Fiji has officially recorded a new daily record of 791 new Covid cases – but the actual number is believed to be higher.
Source: 1 NEWS
There have been another six deaths of Covid patients in the last 24 hours although officials say three of them died of underlying health problems.
This takes the total number of deaths in this outbreak to 40 plus another 19 Covid-positive patients who have died of serious medical conditions.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health says because of the rapidly rising cases home-based screening and swabbing can no longer happen except in exceptional circumstances. Response teams will instead be looking after serious cases.
There are currently 6,500 active cases.
The field hospital in Suva is to become a Covid-dedicated facility.
Officials warn daily case numbers will continue to rise with more hospitalisations and deaths.
There’s no denying the weekend’s games have further highlighted the uneven playing field for tier 2 nations, and the need for discussions around eligibility laws to change, but for Manu Samoa and ‘Ikale Tahi fans on the night, it was about showing up for the love of their nations.
Samoa played the Māori All Blacks in the curtain raiser at Auckland’s Mount Smart Stadium, before Tonga took on New Zealand, in preparation for their upcoming Rugby World Cup qualifying matches.
Esmeralda Lo Tam was one of more than 15 thousand people there to watch the double-header.
She said it was exciting for families to see Pasifika teams showcased alongside some of the best players in the world.
Manu Samoa fans excited to cheer on two Pacific teams on NZ soil. Photo: RNZ / Anric Sitanilei
“You know whether it’s Samoa, whether it’s Tonga, whether it’s Fiji, it’s all about supporting our Pacific people, Pacific development and Pacific rugby,” she said.
“I think playing international fixtures like this and being able to be showcased next to the All Blacks, the Māori All Blacks, right down to grassroots it’s awesome and exciting for everyone.”
Despite losing their two game series against the Māori’s, Manu Samoa fans were estatic to support their team on the field, after they were forced to play behind closed doors due to alert level restrictions in Wellington.
Faleaupu Faalavaau from the villages of Siufaga and Falelatai was donning the Manu Samoa jersey proudly cheering from the sidelines, but admits he was there for all the teams.
Faleaupu Faalavaau supporting all the teams on the night. Photo: RNZ / Anric Sitanilei
“Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, we are all Pasifika.. New Zealand, we live in New Zealand, so we support the New Zealand teams as well,” he said.
“We’ve met a lot of friends and family that are here to support all teams, whatever team, because we are all from the Pacific.”
Tu’uholoaki Vefekina travelled two and half hours from Tauranga with her husband and grandchildren to watch her younger cousin Viliami Taulani make his debut for ‘Ikale Tahi.
Tu’uholoaki Vefekina and her family travelled from Tauranga to watch her cousin Viliami Taulani make his debut for Tonga. Photo: RNZ / Anric Sitanilei
A wave of emotion hit her, saying his parents were watching from Tonga, and they were there to support on behalf of the family.
“It’s very special for me and my two grand daughters and my husband. My family, it doesn’t matter if we [have to] come a long way, but we’re happy to come and support him.”
The All Blacks opened their 2021 campaign with a record 102-0 over an inexperienced Tonga side, scoring 16 tries against a team featuring 13 debutants, some picked from New Zealand club rugby sides due to player unavailability some through contract restrictions and others because of Covid-19 travel restrictions.
It was an unfair buildup for Tonga, but for 13 players it meant wearing the red jersey and representing their heritage for the very first time.
Nikolai Foliaki, was one of those 13 to make his debut, and was bombarded with hugs and kisses from a very proud family post-match.
His older brother, John-Paul Foliaki, said the game was never about the score.
“[This moment], it’s for Tonga, it’s for my brother, we’re so proud of him and regardless of what the score was going to be, we’re always going to be supporting Tonga,” he said.
“The odds were stacked against us but the score was never the case, and you know that about Tonga, we’re always mafana… it didn’t really matter if we were playing the All Blacks, France, whoever.. we’re here for Tonga.”
Tonga fans leave the stadium in good spirits. Photo: RNZ / Anric Sitanilei
It was hard to miss ‘Ikale Tahi fan Simillani Talau, who was standing out in red, dancing amongst a group of All Blacks supporters.
He said he always knew New Zealand were going to win, but it didn’t matter.
“I know the boys are no good [against the All Blacks] but I stay outside and sau, and dance, and sau [because] the love is big for my country, for Tonga,” he said.
“Our team, our nation, they will try try and try, lose, lose and lose, they never give up, but one day they will win and beat the All Blacks.”
While the game was heartbreaking to watch, it’s a memory that players and famillies will cherish forever, leaving the stadium cheering, waving flags, proud, and their hearts full for the love of their country.
A damning new report out by New Zealand’s Health Quality and Safety Commission has called the healthcare system’s failure by Pasifika “a national shame”.
Bula Sautu – Pacific health in the year of Covid-19. Photo: Supplied
‘Bula Sautu’ is a Fijian expression of good health for a life that is lived to its full potential; a life of abundance.
But the figures in this report show that for Pasifika life is anything but that. It outlines some of the worst health inequities in the country, with Pasifika at the tail end of most of them:
Pasifika are 12 times more likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness than other populations.
Pasifika experience higher cases and deaths from breast, lung and uterine cancers – but the lowest rates of screening.
63 percent of Pasifika five-year-olds have tooth decay – compared to 31 percent of non-Māori non-Pasifika.
Pasifika live, on average, six years fewer than non-Māori non-Pasifika.
And the list goes on.
More than half of pregnant Pasifika women do not enrol with midwives, compared with just 19 percent of non-Māori or non-Pasifika.
For 10 years and counting, this has led to consistently higher rates of mortality for Pasifika mums and their pēpī.
Ngā Hau Māngere Birthing Centre manager Tish Taihia said expectant Pasifika mums were not aware of the process for finding a lead maternity carer (LMC).
The default options of midwives are those who work at their local hospital – who in most cases are ill-informed of the cultural needs of Pasifika mums.
“If they’re low-risk and can have a midwife as their LMC and care for them and birth their baby and go through the whole gambit of post-natal care – then it’s up to them,” she said.
“They actually have to find the midwife themselves and sometimes that’s daunting.”
She said the cost of that to māmā and their wider whānau was unnecessary.
“It obviously isn’t working because of the fact that DHBs are really struggling in maternity services, because the medicalisation of birth is skyrocketing,” she said.
Where to from here?
Health Quality and Safety Commission board member Dr Collin Tukuitonga said the figures were not good.
He said a faife’au who blessed Bula Sautu’s launch hoped the report would be the last in a long line or reports that have rehashed harrowing statistics with nothing actually done about them.
“The district health boards and primary healthcare providers, not Pacific, but everyone – is held to account for making those changes,” he said.
Tukuitonga said despite years of evidence and advice requiring systemic change in health, Pasifika in New Zealand have been denied their right to good health and wellbeing.
“I just think it’s unacceptable and unfair,” Tukuitonga said.
Collin Tukuitonga sits on the board of the Health Quality & Safety Commission. Photo: SPC
In anticipation of next year’s merger of district health boards into the mega-entity Health NZ, Tukuitonga said the government should look to this report to get an accurate picture of the state of Pasifika health.
He said a “business as usual” agenda would spell more disparities.
“We will have pregnant Pacific women not being able to access midwives in the numbers that are comparable to other parts of our community,” Tukuitonga said.
“We’ll have children continuing to miss out on vision and hearing tests and Well Child checks.”
“We’ll have Pacific people with diabetes continuing to have blindness, amputations and kidney failure.”
Bula Sautu co-author Api Talemaitoga said universities and polytechnics must encourage more Pasifika students to join the workforce.
He said healthcare was a one-size-fits-all practise.
“You go to your doctor, you’re told your blood test results, you’re given a prescription and out you go – without any emphasis on the quality,” he said.
The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (MAFF) Lord Tu’ilakepa allegedly challenged MP Veivosa Taka before attacking him in parliament yesterday, a source told Kaniva News.
MAFF Minister Lord Tuilakepa. Photo/Fale Alea ‘O Tonga (Cropped)
It is understood the MPs had engaged in heated arguments before Lord Tu’ilakepa walked over and allegedly attempted to punch MP Taka. The king’s noble also threatened the Ha’apai 13 MP, it has been claimed.
The security guards subdued him and no one was injured, the source said.
Lord Tu’ilakepa and the Speaker of Parliament had been contacted for comment.
In 2010 Tu’ilakepa was under house arrest as part of a police drugs investigation in four countries.
Veivosa Taka. Photo/Facebook
In 2012 he faced weapons and drugs charges after the police investigation allegedly linking him with a South American drug lord.
He was charged with the possession of guns and ammunition and drug exporting offences.
However, his drug charges had been withdrawn the following year with prosecutors saying it was because of the complexity of the case.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
Kuo tukuaki’i na’e ‘ohofi ‘e he Ministā Ngoue’ ka ko e nōpele ‘a e tu’i’ ‘a Veivosa Taka ‘i Fale Alea. Ko e fakamatala ni ‘oku pehē ko e ‘oho fakapo’uli ‘eni ne fai lolotonga e alea ‘a e Fale’ ‘aneafi. Ne na ‘uluaki fetukuaki pea iku ‘o lue atu ai ‘a Tu’ilakepa ki he me’a’anga ‘o Taka’ ‘o fakamanamana’i mo ene ke tuki. Ne mālōlō ‘a e Fale’ ne toe takai atu tokua ‘a Tu’ilakepa ‘o tuki ka ne ‘ikai tau pea iku puke ai ‘e he kau sekulitii’. Na’e ‘alu ai ‘a Taka ‘o kole fakamoleole ‘osi ‘a e me’a’ ni ka ne ‘ikai ke tali ia ‘e Tu’ilekepa, fakatatau ‘eni ki ha fakamatala falala’anga kuo ma’u ‘e he Kaniva’.
Twenty-year-old Kilifi Jr Lapuaho of Vainī has died after he was a passenger in a car which struck a power pole near Hu’atolitoli on Sunday morning.
Kilifi Jr Lapu’aho. Photo/Facebook
Police said the car was heading to town when it swerved and crashed.
The driver was injured and now in Police custody after receiving medical treatment at Vaiola hospital.
Police also said early indications are that speed, alcohol and illicit drugs are factors in the crash.
Police were yet to release Lapuaho’s name, but friends have posted tributes to the young man on social media.
“I’m lost for words right now bro,” one said.
“I still can’t get my head around this you were taken from us far too soon man gone but will never be forgotten and will always remain in our hearts”.
The car which crashed and killed Lapuaho. Photo/Facebook
Another said: “You were the only male sibling and the eldest and the others were all your sisters now you are gone. Wake up and look at your mum she’s so distressed”.
Report said the Tongan student at USP in Fiji who has been tested positive for Covid-19 is recovered while other Tongan students were doing fine, reported Sina Kami from the Tongan community in Suva.
In Tongan she said: “Kei faingamālie ai pe ‘e tau tokotaha Tonga ne puke’ pehē ki he ki’i fānau”.
Meanwhile, Fiji is heading towards a disaster on an unprecedented scale with 636 new cases of Covid-19 and six deaths in just 24 hours, said TVNZ’s One News.
One News Pacific Correspondent Barbara Dreavor reported:
There have now been 37 deaths since this outbreak started in April and another 16 people with Covid-19 which have been classified as dying from underlying medical conditions.
Secretary of Health Dr James Fong has predicted new case numbers will reach 800 a day.
Officials are urging residents to get vaccinated – so far 55 per cent of the target population have received one jab and nearly 10 per cent are fully vaccinated.
The morgue which can take 60 bodies is at full capacity and families are being urged to come and collect their loved ones for burial.
Medical providers are struggling to deal with serious cases, with ICU at Suva’s main hospital full.
Most people have been told to isolate at home but many have close contacts still going out to do urgent shopping to feed their families.
This follows continued mediation between nurses and the DHBs.
Health Minister Andrew Little had said he was satisfied there had been constructive discussion between the two parties.
“But I’m acutely aware that the centrepiece really of what’s going to fix the problem is what we do on the pay equity question, that’s been around for three years now and I’ve asked officials to accelerate that work,” Little said.
District Health Boards spokesperson Dale Oliff said DHBs believed they could come up with an offer to settle the pay talks.
“We’re working towards the best possible outcome – a settlement – but we also need to ensure we can maintain essential hospital services if the strike goes ahead as a 24-hour strike across 29 and 30 July will have a significant impact on hospital services.”
He said DHBs would try to minimise disruption with some non-acute and elective procedures deferred where necessary.
“We expect to receive formal notice of strike soon, but our aim is to settle the MECA and prevent the strikes,” Oliff said.
Public frustration over mixed messages from the government is growing in Fiji as Covid-19 continues to spread rapidly.
.. Photo: Supplied
The latest daily update saw another 352 new cases reported on Monday.
The Health Ministry also confirmed three more deaths due to the coronavirus, bringing the toll to 33 – 31 from this latest outbreak that started in April.
All three were unvaccinated and died at home or on the way to a health centre.
On Sunday, the ministry reported a daily record 522 new cases and three deaths due to Covid-19.
Making the situation even more grim, is the main mortuary is full – and people are being told to make immediate plans to farewell their loved ones.
Relatives have to make plans to uplift their deceased family members.. and arrange funeral rites.
With hospitals unable to cope, health authorities have sent many of the people infected with covid back home to isolate – over 1,000 of them.
RNZ Pacific correspondent in Suva, Lice Movono, says people are getting more and more worried.
“There are a lot of fearful people, so much anxiety and continuing distrust of the government, but the government is not coming out to explain itself very well and we haven’t seen our ministers, our Prime Minister, for a very long time now.”
Movono said she hasn’t been out of her house, even to shop, for almost six weeks.
The opposition National Federation Party leader, Biman Prasad, says that means some are going to multi-generational, crowded households.
“With the increasing number of cases our health systems are giving up. People with other kinds of ilness are being affected. They’re not able to get the treatment they ought to get.
“People are dying on arrival, or people are dying before they even get to the hospitals.”
NFP leader Biman Prasad. Photo: RNZI / Alex Perrottet
Govt urged to seek foreign help
The deteriorating situation in the country is failing to sway Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama from his no-lockdown stance.
In a bid to save the economy, the government is allowing some businesses to stay operational.
So while Fiji’s secretary of health is advising the public to stay at home, the trade minister is talking about retail businesses, restaurants and gymnasiums staying open as long as safety measures are followed.
Biman Prasad, a professor of economics, says the government’s mixed messages, and ‘business as usual’ approach, has caused a disaster.
“The situation is going to get worse and it is not too late for this government to change its strategy, to stop being arrogant about what they have decided before.
“If you look at the numbers, which have risen exponentially, it’s only happened after the prime minister made the decision to open up the containment zones.”
Prasad is uring the government to request help from Australia and New Zealand in implementing a nationwide lockdown.
He says if the expense of catering for people in a lockdown is too much for Fiji, help must be sought.
“Let’s ask Australia and New Zealand for help.”
The government has not responded to requests for comment.
There are over 600 areas of interest in the central division with one zone in the western division.
More than 5,000 people are in isolation since the latest outbreak in April.
Fifteen covid-positive patients have died from the serious medical conditions they had before they contracted the virus, the health ministry said.
Fiji security forces monitor essential movement between red and green zones under Covid-19 response operations. Photo: Lice Movono
Workers forced to show up amid outbreak
Meanwhile, some Fijian workers have been forced to continue going to work despite the rapid spread of the virus in the wider community.
A retail worker in Suva, who did not want his name used, said he still has to go to work, on reduced hours.
The father-of-five added it was critical that he earned money to feed his family, even though community transmission was rife.
“Numbers going up. Yesterday it was 500 (cases). Numbers keep going up but I don’t know what this f***ing government is doing. They’re not doing any nationwide (lockdown) We’re having a lot of pressure, you know, our families, no food. A lot of things, man.”
The father-of-five said safety measures were being followed at his work.
However public adherence to the safety measures remains mixed.
This is not helped by slow communication from authorities over which areas have been designated red zones, according to Allen Lockington, a social worker in Lautoka who delivers food to families in need in informal settlements.
“We just deliver the food, and people say ‘we’ve been locked down’. We try to get out of there as fast as possible,” he explained.
“The other thing: when we go to the informal settlements, and we see the people walking around with no masks and in groups, ten or twenty all clustered together. And if someone should be sick there, no doubt it will spread like wild fire.”
If there’s a ray of hope for Fiji, it’s that the vaccination rollout is progessing swiftly – over half of the eligible population have had at least a first jab of Astrazeneca, while around 50-thousand people are fully innoculated.
But the Delta variant of Covid-19 is moving rapidly through Fiji, and calls for the government to exert some control on the spread of the virus by calling a nationwide lockdown are only growing.
Notorious car trader Filimone To’aho has been given a two-year suspended jail sentence after he failed to deliver 20 vehicles promised to be imported under the ownership of the owner of a finance company.
Filimone To’aho. Photo/Facebook
To’aho, 40, had borrowed TOP$17,767.81 to purchase the motor vehicles from Japan.
As security, he pledged ownership of the vehicles in favour of the complainant.
To’aho agreed to sell the vehicles, save for two which were to be retained by the complainant, repay the loan from the proceeds of the sales and retain the balance. The complainant agreed.
Accordingly, on 3 November 2017, the complainant arranged for a telegraphic transfer of the funds to SBT Japan.
By March 2018, the complainant had not received the vehicles. Tao’aho told the complainant that the ship had been delayed. However, later that same month, an associate of the convict informed the complainant that the vehicles in question had arrived from Japan but that To’aho had sold them to other car dealerships.
A representative of the shipping company confirmed that the Defendant had changed the ownership of the 20 vehicles from the complainant to two other car dealerships. When confronted, To’aho purported to explain that he had changed the ownership of the vehicles to the other dealerships because the complainant had not advanced all the money he 2 requested . The complainant refuted that explanation and told the Defendant that if she could not receive her vehicles, she wanted her money back.
He was convicted by Chief Justice Whitten of theft and is sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment.
The sentence is to be fully suspended for a period of 2 years from this day, on the following conditions, namely, that during the period of suspension, To’aho is to:
(a) not commit any offence punishable by imprisonment;
(b) be placed on probation;
(c) report to the probation office within the next 48 hours;
(d) perform 60 hours of community service as directed by his probation officer;
and
(e) pay the complainant (by payment into court) the remaining balance of $2,924.56 by 30 July 2021 .
“Failure to comply with any of the above conditions may result in the suspension being rescinded, in which case, the Defendant will be required to serve the balance of his sentence”.
Presentence report
His presentence report said To’aho is the second eldest of five children . He was raised in a good family. Both his parents were primary school teachers. He was well educated and received a diploma in teaching.
To’aho is no stranger to car trading controversy and court.
He previously appeared in court after he reportedly failed to deliver eight vehicles purchased by a customer.
in that case, To’aho of Tokomololo and co-accused Lesieli Langi were jointly charged with criminal conspiracy with intent to defraud $17,767.81 after the customer did not received the vehicles in November 2017.
As Kaniva news reported in 2016, the Holonga Vavaʻu Development Committee did not receive their TP$23,000 refund from Toʻaho and his Super Cheap car dealership despite a court order.
The money was paid after Super Cheap promised it would provide a passenger bus bought by the Committee.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
Kuo tautea’i ‘e he ‘Eiki Fakamaau Lahi’ ‘a Filimone To’aho ta’u 40 ‘a ia kuo ‘iloa ki hono kākaa’i ‘o e kakai’ ‘i he mala’e ‘o e fakatau me’alele’ ke ne ngāue pōpula māhina 12 kae toloi kakato ‘i he ta’u ‘e ua. Ko e tautea ‘eni hili ‘ene alea mo ha kautaha nō ke ‘oange ‘a e pa’anga ‘e TOP$17,767.81 ka ne hu mai ‘a e me’alele ‘e 20 mei Siapani ‘i he hingoa ‘o e tokotaha ‘a’ana ‘a e kautaha noo’. Ne kei tali e tokotaha ko ‘eni ki he alea ta ko ē kuo ‘osi tu’uta ‘i Tonga ‘a e ‘ū me’alele kae liliu ‘e To’aho ia ‘a e ‘ounasipi’ ‘o fakatau ‘e ia ki he tila kehe ‘a e ‘ū me’alele’ ni. ‘Oku ‘ikai ko ha’ane toki hā ‘eni ‘i he fakamaau’anga’ fekau’aki mo ‘ene ta’efaitotonu ‘i he alea fakatau me’alele’.
Why has nothing been done to remove ‘AKosita Lavulavu from office and why does her husband appear to wield so much influence over the Prime Minister, even though he was thrown out of Parliament for breaching the electoral law?
In the wake of their sentencing last Friday, the relationship between the Lavulavus and Prime Minister Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa has come under even closer scrutiny.
Now veteran Tongan journalist Kalafi Moala has raised concerns about the need for a proper investigation.
Condemned by the Supreme Court as dishonest and deceitful, ‘Akosita and ‘Etuate Lavulavu have been sentenced to five and six years respectively for their part in a sustained fraud.
Judge Cooper, presiding, described their crime as “the worst sort of dishonesty.”
“The conduct of these defendants would be disgraceful in anyone, but for a member of cabinet, and a man who used his political connections and position to facilitate these frauds, goes beyond just criminally reprehensible,” he said.
Kalafi Moala. Photo/Kaniva Tonga News
Unlike former Democrat Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva, who fired ‘Akosita from Cabinet as soon as she was charged, Tuʻiʻonetoa has done nothing, claiming he does not have the constitutional power to get rid of her.
As Kaniva News has pointed out time and again, that is simply not true.
The disgraced Cabinet Minister has remained on full pay the whole time.
Meanwhile, her husband ‘Etuate, who she replaced as Member for Vava’u 16 after he was kicked out of Parliament for bribery, continues to have a close relationship with the Prime Minister.
Moala said last year Tu’i’onetoa relied heavily on ‘Etuate for ideas of how to run the government.
He described ‘Etuate as the most influential official from the ruling party and the main influence on the Prime Minister.
Now he has raised the question of the need for a proper investigation into Tu’i’onetoa‘s relationship with the Lavulavus.
(L-R) Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa and Tourism Minister Akosita Lavulavu
“Questions are raised concerning the huge multi-million pa’anga road projects the Prime Minister and ‘Etuate Lavulavu are involved in,” Moala wrote.
“The Ministry of Infrastructure under ‘Akosita handles all the multimillion infrastructural projects including roadworks and major constructions.”
Moala also said the Prime Minister had ignored the ruling of Justice Cooper and defended the couple in several speeches.
Disgraced
The disgraced former MP was criticised for appearing to act as a spokesman for the Prime Minister, even though he holds no official government office.
Early last year there were complaints in Vava’u after he interfered during parliamentary meetings in Leimātu’a and Hahake districts.
At the end of last year he accompanied the Prime Minister and Cabinet Members on their grand procession for prayer and fasting around the kingdom, speaking for the government apparently even making fun of the Prime Minister.
Lavulavu is known by the title “engineer” in some circles for his role in creating the People’s Party and persuading some Democrat MPs to abandon the late ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s party and join Tu’i’onetoa.
‘Etuate is regarded as having been instrumental in devising the government’s controversial multi-million roading policy. Contracts for the project went to companies with strong links to the government.
Apart from an earlier conviction in the United States, ‘Etuate is also facing a lawsuit after he was accused of forging a landlord’s signature in Vava’u from whom he leased land.
In 2000 he was sued by Late Prince Tu’ipelehake for damages and unlawful cultivation of his land. Chief Justice Ward ordered Lavulavu to quit the land and pay $7,905 damages. Chief Justice Ward was scathing about aspects of Lavulavu’s testimony during the trial, saying: “I felt he was willing to say almost anything that seemed to suit the moment with a repeated disregard for the truth.”
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
Ko e fehu’i mahu’inga ia ‘oku ‘eke’i he taimi ni’ pe ko e hā ko ā kuo fu’u pipiki pehē fau ai ‘a e palēmia ‘i he ongo Lavulavu kuo mahino ‘ena kaiha’asi ‘a e pa’anga ‘a e fonua’ pea ko e hia mamafa ia? ‘Oku loloto ange hoha’a ko ‘eni he mahino ne ‘ikai tuku ha ivi ‘o e palēmia’ he’ene taukapo’i e totonu ‘a Akosita ‘aki e kupu 23. A’u ‘o tangi mai he letioo’ pea mo ne tukuaki’i e ngaahi ako siasi hange ne nau fai e hia tatau mo e ongo Lavulavu ki he pa’anga tokoni ‘a e pule’anga’ ki he ngaahi ako’anga’. Pea ne mei hua pe ia kapau ne ‘ikai ha toe kupu te ne ‘oange hano mafai ke ne tuku ai ki tu’a ‘a Akosita. A ia ko e kupu 51(3)(a) pea ka fai ange ‘o iku ‘a Akosita ke ne ‘eke’i fakalao hono tuku ia ki tu’a ‘uhi ko e kupu 23 pea tuku ke ne ‘eke kae malu’i ‘e he palēmia ia mo e pule’anga ‘aki ‘a e kupu 51(3)(a) he ko ia pe na’a ne fili ke minisitaa’, lolotonga ne ne ‘ilo pe kuo faka’ilo ‘a Akosita, pea ‘oku fa’iteliha pe ia ke ne tuku ki tu’a. Kuo fakamatala’i mai ‘e he fakamaau lahi ‘a e lanu totonu ‘o Akosita ko e fefine ta’efaitotonu. Kae kei fakalaloa’i pe ia ‘e he palēmia’. Ko e lekooti ‘eni ‘i ha toe pule’anga’ ko e hū pe ‘a ha minisitā mei he kapineti’ ‘o hangatonu ‘o ngāue pōpula. Kuo fakatokanga mai ‘a Kalafi Moala kuo ‘i ai ‘a e ui ke fakatotolo’i ‘a e palēmia’ mo e ongo Lavulavu’ pea tautefito ki he mahina ‘e taha fakamuimui ne kei tuku pe ‘a Akosita ‘i he potungāue ki he ngāue lalahi lolotonga kuo mahino kuo na halaia pea te ne ngāue pōpula’. ‘Oku taau ke fai ‘a e fakatotolo ko ‘eni he kuo ‘ikai kei falala’ia ‘a e palēmia’ he lahi ‘ene ngaahi fakamatala ta’emo’oni kuo fafanga’aki ‘a e fonua’ fekau’aki mo e ngaahi tukuaki’i ‘o ia mo hono pule’anga’.
In the wake of their sentencing last Friday, the relationship between the Lavulavus and Prime Minister Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa has come under even closer scrutiny.
