Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni has appointed his Cabinet Ministers and held his first official meeting with them this morning in Nuku’alofa.
Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni and his Cabinet Ministers. Photo/Supplied
During the ministers’ appointment ceremony Mr Sovaleni also appointed Dr Pita Taufatofua as Ha’apai new governor.
The ceremony included a prayer service led by by the Secretary General of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, Rev ‘Alifeleti ‘Atiola.
“The Prime Minister’s Office has the honour of advising members of the public, that His Majesty, King Tupou VI, upon receiving recommendations from the Prime Minister, the Hon. Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni, has appointed the new Ministers of Government, with effect from 28th December, 2021,” a Prime Minister’s Office statement said today.
It said the Prime Minister “presented the letters of appointments to all of the Cabinet” today Wednesday 29.
As Kaniva News reported last night, here’s what the new government looks like.
Cabinet Ministers
Siaosi ‘Ofa Ki Vahafolau Sovaleni (Hu’akavameiliku)
Minister for His Majesty’s Armed Forces
Minister of Police, Fire Services and Emergency Services
Minister of Education and Training
Poasi Mataele Tei
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC)
UPDATED: Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku is expected to unveil his new Cabinet line-up on Wednesday 29, with one woman outside Parliament being elected as Minister
Prime Minister-Designate Siaosi Sovaleni. Photo/Fale Alea ‘O Tonga
However, the list of ministers and their various portfolios was leaked to Kaniva News this evening.
The unofficial line-up appeared to show the Tongan diplomat and the United Nations High Representative Fekita ‘Utoikamanu, who was not elected by voters to Parliament has been named as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism.
The Prime Minister is allowed by the law to elect up to four Ministers from outside Parliament.
The list also appeared to show the new Deputy Prime Minister was Poasi Tei.
Here’s what the new government looks like.
Cabinet Ministers
Siaosi ‘Ofa Ki Vahafolau Sovaleni (Hu’akavameiliku)
Minister for His Majesty’s Armed Forces
Minister of Police, Fire Services and Emergency Services
Minister of Education and Training
Poasi Mataele Tei
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC)
A father who drowned trying to save his son from a rip current has been hailed as hero as tributes flow in.
Faasila Tali Fatafehi and his wife. Photo/Facebook
Faasila Tali Fatafehi was on a community picnic with his family where tragedy struck at Tongatapu’s White Sands Beach.
As we reported yesterday, the picnic took a dangerous turn after his son found himself caught in a rip current. Fatafehi jumped into action and his son was rescued.
Despite efforts of first responders, Fatafehi died at the scene.
As stunned friends and kāinga come to terms with the tragedy, his devastated family this morning released a video showing how a beach outing ended up claiming their father’s life.
Tributes posted on Facebook are describing his final moments as heroic.
“Oh dear father we cannot withstand seeing you struggling at sea please talk to us look at our mum and my brothers dad when we were hungry you fed us we love you so much,” a tribute appeared to have come from one of her daughters said in Tongan.
“He drowned yesterday a hero, whilst saving one of his children”, another wrote.
“RIP Fatafehi, you were one terrific guy who was well respected in our community.”
“It’s a pity to see your wife crying Faasala Tali Fatafehi she did not expect this is your last day. My deepest Condolences to this family,”
Less than a month after reopening to the world, Fiji is bracing for a third wave of the coronavirus outbreak.
.. Photo: Facebook/Fiji govt
Since its last update on 24 December, Fiji’s Health Ministry today confirmed 208 new cases of Covid-19 in the community with 20 reported on Christmas Day, 109 on Boxing Day and 79 in the past 24 hours.
Fiji reopened its borders to international travellers on 1 December and thousands of tourists have arrived from its partner countries such as New Zealand, Australia and the United States.
While it is not clear how many of the latest cases are tourists, RNZ Pacific is aware some tourists at a Fiji resort are being isolated after testing positive to Covid-19.
In a message dated 27 December and obtained by RNZ, the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa in Nadi had advised its guests that “there are currently several guests at the resort who have returned positive Covid-19 tests”.
Intercontinental said these guests were “isolating in a dedicated area of the resort, as per Ministry of Health guidelines and protocols”.
“While these guests are isolating and do not pose a risk to other guests, we remind you to remain vigilant and to advise the resort team immediately if you develop any symptoms.
“Please refer to the welcome letter you received upon arrival which outlines the government isolation requirements for any guests who test positive for Covid,” InterContinental said.
All travellers to Fiji are required to present proof, on arrival at Nadi Airport, of a negative Covid-19 test 72 hours before departure.
They are also required to spend three days at any Care Fiji Commitment (CFC) hotel or resort, undergoing a Covid-19 test on day two of their stay. If they return a negative result, they are released on day three.
Wearing of face masks in enclosed spaces is mandatory as well as at outdoor locations where groups of people can gather.
The InterContinental Resort in Fiji. Photo: Supplied
While in Fiji, tourists are also encouraged to use CFC-approved excursions and tours.
Intercontinental is situated behind the popular public Natadola Beach and it has advised its guests to book their tours, massages, horse-riding and other excursions within the resort at the Rosie’s Tour Desk and Concierge.
“This is for your own security and safety,” InterContinental said.
Fiji’s Health Secretary James Fong said cases of Covid-19 continue to be identified among travellers into Fiji.
He said these cases were in fully vaccinated individuals who tested negative on their three-day pre-departure PCR test and they are currently in isolation within hotels.
“All their positive samples will be sent to our partner laboratory in Australia for genomic sequencing,” Dr Fong said.
“If a variant is transmissible enough, stringent border and community measures will only delay the inevitable entry and spread of current and future variants of the Covid-19 virus.
“To protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our country, we must all get vaccinated when it is our turn and continue to be strict with our covid safe measures.”
Dr Fong said the Covid-19 cases were increasing rapidly globally and “especially so in the European and Americas region and throughout Africa”.
While he did not confirm if any of the latest cases were the Omicron variant, Dr Fong said the “new highly transmissible variant is contributing significantly to this increase.”
.. Photo: RNZ PACIFIC/Lice Movono
“We anticipate an increasing number of cases from border quarantine facilities,” Dr Fong said.
“Increased and sustained surveillance and testing at our borders, communities, and maritime islands are vital to monitor and detect Covid-19 cases for early intervention.
“This epidemic curve depicts the daily positive cases since the second wave of this outbreak that began in April 2021.
“For this second wave, there have been 52,953 cases recorded, with 71 percent of the cases from the Central Division, 28 percent from the Western Division, and 1 percent of the cases were from the Eastern and Northern divisions.
“Of the 208 cases, 145 cases were recorded in the North; 32 in the West and 31 cases were recorded in the Central Division.
“Our national seven-day rolling average is eight daily cases calculated for 23 December, 2021.”
Dr Fong said 91.9 percent of the adult population had been fully vaccinated, while 97.7 percent were yet to receive their second dose of the vaccine.
He said 39,857 children aged 12 to 17 were also fully vaccinated, while 58,260 teenagers in Fiji were yet to get their second injection.
Fiji has a total of 487 active cases of Covid-19 in isolation, with the death toll at 697.
Dr Fong said 21 Covid-19 patients are in hospital in the Central Division.
Children and teens being vaccinated in Fiji. Photo: Supplied/ Fijian government
Siaosi Sovaleni who is also known by his chiefly title Hu’akavameiliku has been officially appointed prime minister of Tonga today by King Tupou VI.
Siaosi Sovaleni. Photo/Koro Vaka’uta, RNZ
He replaces Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa who withdrew his candidacy for premiership vote last month.
The King was in ‘Eua when parliament elected Hu’akavameiliku Prime Minister.
He returned to Tongatapu last week, and made the official assignment today at the royal palace in Nuku’alofa.
Hu’akavameiliku worked as a public servant for Tonga’s Ministry of Finance from 1996 to 2010, before working for the Pacific Community and Asian Development Bank. He returned to Tonga in 2013 to work as the Chief Executive in the Ministry of Public Enterprises.
He was first elected to parliament in 2014 and appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment and Communications in the Cabinet of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva.
He was sacked in 2017 after he was accused of trying to undermine the government, something he vehemently denied.
He was later re-elected to parliament in 2017 and subsequently contested the premiership with ‘Akilisi, but was defeated by 12 votes to 14.
Following the death of ʻAkilisi, Hu’akavameiliku supported Tuʻiʻonetoa for Prime Minister and was appointed as Minister for Education and Training.
His cabinet ministers are expected to be given royal confirmation in the coming days.
Air New Zealand has for the second time cancelled its repatriation flight for Tonga following ongoing eruption of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano that spread ash and gas near its main island Tongatapu.
File image. Photo: Mary Lyn Fonua / AFP
The airlines has marked as “cancelled” its flight number NZ 1172 Tonga (Nuku´alofa) for today December 28 at 9.40am on its website.
A post on Facebook page by the Kingdom Travel Centre-Tonga said the flights were rescheduled for Thursday 30.
This means, the funeral ceremony and cortege of the late Deputy Prime Minister Lord Ma’afu which was expected to be held today in Tonga were cancelled again. His body was still in New Zealand after it was planned to be flown to the kingdom on today’s flight.
Hunga eruption
Information reported on Volcano Discovery website regarding the condition of the Tonga eruption in the last 48 hours said: “Explosive activity continues”.
“Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Wellington warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 10000 ft (3000 m) altitude or flight level 100 and is moving at 10 kts in NE direction”.
Tonga lead geologist Taniela Kula told Radio New Zealand International on Christmas eve the volcano’s eruption had decreased.
Kula said: “This morning (Thursday) we noticed a slow reduction in the amount of gas emitted from Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai but it’s still continuously erupting, but at a lower pace than yesterday.
“It’s a natural phenomena and we can only observe what comes out of it – [there is] not enough equipment to probe into what’s in the sub-surface of the volcano,” he said.
A Tongatapu father has died today after trying to save his son who was swept out to sea at White Sands Beach in Hihifo.
Photo/ Facebook
The boy was rescued and saved but unfortunately for his dad he could not make it and died shortly after the rescue mission.
Following the incident, a report on Facebook by the Ha’atafu Beach Resort said there was one “fatality and 2 rescued alive”.
“Thank you and God’s blessings to our brave rescue team, Mino, Ifa and Setitaia Chen for your bravery and your hearts helping out today. Our prayers are with the family that today has lost a husband, father, uncle, son and dearly loved man. He died saving lives…what a hero”.
The victim’s family appeared to be part of a large family group enjoying a day at the beach.
Locals said the beach was notorious for its powerful rip currents and waves that are known to sweep people out to sea.
It is unclear whether there was a public notice board at the beach to warn people of the rip currents or not.
Police earlier today warned the public on its official Facebook page to be cautious when going out to seas.
“With more people spending time on our beaches on these hot summer days please take extra care out there. Stay safe Tonga”.
A number of police drug raids in Tongatapu have resulted in arrests which link to two sons of two of the king’s nobles.
Nuku’alofa Central Police station. Photo/Kaniva Tonga News
One son has been reportedly arrested while the other son’s home was allegedly at the centre of a raid in which police officers from the drugs enforcement unit arrested some people in relation to illicit drugs.
Police have this evening confirmed to Kaniva News the drug raids and the arrests of a number of people in various places in Tongatapu.
When provided with the identities of the noblemen’s sons Police did not deny it and said they will update their investigation tomorrow.
Kaniva News cannot identify the noblemen’s sons at this stage due to legal reasons.
The news came after recent reports said that the methamphetamine epidemic has reached all levels of society in Tonga.
“There are reports of drug use and dealing among church ministers, civil servants, politicians, traditional leaders and even police”.
This was not the first time members of the nobility were involved in drug dealing allegations.
In 2013 the Crown withdrew two of the illicit drug charges against former Speaker and Cabinet Minister Lord Tu’ilakepa due to insufficient evidence – two years after the noble was first charged in December 2010.
Tu’ilakepa’s charges came after Australian police said the noble was allegedly bribed by an international crime syndicate headed by Colombians as part of a plot to import tonnes of cocaine into Australia.
It was reported that an Australian Federal Police-led inquiry, Operation Stair, uncovered a global trafficking operation that allegedly used yachts to sail cocaine from South America to Tonga.
In 2019 Princess Pilolevu Tuita’s son-in-law Sione Filipe was arrested and charged in relation to the seizure of 242 grams of cannabis seeds brought into Tonga, at Fua’amotu International Airport.
He was also charged with drug offences for the second time after three months from his airport drug arrest. He was also accused of bribing a police officer.
Princess Pilolevu’s another son-in-law ‘Epeli Taione was convicted and received an imprisonment suspended sentence after he was charged with possession of illicit drugs.
There are 34 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today.
File photo. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Of today’s new cases in the community, 21 are in Auckland, seven in the Waikato, two in the Bay of Plenty, three in Lakes and one in Canterbury.
There are 10 new cases at the border.
New Zealand has now had a total of 49 cases of Omicron.
There are 41 people in hospital, including eight in ICU or HDU.
Hawke’s Bay is set to become the 12th DHB area to have 90 percent of its eligible population fully vaccinated. The region is only 192 second doses short of this milestone.
