviewer Sylvester Tonga on 26 October, 2022 titled Polokalama Mavahe that was live streamed on VPON Media & Broadcasting Facebook account on link https://fbwatch/gPTcBpG73q/ and on Youtube at the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQMkEUhlxx0.
A transcript was presented to the court of Lavulavu saying: “Yes I believe that is what happened and it was not just me who saw them I was very surprised but I don ‘t want to talk about who it was but they are political figures, two of them and others who are in a higher level than the Judge. I think its best if I just leave it at that, but to my knowledge there are people, from what I know, who have been misleading the Court and I feel sorry for the Court. I stayed back when the Court of Appeal trial finished and the appeal judges came and delivered their judgment and I felt sorry for the Judge and I had a lot of love for the Judge. I really felt that he believed these people who were trying to mislead him from the side and that’s where the truth was lost and for other reasons that I will discuss tomorrow.”
In a sworn affidavit Sylvester told the court he had made 10 programmes with Lavulavu.
In the interview already cited, he asked Lavulavu if he believed there were persons who misled the Judge causing his decision to be biased and unfair as decided by the Court of Appeal. Translated from the Tongan , it reads:
“My question to you is that yesterday you raised that there are some people from the outside who have been visiting the office of the court. I want to know whether according to what you know, if there were any others who were affected by the Judge’s decision that was full of bias and unfair and those other grounds that were accepted in the Court of Appeal.”
He confirmed that Lavulavu later identified persons who had influenced the case as the DPP, Crown counsels involved in his case and the Probation Officer.
Judge Tupou said the Crown had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the statements made by Lavulavu had been made via the VPON Media & Broadcasting Facebook and Youtube platforms.
In making his submission the Attorney General quoted Lord Chief Justice Paulsen who said:
“Any act done or writing published calculated to bring a Court or a Judge into contempt or to lower his authority is a contempt of Court. The purpose of this form of contempt is to protect the public (not the Court or the Judge) from the mischief that will occur if the authority of the Court is undermined or impaired.
“In an action for contempt by scandalising the Court, what must be proved beyond reasonable doubt is the publication of material that is calculated, in the sense of likely, to bring a Court or a Judge into contempt or lower their authority in the eyes of the community. There is no requirement that it be proved that they were in fact so undermined.”
Judge Tupou said the clear imputation of Lavulavu’s words was that outsiders were visiting the court office, that those outsiders were people interested in politics and persons who occupied a position higher than the Judge, that those people misled the Judge and the Judge believed them, resulting in the loss of truth.
“A listener or viewer, in my view, would understand from the statements made by Lavulavu that Justice Cooper’s decision to convict him was driven by outside forces, namely, persons interested in politics and persons above his level; that Justice Cooper in believing those persons is not impartial; that the Supreme Court is not an independent institution and is susceptible to political influence and authorities higher than the court,” the judge said.
“The statement strikes at the core function of a Judge and his oath to perform truly and with impartiality his duties as a judge, sufficient to shake the “confidence of ordinary people in the proper, safe and efficient administration of Justice.”
“I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the charges against Lavulavu has been proved. I find him guilty of the offence of contempt of Court,” Judge Tupou said.
For more information
Re-trial for Lavulavus. Judge overstepped the line and took on prosecutor’s role says panel
Story by Maria Chiorando and Lydia Hawken For Mailonline
In a break from tradition, King Charles added crowned royals to the guest list for this coronation, meaning a number of kings and queens were able to take part in the pageantry.
For centuries, convention dictated that no other crowned royals should attend the coronation of a British monarch, in a tradition that lasted for 900 years.
This was based on the idea that the sacred event should be an intimate exchange between the monarch and their people, in the presence of God.
But Charles decided against this , which marks one of the ways he has tried to modernise the ceremony, meaning his crowned friends, including European royals and rulers from Arab states made it onto the guest list.
Prince Albert of Monaco and Princess Charlene
He was the first European royal to confirm his attendance at King Charles’ coronation, revealing the news at the end of January.
Monaco’s crown prince, 64, spoke fondly of the British king, whom he described as ‘a very educated man and someone with a great sense of humour’.
He also suggested he was looking forward to the event, telling PEOPLE magazine he was ‘certain that it’s going to be an incredible ceremony and a very moving one’.
Albert added: ‘We’ve maintained contact since His Majesty became King, but I haven’t talked to him personally since the Queen’s funeral.’
The prince, who is looking forward to attending the king’s coronation, added: ‘I’m certain His Majesty will add his own personal touches to the ceremonies, but what those will be, I’m sure I don’t know.’
He will be accompanied by his wife Princess Charlene – a South-African Olympic swimmer.
During an appearance in Milan last month, 44-year-old Charlene’s ring finger was noticeably bare, prompting speculation that the Monegasque royals may be planning a separation.
However, later that day, the couple made a joint appearance at the Monte Carlo Woman of the Year awards, where Charlene appeared to be wearing her wedding ring – pouring cold water on the split rumours.
Rumours about the couple’s marriage first circulated after Charlene was absent from Monaco for most of 2021 while having medical treatment in her native South Africa, and was admitted to a Swiss clinic to be treated for exhaustion on her return.
However they are expected to put on a united front tomorrow.
The pair share eight-year-old twins Jacques, Hereditary Prince of Monaco and Princess Gabriella, Countess of Carladès.
Prince Albert of Monaco – who competed in bobsledding at the Winter Olympics five times from 1988 to 2002 -ascended to the Monaco throne after the death of his father, Prince Rainier III, on 6th April 2005.
Coronation of King Charles III
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Crown Princess Mary, Denmark
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark will be in attendance tomorrow alongside his wife Crown Princess Mary, Denmark.
It was a tumultuous autumn for the Danish Royal Family after the monarch stripped her younger son Prince Joachim’s four children of their prince and princess titles – a shocking move which he publicly spoke out against.
She has said the decision was intended to allow Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20 – born from Prince Joachim’s first marriage – and Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, to live normal lives without royal obligations.
Instead of being Princes and Princesses, they are Counts and Countess and referred to as Their Excellencies – a change which is now reflected on the household’s website.
At the time, Prince Joachim publicly spoke out against his mother’s decision – claiming that his children had been ‘harmed’ in the process.
Later this year, the 53-year-old royal, who is sixth in line to the Danish throne, will relocate to Washington DC with his family to become defence industry attaché at the Embassy of Denmark.
King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden and Crown Princess Victoria
At the age of 75, Carl is the longest reigning monarch in Swedish history, having took to the throne in 1973.
King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden is one of the European royals with the closest ties to the Queen.
He is a great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria and was a third cousin of the late Monarch.
That is because the Swedish King is the great-grandson of Queen Victoria’s son Prince Arthur, and is also related, on her mother’s side to Victoria’s eighth son, Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany.
Following the King and Queen Silvia’s tour of Estonia this week, the monarch is expected to be accompanied to the Coronation by his daughter Crown Princess Victoria.
It’s been a busy week for the Spanish royals – with King Felipe and Queen Letizia hosting Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his wife Verónica Alcocer in Madrid.
Following a state dinner last night, the Colombian couple are returning home to today while the Spanish royals jet out to London.
Felipe is a distant cousin of Charles: his mother, Queen Sofia, was a third cousin of the Queen and a first cousin once removed of the Duke of Edinburgh.
‘Deeply saddened by the sorrowful news of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, your beloved mother.
‘I would like to offer Your Majesty and the British people, on my behalf and on the behalf of the Spanish government and people, our most heartfelt condolences.’
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Norway
There has long been a bond between the British and Norwegian royal families, which intensified after Germany visited Norway in 1940, and the royals came to stay in the UK.
Charles was names after the former King Haakon VII, who was known colloquially among friends and family as Carl, and called Uncle Charles by Queen Elizabeth.
Crown Prince Haakon is the great grandson of Haakon VII, and is set to represent his family at the coronation alongside his wife Mette-Marit.
The two royal couples had previously met in 2018 during the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s trip to Oslo.
Haakon is heir apparent to the throne of Norway. Despite being older, his sister Princess Märtha Louise of Norway is fourth in line to the throne due to Norway’s succession rules.
Mette-Marit was born a commoner, to farmers in Norway and was a single mother by the time of her engagement to Crown Prince Haakon in 2000.
She became Crown Princess after the couple’s marriage in 2001. Mette Marit has spent her reign championing humanitarian projects while joining official visits.
Her first official appearance was at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony at Oslo City Hall on December 10, 2000, following the announcement of the couple’s engagement on December 1.
Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Luxembourg
The Grand Duke of Luxembourg and his wife Maria Teresa are also guests at tomorrow’s ceremony.
Henri, who came to power in 2000, is a relative of the Monarch via Leopold I, Prince Albert’s uncle.
Last year, the couple expressed their sorrow over the Queen’s passing on Twitter.
The Luxembourg royal family wrote: ‘Their Royal Highnesses are deeply moved and saddened by the news of the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II, a monarch deeply attached to the friendship between our two countries.
‘HRH the Grand Duke will send a message of condolence on behalf of the people of Luxembourg to the British Royal Family.’
Crown Princess Marie-Chantal and Crown Prince Pavlos, Greece
Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece, will attend the historic ceremony tomorrow alongside her husband Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece.
Prince Pavlos is the eldest son and second child of Constantine II, the last King of Greece from 1964 to 1973 and his wife, Anne-Marie of Denmark.
Despite the Royal Family being abolished in Greece, the British royals still have a close relationship with their distant royals.
In the 1990s, Constantine was stripped of his Greek citizenship and the state seized Tatoi and a palace on the island of Corfu – where Britain’s Prince Philip was born.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, the Netherlands
Queen Maxima will attend alongside her husband King Willem-Alexander.
King Willem-Alexander is distantly related to King Charles – he was the Queen’s fifth cousin once removed thanks to an ancient connection in their family tree.
Willem-Alexander is a descendant of Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau, who was the daughter of William IV, Prince of Orange, and his wife Anne, the eldest daughter of King George II of Great Britain and his consort Caroline of Ansbach.
Queen Rania seemed fond of the late monarch and she referred to her as the ‘Queen of the World’ in a sweet Instagram tribute last year.
Sharing a snap of herself with her husband at the state funeral in London she wrote: ‘Bidding farewell to a Queen whose legacy will never fade or be forgotten. With His Majesty at Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in the UK.’
She said: ‘Despite being the most important person in the room, she always made you feel like the most important person in the room.
‘She just had a very gentle and subtle way about her. Her elegance wasn’t just in her appearance but in the way she lived her life.
‘I just have the most wonderful memories of her, throughout the years, every time I met her, I felt she was warmer and warmer.
‘She didn’t always presume that you wanted her advice but she was very generous when you asked for it. I really looked up to her. To me, she is the queen of the world.’
Queen Rania also expressed her confidence in King Charles III as a leader calling him ‘incredibly intelligent.’
Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan
The royal couple were pictured arriving at Claridge’s hotel in Mayfair yesterday – where they will stay for their three day trip.
According to the Imperial Household Agency, Japan received an invitation from the British Royal Family to the coronation in March.
Although Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako attended the Queen’s funeral in September 2022, the ruler has asked his younger brother Crown Prince Fumihito, 57, to represent him at the coronation.
The Crown Prince is the current heir presumptive and his teenage son Akishino is second in line to succeed his uncle
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Belgium
The Queen’s distant cousin King Philippe of Belgium will be seated in the Abbey alongside his wife, Queen Mathilde.
The monarchs share several common ancestors, including Franz, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, who was the grandfather of Queen Victoria and the father of King Leopold I of the Belgians.
They are also related via King Christian IX of Denmark, known as the ‘grandfather of Europe’ due to his far-reaching family tree. The Queen is King Christian IX’s great-great granddaughter. Philippe is his great-great-great-grandson.
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde attended the service without their four children.
Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie, Lichtenstein
Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein will be in attendance during the event tomorrow alongside Alois, the Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein.
Aged 54, he has been regent of his country since 2004 and has been raising his four children with his wife, Hereditary Princess Sophie.
His father, Hans-Adam II, the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein, was an eighth cousin of Queen Elizabeth
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema, Bhutan
King Jigme, the hugely popular fifth Druk Gyalpo, studied in the UK and the US and ascended the throne in 2006, aged just 26 after his own father abdicated.
He attended a reception hosted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u, Tonga
Tupou VI has reigned as the King of Tonga since 2012 and is expected to attend the coronation with his wife Nanasipauʻu Tukuʻaho.
During his reign, the monarch has nurtured his close links with the British Royal Family
In 2018, Tupou met with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their tour of Australia and New Zealand.
His brother, Oxford-educated King George Tupou V passed away in a Hong Kong Hospital at the age of 63 in 2012, the cause of death believed to be linked to kidney problems.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and Lady Julia, Ashanti royals (Ghana)
The monarch is joined by his wife Lady Julia Osei Tutu for the occasion.
Charles was pictured beaming with the Asantehene as the pair laughed with each other.
A multi-coloured fringed parasol was held over the Ghanaian monarch’s head as the encounter took place, with the cover denoting the visiting king’s seniority.
The King also met the Asantehene in November 2018 when the Asantehene and Lady Julia welcomed Charles and Camilla to Manhiya Palace in Kumasi, Ghana.
The Asantehene has a long-standing relationship with the British Monarchy, having met the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2000; and Charles in Glasgow, where they both received honorary degrees.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku, Malaysia
Another royal couple jetting in from halfway across the world is Yang Di-Pertuan Agong XVI and the Raja Permaisuri Agong.
The couple are making the journey from their Palace in Malaysia to London this weekend.
He will attend the ceremony with his wife, Raja Permaisury Agong Tunky.
Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah was crowned monarch after Sultan Muhammad V stepped down after the last his reported marriage to a Russian ex-beauty queen, Oksana Voevodina.
The ceremony was televised nationally and attended by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and hundreds of guests decked out in Islamic finery.
Before being sworn in at the palace, the 63-year-old, who is also the ceremonial ruler of central Pahang state, was given a welcome at the national parliament and inspected a guard of honour.
His predecessor, Sultan Muhammad V stepped aside following just two years on the throne after he went on medical leave. Reports then surfaced he had married a former Miss Moscow in November.
King Tuheitia and Makau Ariki Atawhai, Māori royals (New Zealand)
King Tuheitia and Makau Ariki Atawhai have travelled to London to represent the Māori community at the coronation.
Earlier this year, King Charles made a point to involve Māoris in his first Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.
The King and Queen Consort were welcomed by Kiwi conch-blowers and a swaying Maori chorus who effectively drowned out a small cross-section of assorted protesters on the other side of the road.
King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida, Thailand
The Thai King and Queen will be in attendance at Westminister Abbey tomorrow.
They revealed ahead of the weekend that they would be attending a May 5 reception given by King Charles for invited heads of state and overseas representatives at Buckingham Palace.
A meeting has been held in Auckland between the government and those who lived through dawn raids past and present.
A public meeting that included government ministers and community leaders was called following an incident last week that was reminiscent of the Dawn Raids of the 1970s. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Lydia Lewis
The meeting attended by the immigration minister, six Pacific MPs and community leaders was sparked by revelations of a case last week where a Pasifika overstayer was detained after a dawn raid. His lawyer said police showed up at his home just after 5am, scaring his children and taking him into custody.
Less than two years ago, then prime minister Jacinda Ardern officially apologised on behalf of the government for the infamous early morning raids of the 1970s which she said left Pacific communities feeling “targeted and terrorised”.
Tongan community leader Pakilau Manase Lua opened Saturday’s meeting in an impassioned plea for the government to listen.
He told a packed room, “we are crying for our dawn raiders, we are still being dawn raided” – and asked how that was still happening after the apology
An overstayer sharing his story at the meeting. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Lydia Lewis
An overstayer at the meeting who cannot be named to protect his identity shared his story directly with the immigration minister.
Tears poured as he spoke, saying “I ask the minister for some grace to help us”.
“If you grant us a piece of paper then we will work hard for New Zealand and we will never forget that,” he said.
Former Pacific minister Aupito William Sio, who led the dawn raids apology, called on Pasifika leaders not to disrespect and disregard the historic apology for them.
But Pakilau Manase Lua said that was not good enough.
“The apology was for me, my father who’s passed away, all of the overstayers that were passed away for the dawn raid. How dare you come and tell me off on my marae.”
Immigration Minister Michael Wood told the packed room he was shocked to find out what had happened recently and committed to change.
Woods said the government was considering an amnesty for overstayers, but he could not say when a decision would be made.
“This is a very significant issue for us to consider, the last time there was an amnesty in New Zealand was over 20 years ago, we have the advice in front of us now.
“I don’t want to give a date and set up a false expectation and raise hopes, I’ve given a very clear undertaking to people here today it will be soon.”
Amnesties were a complex issue and official advice needed to be carefully considered, he said.
A driver was allegedly drunk before crashing his vehicle into a tree killing a two-year-old baby and injuring others.
The fatality happened on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at around 6.45 pm at Navutoka.
It said the driver drove recklessly and crashed onto a toa tree on the side of the Halatahi road.
“The driver, a 66-year-old male was heading in the northern direction on the Halatahi Road in Navutoka with 3 passengers, a 69-year-old male from Kolofo’ou and his two young daughters, aged five and two”, Police said.
It said the driver “who was intoxicated at the time lost control of the wheel, which caused the car to swerve to the right side of the road where it crashed onto the ‘toa’ tree causing injuries to him and his passengers”.
The victims were rushed to the hospital and at around 10 pm, Vaiola hospital confirmed the passing of the two-year-old girl.
Police investigations into the incident are ongoing while the others, including the driver remain at the hospital.
“This is the first road casualty for Tongatapu so far this year, and it is the second for the Kingdom with the first road fatal victim was from Vava’u early in the year.
“Tonga Police continues to urge drivers to take their responsibility while driving seriously and in particular, to be mindful while behind the wheels especially when your passengers’ lives depend on you. “Be cautious for your safety and the safety of others to avoid causing unnecessary harm.
“Contact Police at 740-1630, 740-1632 or 922 to report crime”.
