A mother of three young children died in Vaiola hospital after a crash on Taufa’ahau road on Sunday 14.
The 42-year-old woman died on Friday 19 after the crash that left her 30-year-old husband and three children, a 10-year-old girl, and 5-and-3-year-old boys injured.
Vaiola Hospital Ambulance. Photo/Kalino Lātū
The Police said the family “were heading in a northern direction on the Taufa’āhau Road when the driver recklessly sped and lost control of the wheel, which caused the car to swerve and hit another vehicle that was parked on the side of the road adjacent to the Free Wesleyan Church at Pea, before crashing onto the church’s fence”.
“They were rushed to the Vaiola Hospital with serious injuries where they have been monitored”, the Police said.
Police warning
Tonga Police intends to bolster its road safety enforcement measures starting this weekend by running checkpoints at strategic locations.
Focus will be made on drink driving so police officers will be carrying out alcohol breath tests on our roads.
The public is hereby reminded to kindly cooperate when and if stopped by police officers for alcohol breath testing. It is an easy and quick process, especially if you have not been drinking, so please just follow the police officers’ instructions.
It is also important to note that refusing to take either of the Screening Breath Test or the Evidential Breath Test is an offence, where one shall be liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000, or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 3 years, or to both, and the Court may order that the convicted person be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for a period not exceeding 3 years.
Kahuku-born Iam Tongi, 18, made his ohana and Hawaii proud by winning the popular ABC singing competition “American Idol” today.
KAT WADE / SPECIAL TO THE HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER / MAY 16
Tongi beat out finalist Megan Danielle from Georgia for the coveted spot, becoming the first contestant with Hawaii ties crowned winner of the show after 21 seasons. Finalist Colin Stough from Mississippi was eliminated midway through today’s show.
“Idol” fans know Hawaii has had representation on past shows. Several Hawaii residents passed the auditions and moved on to compete in previous years. Jordan Segundo placed 26th in Season 2; Jasmine Trias placed third in Season 3 and Camile Velasco (also known as Eli-Mac) placed ninth; and Liahona Olayan placed 19th in Season 19.
Tongi, born and raised in Kahuku, will be graduating from Decatur High School in Federal Way, Wash., in June. During his “Idol” audition, judge Lionel Richie asked why Tongi left the Hawaiian Islands. Tongi said his family had been “priced out of paradise.”
Judge Katy Perry today responded to Tongi’s past comment of being priced out of paradise: “Welcome to paradise, my friend.”
Tongi told judges today he was looking forward to returning home before learning the final results.
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Judges Richie, Perry and Luke Bryan overall gave Tongi positive reviews.
“You have a great delivery and that’s what’s going to make you shine forevermore,” said Richie after Tongi performed a song by Keith Urban earlier in the competition.
Midway through the competition, an emotional Tongi sang “Monsters” — the same song he auditioned for on “Idol” — on stage with English singer/songwriter James Blunt who dedicated the song to his late father died of kidney failure. Tongi’s his father, Rodney Tongi, also had succumbed to the disease.
Tongi’s mother, Lillie Tongi, was emotional after emcee Ryan Seacrest interviewed her during a break.
“I feel like this is where he was meant to be,” she said.
A prominent Tongan lawyer has been suspended for three years for an alleged misconduct, reports said.
Lawyer Siosifa Tu’utafaiva. Photo/Supplied
Siosifa Tu’utafaiva, who has served as an advocate lawyer in a number of high-profile cases, was ordered to pay back TOP$10,000 to four of his clients, the local media reports said.
The reports also said Tu’utafaiva had failed to represent his clients after they paid for his legal services.
Kaniva News contacted the Supreme Court Registrar about the reports.
The former Minister of Police and MP is no stranger to the law. A Supreme Court Order suspended him from practice as a law practitioner for a period of 12 months from July 10, 2013.
That punishment came after the Tonga Law Society’s Disciplinary Committee found him “guilty of two counts of professional misconduct contrary to Section 21(1)(a) of the Act” on October 4, 2012.
A court document at the time said Tu’utafaiva did not dispute that he had received substantial sums through legal fees, that he had not performed the services for which he had been paid and that he had not repaid the money received, despite repeated requests.
Tu’utafaiva ultimately paid back those complainants’ money after they paid him in 2003 and 2008.
“After taking into account all facts and matters placed before it both by the complainants and the Law Practitioner the Committee found that the ‘ Law Practitioner’s conduct amounted to an abuse of the relationship of confidence and trust between practitioner and client stated in Rule 1.01 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Law Practitioners 2002″.
The Committee also endorsed the view that “the misconduct of the [Law Practitioner] is serious and harmful to the clients and does not reflect the image and standing of the lawyers in Tonga, or elsewhere, too well. It does not promote the integrity and good name of the profession in the Kingdom”.
“The Committee feels that the penalty must be such that not only the Respondent but other lawyers are reminded that they must always act in the best interests of their clients, which is their primary concern”.
This year’s “no-frills” Budget is spending nearly $11.5 billion more of taxpayers’ money over four years, plus $1.9b from the climate response fund, with a focus on cost-of-living and cyclone recovery.
Photo: RNZ
Here’s a list of the major spending and projects:
Cyclone recovery
$1b for the previously announced Cyclone Recovery Package
‘Cost of living’ package
$1.2b for extending 20 hours childcare cover to include two-year-olds (it currently covers ages 3-5), starting in March next year, equating to $133.20 a week.
$618.6m to scrap $5 co-payments for prescriptions
$402.6m for expanding Warmer Kiwi Homes, subsidising 100,000 heating and insulation installs, 7500 hot water heat pumps and 5 million LED light bulbs
$339.3m for pay parity for ECE and care service teachers and $260m for cost pressures for ECE services including a one-off $3m for Playcentre Aotearoa
$327m for free public transport for under-13s, and half-price for under-25s. However, it’s worth noting the current half-price fares for the wider public and fuel subsidy is expected to end at the end of June
$323.4m to continue free lunches in schools, estimated to save families with two school-age kids $60 a week
$35.2m to improve access and uptake of childcare assistance, by introducing online applications
$19.6m to give KiwiSaver payments to those receiving paid parental leave
Infrastructure and housing
$71b over five years for new and existing infrastructure projects (adds to $45b over the past five years)
$6b for the National Resilience Plan, including to address the newly released Infrastructure Action Plan
$100m over five years for Rau Paenga, a new infrastructure delivery agency repurposed from Christchurch Rebuild agency Ōtākaro
$3.6b to address cost pressures in the current public housing build programme and a further $3.1b for 3000 more public housing places by the end of June 2025
Climate
Spending $1.9b from the $3.6b Climate Emergency Response Fund, which can only be spent on emissions reductions, and adaptation measures
$402.6 million to expand the duration and scope of the Warmer Kiwi Homes programme
$370 million for rail infrastructure resilience
$300 million in new money for the green bank Green Investment Finance (already announced)
$167.4 million in building resilience to future climate events
$120 million to expand EV charging infrastructure
$100m fund to help councils invest in future flood resilience
$50 million for distributed renewable energy projects in isolated communities
$39.2 million in improving the mapping of New Zealand’s coastline and identifying coastal areas at significant risk of climate-related hazards and natural disasters.
$38 million on design of Emissions Trading Scheme and centralised exchange for New Zealand Unit trading
$32.5 million to accelerate the adoption of green hydrogen
$30 million over three years for clean heavy vehicle grants
$24.7 million to improve data on impacts of climate change and adaptation and mitigation
$22.9 million to increase Westport’s resilience to future flooding. (already announced)
$19.9 million to support resilience to climate change for iwi, hapū and the wider hapori whānui by expanding both data quality and access.
$10.7 million investment to reduce diesel generation and establish a renewable energy system on the Chatham Islands
Health and disability
$2.6b over two years for cost pressures in the health system and reforms
More than $1b to increase pay rates and boost staff numbers
$864m for the delivery of disability services
$147m over two years for modifying school buildings to support students with special needs, including automatic doors, lifts and bathroom refits
$27.3m to end the Minimum Wage Exemption, which allows disabled people to be paid at rates lower than minimum wage
Permanent half-price fares for Total Mobility services
$20m to lift Covid-19 immunisation and screening coverage for Māori and Pacific people
Education
$455.4m already announced for new schools and classrooms under the National Education Growth Plan
As well as the $260m for ECE operating costs detailed above, $233.9m is allocated for school running costs, and $521 million total operating for tertiary tuition and training subsidies. There are also smaller increases to address wages at NZQA, cost pressures at Pacific schools, ERO, the Independent Children’s Monitor
$198.7m for 33 school projects in the Christchurch Schools’ Rebuild programme
$134.4m to expand Māori-medium infrastructure, to support the government’s target of 30 percent of Māori students learning in Māori-medium education by 2040
$63.1m for property improvements to 175 more schools – focusing on small or isolated schools – by extending the Ngā Iti Kahurangi school infrastructure programme
$41.3m to address “historical underfunding” of alternative education
$39.1m to support upgrades to cybersecurity and IT at schools and kura
$23.6m to boost teacher training enrolments and incentivise overseas teachers to move to New Zealand, targeting an increase of 1700 new teachers
$9.9m over five years for expanding the Critical Local Histories programme, which has local iwi and hapū work to add local culturally relevant information to schools’ history curriculum, after high levels of interest from schools
Science and technology
Includes initiatives to help meet a government target of spending 2 percent of GDP on research and development
$451m to set up three research and technology hubs in Wellington
$160m to give video game developers a 20 percent rebate, aiming to help keep this growing industry in New Zealand with similar rates seen overseas
$75m funding for Industry Transformation Plans, including for Horticulture, Digital and Tourism
$38m to have New Zealand join the EU’s Horizon Europe initiative, allowing collaboration with European researchers
Economy and business
Treasury is no longer forecasting a recession this year, but a return to surplus has been pushed out to 2025/26 in line with a “steady decline” in government expenditure
$8.6b for topping up the New Zealand superannuation fund over the next five years
A new Trustee tax will increase the tax rate paid on Trusts to 39 percent, expected to net the government 1.12b over three years, including $765m in 2025/26
$238m for re-instating the Training Incentive Allowance to incentivise sole parents, disabled people and their carers to study
Māori and Pacific
Total Māori package over $825m
$200m investment in Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga programme for long-term housing supply and repairs
$168.1m for Whānau Ora services
$200m for increasing the supply of Māori housing
$64.4m for Ngā Tini Whetū, providing support for 650 wāhine hapū (pregnant women) in the first 1000 days of life for their pēpi
$34m two-year boost for Te Matatini
$18m over four years for Matariki
$23m to extend the Te Ringa Hāpai Whenua Fund
$14.1m for Pacific Community Resilience and Wellbeing
$13.3m to implement the Pacific Languages strategy
$12.8m to implement the Pacific Employment Action Plan
$3.1m to support Pacific businesses
$1.7m to enhance Pacific data and digital inclusion efforts
Katy Perry predicted that Iam Tongi would win season 21 of American Idol on Sunday during Disney Night of the ABC show.
The 38-year-old pop superstar wore a red Elastigirl costume complete with a red wig and black eye mask as she declared that Iam, 18, of Kahuku, Hawaii, was the frontrunner.
‘I believe it’s written in the stars,’ Katy said. ‘I don’t believe in coincidences. I know that you are Iam, but when I see your name I see ‘I am …the next American Idol.’
‘There’s a moment in time in your life when magic happens and my friend this is magical for you,’ Lionel said. ‘This is a time when all the stars align. It’s really happening.’
Bold prediction: Katy Perry predicted that Iam Tongi would win season 21 of American Idol on Sunday during Disney Night of the ABC show
High school student Iam was the last contestant to perform during the two-hour live show and delivered an emotional rendition of Father And Son by Cat Stevens.
When he was finished the crowd chanted his name and was given a standing ovation by judges Katy, Lionel and Luke Bryan, 46.
Iam after his mesmerizing vocal performance was voted into the top three along with Megan Danielle, 21, of Douglasville, Georgia, and Colin Stough, 18, of Gattman, Mississippi.
The show opened with Grammy-winner Sara Bareilles, 43, and the top five contestants singing When You Wish Upon A Star from Disney’s Pinocchio.
Katy in her Mrs. Incredible outfit had a special message on Mother’s Day.
‘I’m doing this for all the moms out there! ‘ Katy said while straddling her leg across the judge’s table.
‘That desk will never be the same,’ quipped host Ryan Seacrest, 48.
‘I do wish there was a little bit more air conditioning in here,’ Katy said in the skintight outfit.
The frontrunner: Iam, 18, of Kahuku, Hawaii, became the frontrunner to win season 21
Standing ovation: Lionel Richie, Katy and Luke Bryan gave Iam a standing ovation
Final performance: The two-hour live episode ended with Iam performing
Top three: Iam after his mesmerizing vocal performance was voted into the top three along with Megan Danielle, 21, of Douglasville, Georgia, and Colin Stough, 18, of Gattman, Mississippi
Each of the top five contestants were tasked with singing two Disney songs – a classic and soundtrack favorites.
Disney Channel star Sofia Carson, 30, served as the episode’s mentor and met with each of the contestants individually at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
Wé Ani, 24, from Harlem, New York, went first after enjoying her first visit to the park. We picked Into The Unknown from Frozen II to sing. Sofia urged her to try to make the song her own.
For her performance, Wé wore a purple long sequined dress as she belted out the Idina Menzel song.
‘You look like a star, you sound like a star, you act like a star, your stage presence is amazing,’ Lionel said.
‘I’m just going to get it out of the way because you deserve it, that was incredible!’ Katy said. ‘It was like you were a superhero of vocals.’
‘Thank you, Mrs. Incredible,’ Wé told Katy.
‘Great performance,’ Luke commented.
Grammy winner: The show opened with Grammy-winner Sara Bareilles, 43, and the top five contestants singing When You Wish Upon A Star from Disney’s Pinocchio
Top five: Iam, Megan Danielle, Sara, We Ani, Colin Stough and Zachariah Smith sang together during Disney Night
Show mentor: Disney Channel star Sofia Carson, 30, served as the episode’s mentor and met with each of the contestants individually at Disneyland in Anaheim, California
Disneyland fun: Wé Ani, 24, from Harlem, New York, went first after enjoying her first visit to Disneyland with her mother Jackie
Zachariah Smith, 20, a grill cook from Armory, Mississippi, took his family to Disneyland and then practiced singing I Just Can’t Wait To Be King from The Lion King with Sofia. He took the stage wearing a lion-themed embellished jacket and performed.
‘You actually may become King,’ Katy said. ‘Lionel and I would know something like that. You were to me such the underdog and now look at you know, you are in the top of tops.’
‘You are on fire my friend,’ said Lionel who performed with Katy at the recent coronation of King Charles III.
Zachariah told Ryan if he made it through he was looking forward to spending time with his brother who was autistic.
Colin picked Sheryl Crow’s song Real Gone from the movie Cars. He said the movie was one of his favorites. Colin’s mother Nara joined him for a day at Disneyland.
‘My mom’s the reason I’m here,’ Colin said. ‘She’s the one who signed me up on the show.’
Colin took the stage wearing all black down to his cowboy hat.
‘That was maybe my favorite performance that you have done,’ Luke said. ‘It was great.’
Happiest place: Colin’s mother Nara joined him for a day at Disneyland
‘Colin you came out looking like an electric guitar,’ Katy said.
Megan brought her mother Monica with her to see Disneyland. Megan picked You Can’t Stop The Girl from Maleficent to perform, dedicating it to her mother who had helped her growing up. Megan took the stage in a black long tulle dress.
‘That was a stellar performance,’ Lionel said.
‘The whole time I just want to tell you that you are a vocalist,’ Luke said. ‘That’s what that term is designed for. A vocalist is someone that delivers vocals just like you did.’
Ryan asked her why she chose that song.
‘Really because of everything I have been through not only me but my siblings and my mama over there,’ Megan said. ‘It’s a reminder that we can keep going and nothing can stop us.’
The Bachelorette star Hannah Brown, 28, and her boyfriend Adam Woolard also stopped the show and shared that they were big fans.
Iam performed the song Lava from the short film Lava. When a crowd gathered at Disneyland and saw Sofia mentoring Iam, he turned around and wowed the crowd with his singing.
Close bond: Megan brought her mother Monica with her to see Disneyland
Bachelorette star: The Bachelorette star Hannah Brown, 28, and her boyfriend Adam Woolard also stopped the show and shared that they were big fans
Surprise concert: When a crowd gathered at Disneyland and saw Sofia mentoring Iam, he turned around and wowed the crowd with his singing
Iam received another standing ovation from the judges and the audience. The crowd chanted his name.
‘You know exactly who you are and honey that is a superstar,’ Katy said.
‘Authenticity, you are so authentic to what you are,’ Luke said. ‘You make a room light up and it’s very special.’
‘I consider you a master storyteller,’ Lionel said.
Wé went next and sang the inspirational ballad The Climb from Hannah Montana after spending time at Disneyland resort with her mother Jackie. She gave her mother a bouquet of flowers and read her a mother’s day card.
‘You are my best friend,’ Wé said.
We wore a long gold sequined dress for her performance.
‘You are so elegant in your delivery and that was the perfect song for you to show that elegance,’ Luke said.
‘It was superb,’ Katy said. ‘You are a master of your craft now.’
Halle Bailey 23, from The Little Mermaid made an appearance on the show singing Part of Your World wearing a long blue strapless dress.
Zachariah gave his mother a handwritten letter thanking her for all she had done for him growing up. Zachariah said he was proud of his mother. Zachariah then sang Life Is Like A Highway from the movie Cars.
Katy said she appreciated the card Zachariah gave to his mother and that was all a mother wanted.
‘My 12-year-old Tate gave Caroline $7 in her card,’ Luke said referencing his family.
Colin did a folk song from Nobody Knows from Pete’s Dragon while playing the guitar. The judges gave him a standing ovation.
‘You really do an amazing job of holding the room,’ Luke said.
‘You walk out on stage and you step into your light,’ Lionel said.
Colin said he was looking forward to getting back home and getting on a motorcycle with his grandfather. Megan then performed Carried Me With You, the theme from the movie Onward. Sofia encouraged her to continue to be vulnerable on stage. The judges gave her a standing ovation when she finished.
‘So effortless, so natural, you are always in the pocket, you just got it,’ Luke said. ‘You’ve got the magic voice. You’ve got the magic delivery.’
Magic kingdom: Colin, Zacharia We, Megan and Iam enjoyed Disneyland with their loved ones
Megan told Ryan she couldn’t wait to get back to Georgia to eat some creamy cheese dip with jalapeños.
After the votes were tabulated, Ryan announced that Iam, Colin, and Megan would all be moving on to the top three. We and Zachariah were sent home.
American Idol will return Monday with a recap episode titled Journey to the Finale.
The season 21 finale next Sunday will feature Keith Urban, 55, as a mentor and he also will perform Wild Hearts.
An American doctor believes more than 800,000 Americans would be alive today, if the US had taken New Zealand’s Covid approach.
A refrigerated truck is used as a morgue at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York during the Covid-19 pandemic in April, 2020. Photo: Vanessa Carvalho / Brazil Photo Press via AFP
Jonathan Howard, who is the chief of neurology at Bellevue Hospital in New York, said he was angry that influential health professionals minimised the seriousness of the virus.
“We want them infected,” was the call of then presidential science adviser Paul Alexander.
It’s also the title of Howard’s new book, which tells the story of how some medical and public health professionals came to become anti-vaccine and pro herd immunity.
He told Kim Hill on Saturday Morning there was a deluge of mis-information from prominent US doctors, some of whom wanted to actually spread the virus.
“Famous doctors from our top universities went on television and told people that Covid was just going away, that it was just the flu, that young people under the age of 65 have essentially no risk,” he said.
“And not only were there not attempts to limit the virus, these were loud influential voices who wanted to spread it.
“You can read quotes from our former Covid advisor, Donald Trump’s former Covid advisor, celebrating rising cases, saying this is a good thing when cases rise, which is shocking and astonishing.”
While Howard said there were obvious differences between the two countries, many lives could have been saved if the US had taken a similar approach to New Zealand.
“If we had limited infections until we had vaccinated the vast majority of our population, we would have potentially had hundreds of thousands of people still alive today, there’s no question about that.”
Jonathan Howard MD and his new book, We Want them Infected. Photo: Jonathan Howard MD
However, our zero-Covid strategy wasn’t without its critics, with Stanford professor Jay Bhattacharya writing that it had “cost New Zealand dearly”.
“I think that the fact that most of your grandparents are still alive means that zero Covid did not cost you dearly,” Howard said in response.
“I don’t discount that, there were real costs of the lockdowns, I don’t know anyone who argues otherwise and I want to be very clear that I was protected from those costs, meaning I am very fortunate to be employed, I worked throughout the pandemic, I was never lonely, I don’t have my own business.”
But Howard said he didn’t think that the alternative – letting the virus spread freely – would have yielded a better outcome.
He said that when forklifts were needed to move bodies into giant refrigerated trucks in New York, it was fantasy to imagine the city could have operated as normal during the pandemic.
“You talk about deferred healthcare – every single healthcare worker was working with Covid patients, our hospitals were overflowing,” he said.
“So when I hear people lament they missed cancer screenings, who would have done those screenings? Would elderly patients have left their house to go to crowded waiting rooms to get a mammogram for example? I don’t think so.
“I think that the fantasy is that things could have just been normal if only if it hadn’t been for overly cautious politicians.”
By comparison, New Zealand did well, Howard said.
“I look at the numbers, I look at your death rate with great jealousy.” he said.
“And I think for long periods of time your economy was more open than ours was because we had to keep locking down, just because there were overwhelming outbreaks of the virus.”
Howard said the fact many older New Zealanders were still alive compared with the US statistics, showed the success of this country’s Covid strategy.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
Oku tui ha toketa ‘Amelika ne laka hake ‘i he toko 800,000 ha kakai ‘Amelika ne mei kei mo’ui pe ‘o a’u mai ki he ‘aho ni kapau ne ngaue’aki ‘e Amelika ‘a e founga tau’i ‘e Nu’u Sila ‘a e Koviti.
Na’e ‘ita ‘a Jonathan Howard, ko e pule ia ‘o e niuolosi ‘i he Bellevue Hospital i Niuioke ‘i hono fakama’ama’a’i he kau polofesinale ‘o e mo’ui ‘a e mafatukituki ‘o e vailasi.
“’Oku tau fiema’u ke nau pihia” ‘a e ui mei he fale’i saienisi fakapalesiteni ko Paul Alexander.
Kuo fakahingoa’aki ia ‘a e tohi fo’ou ‘a Howard, ‘a ia ‘oku talaki ai ‘a e anga e hoko ‘a ha kau polofesinale he mala’e ‘o e metikolo mo e mo’ui ‘a e kakai ko ha ‘enitivekisini mo poupou’i ‘a e herd immunity.
Na’a’ ne fakahā ki ha Kim Hill he polokalama Saturday Morning na’e ‘i ai ha fu’u ma’unga fakamatala halal ahi ne mahua mei he kau toketā ‘Iū’esa’, ni’ihi ‘o kinautolu ne nau fiema’u ke mafola ‘a e vailasi’.
Ne hā mai ha kau toketa ‘iloa ‘o kitautolu mei he ngaahi ‘univesiti talaa’ he televisone ‘o tala ki he kakai ‘e ‘osi pe ‘a e Koviti pea ko e fuluu pe ia, pea ko e kakai iiki he ta’u 65 ‘oku ‘ikai fakatu’utamaki ia kia kinautolu.
Kau heni ‘a e ngaahi lea ‘a taha fale’i ki he Koviti ‘a e Palesiteni ki mu’a ‘a ‘Amelika ko Donald Trump a ia ne ne pehe ko e me’a lelei ia ke mafola lahi ange ‘a e Koviti.
Lolotonga ne pehe ‘e Howard ‘oku mahino pe faikehekehe ‘i he ongo fonua na’e mei haofaki’i ha ngaahi moui lahi ‘i Amelika kapau ne nau fou he founga ‘a Nu’u Sila.
‘A ia ‘i he’ene lau kapau ne fai ha ngaue ke fakangatangata e mafola ‘a e pipihi ‘a e Koviti ne mei tokolahi ‘a e kakai ne fakahaofi.
Kakehe ko e policy ko ia Zero Covid pe ta’ofi e mafola ‘a e Koviti kei fakaanga’i pe o pehe e ha Palofesa mei Stanford ko Jay Bhattacharya ne fua ‘e Nu’u Sila ‘a hono faingata’a. Ne ne pehe ‘e ia ne ne monu’ia ia ‘i ‘Amelika lolotonga e ‘ikai ha’anau zero covid he ne kei lava ke kei ngaue pe ia he uhouhonga ‘o e to ‘a e Koviti.
Ka ne pehe ‘e Howard ko e kei moui a’u mai ki he ‘aho ni ‘a e ngaahi kui ko e ola lelei ia ‘o e fokotu’utu’u ngaue zero covid.
Kia Howard ko ene vakai ko ee ki he fakafehoanaki e ngaahi fika e mate mo e puke ‘a ‘Amelika mo Nu’u Sila, ne fu’u to atu ‘aupito ‘a Nu’u Sila ia.
Identical triplets have graduated with law degrees on the very same day.
Cale, Max and Jackson Tu’inukuafe, who are of Tongan heritage through their father, all graduated from the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand this week.
Triplets are rare, and according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine identical triplets only occur once in every 10,000 births.
Middle brother Max, says its a special bond that they share.
“It’s a closeness in relationship – its like a higher version of brothers. We’ve been together since day one so we’re very close,” he said.
The brothers with Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban Photo: Canterbury University
In Tongan, triplets are known as Mahanga Tolu – literal translation “twin three”.
The Auckland-based Tu’inukuafe trio all wanted to study law and decided to all move down together to study at Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University as it provided something new.
There’s an inseparable bond of support but they are also competitive.
“We’re always constantly grinding to get on top of each other, but at the end of the day, we all end up being pretty even,” said Max.
“Yeah no, we’re extremely competitive with each other,” said the youngest of the three, Jackson.
“We have our ups and downs because we clash with each other…but we’re still pretty good friends,” he added.
The quirks of triplets
The identical triplets and looking the same has its quirks with many unable to tell the difference.
“We’ve gotten used to seeing people that our brothers know but that we don’t know – we act like we know them because one of our brothers might be friends with them,” Jackson said.
Having three lookalikes on the rugby pitch would pose an intimidating presence with the brothers looking out for each other when they play.
“There’s been a few years where we played on the same rugby team,” said Max
“If anything happened to one of us, the other two would go over and help him out – it was pretty good, playing with my brothers,” he added.
A celebration of Pasifika achievement
Photo: Canterbury University
The triplet’s graduation is cause for celebration for the Pasifika Hub at Victoria University, a designated Pasifika team that aims to improve representation and support for staff and students.
Pasifika are under-represented in law in New Zealand, so having three enter the legal arena at the same time is quite a feat.
The trio are now pursuing careers as lawyers and are working for firms in Auckland.
“It’s a really proud feeling that we can represent our Tongan heritage and hopefully encourage young pasifika to pursue a tertiary degree,” said Cale.
“We had a very Palangi upbringing but are very proud of our Tongan heritage,” he added.
A Tongan businesswoman has come forward to claim Naomi Ballantyne as a cousin.
Ballantyne’s story was widely shared on social media after Kaniva News covered a report in the New Zealand Herald.
Daniel Guttenbeil Fifita (L) and Naomi Ballantyne. Photo/Supplied
It became the top story of the week among other local media which republished it.
Ballantyne has been the focus of a number of industry and general media reports in the past because of her personal and industry achievements and her work with the Pasifika community.
Ballantyne has created and sold three of the biggest insurance brands in New Zealand.
Her latest sale was of Partners Life, which she started in 2011 for about $1 billion to Japanese life insurer Dai-ichi Holdings.
Ballantyne was quick to correct the impression that she had become a billionaire, saying there were other shareholders.
She earlier sold ClubLife to ING in 2009.
Many of our readers wanted to know about her Tongan connection and which family name she belonged to in Tonga.
According to an earlier report, Ballantyn’e s mother was German-Samoan, but she spent her formative years in Tonga before settling to raise her family on Auckland’s North Shore. Ballantyne takes part in Pasifika business events Tongan and her father Canadian.
According to the Herald her mother was a gambler and her father an alcoholic. She grew up without any money and was working from the age of 13.
While Ballantyne declined a request for an interview with Kaniva News, a businesswoman in Tonga, Yvette Guttenbeil, came forward and said she was Ballantyne’s second cousin.
Guttenbeil said Ballantyne’s mother’s maiden name was Evelyn Guttenbeil. She was born in Vavaʻu, the daughter of Herman Guttenbeil and Flora Crichton-Guttenbeil.
Yvette Guttenbeil
Her older brothers Jim Guttenbeil and Gerhardt Guttenbeil (from Hermanʻs first marriage) continued to live in Vavaʻu when their siblings, including Evelyn, migrated to New Zealand.
Guttenbeil said Ballantyne’s grandfather Herman and her grandfather Charles were brothers.
She told Kaniva News that her nephew Daniel Guttenbeil Fifita and his two brothers worked at Ballantyne’s company.
“We are all very proud of her massive achievement and her tribute to her mother,” Guttenbeil said.
PNG Prime Minister James Marape (top right) did not give a firm answer on the signing of the controversial US-PNG Defence Cooperation Agreement. Montage: PNG Post-Courier
By Lawrence Fong and Gorethy Kenneth in Port Moresby
United States President Joe Biden yesterday apologised to Prime Minister James Marape and the people of Papua New Guinea for abandoning his planned trip to Port Moresby, and instead is sending Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
Details of Blinken’s travel to PNG are still being finalised and will be announced soon, but he will be here on Monday, Marape said.
He said Blinken would be involved in bilateral dialogue with the PNG government and leaders of the Pacific Island countries.
Marape, while addressing journalists yesterday afternoon, had to excuse himself twice during the hour-long address, to take calls from the White House and from Biden.
He said Biden was apologetic but had given his commitment to visit PNG and the region in the near future.
Marape also talked about the benefits of the US-PNG Defence Cooperation Agreement, downplaying fears that the agreement was unconstitutional and would sacrifice PNG’s sovereignty.
“Sorry I didn’t mean to be rude, but this call that came in this time, you know the US President is a very important man, he is not easily accessible, he’s got stiff protocols to access him and I was privileged on behalf of our people that he placed a call directly through my cell phone,” Marape said in apology to the local and international journalists in attendance.
“We spoke and I just stepped out and got his call.
‘Sincerest apology’ “He [President Biden] conveyed his sincerest apology that he cannot make it into our country.
“I did place an invitation to him that the next earliest available time, please come and visit us here, but he has confirmed that he has directed Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to arrive here on Monday to meet with us for a specific bilateral with Papua New Guinea as well as a regional meeting with the Pacific Island leaders.
“He did invite again the Pacific Island leaders for a continuation of a progressive continuation of the meeting that we initially held last September in Washington.
“And so those were the reasons why I stepped out.”
Marape also said he had invited Biden to visit PNG whenever he could, and Biden had agreed.
He said that when Biden came, he would be able to sign the Ship Riders Agreement with PNG.
He said the agreement had been approved, and was ready for signing.
But he did not give a firm answer on the signing of other, more controversial agreement, the US-PNG Defence Cooperation Agreement.
He said the agreement was done within the confines of PNG laws, and assured the people that it would be of benefit to the country.
Rabuka arrived in the country today and paid a courtesy call on the Governor-General.
By way of introduction, the Prime Minister and his delegation performed a traditional Fijian reconciliation ceremony complete with the presentation of a whale tooth, a significant Fijian traditional gift, to the Governor-General.
The traditional ceremony that Prime Minister Rabuka performed sought forgiveness and reconciliation on behalf of the people of Fiji for the closure of the Fiji High Commission in PNG in 2020.
Lawrence Fong and Gorethy Kennethare PNG Post-Courier reporters. Republished with permission.
