The Tongan Red Cross communications advisor Polikalepo Kefu has died suddenly, a reliable source told Kaniva News this morning.
Polikalepo Kefu. Photo/Facebook (cropped)
Unconfirmed reports claimed his body was found in a beach in Tatakamotonga.
He was the president of the Tonga Leitis Association and was known to many from all walks of life.
The organisation has reported his death on social media.
“Wake up this morning to this unexpected news of your departure from this Realm,” it said.
“May your soul rest well Poli Kefu”.
It described Kefu as a strong activist in many fields of activity.
He was a “powerful Human Right activist and been in the Humanitarian Response unit for so many years.”
“He dedicated his life for the safety of others in Tonga. He is well known by many in Tonga and also internationally and globally of his involving in many fields related to his work”.
“We salute you from Tonga Leitis Association and all its members for your humble and kind heart that you contributed to the Association”.
She said maintaining Tongan tradition had kept her family happy.
Hon. Mohoefo’s support for Tongan tradition follows upheavals in her older sisters’ marriages. It also raised questions then, as now, about whether members of the upper classes should be expected to marry to suit their parents, marry for love or have the luxury of not marrying if they don’t want to.
Her older sister Hon. Sālote Lupepau’u Tuita divorced Lord Fusitu’a, which was an arranged marriage.
Princess Pilolevu had a much publicised relationship with Auckland detective Josh Liava’a, who had previously eloped with Hon. Mele Siu’ilikutapu who at the time was 13th in line for the Tongan throne.
Liava’a leaked letters Princess Pilolevu had written to him, in one of which she wrote: “I was brought up not to fall in love, so that when the time came for my marriage to be arranged, the idea of it would not be distasteful to me.”
Hon. Moheofo’s another older sister, Hon. Frederica Tuita, 10th in line to the throne, married Auckland-based Johnny Filipe, who was described as the son of a businessman.
Hon. Salote Lupepau’u Tuita, sixth in line to the throne, caused consternation with news that she was to marry former Tonga rugby representative Epeli Taione.
As Kaniva News reported at the time, the news provoked a strong reaction in Tonga because of the breaches of royal protocol and the rules surrounding marriage.
Arranged marriages have occurred among commoners, but with nothing like the formal royal processes.
Two of Fiji’s latest cases of Covid-19 are being investigated by authorities to determine the source of transmission for both persons.
Last night, the ministry announced five new cases of Covid-19 infections.
The new cases come amid 605 tests being carried out in 24 hours.
.. Photo: Facebook/Fiji govt
The first two cases were close household contacts of previously announced cases and that both persons had tested positive while in quarantine.
Health Secretary James Fong said one of the two new cases is the wife of an earlier positive case from Nausori on Viti Levu, while the other is the man’s 52-year-old aunt, who worked at a garment factory.
The aunt, he said, was a concern for officials because she had worked in a factory, which had been shut down since the restrictions were announced last week.
He said the woman’s case is under investigation, and screening for anyone she worked with her is underway.
The third case is a former border quarantine passenger who arrived from Papua New Guinea on April 9.
Dr Fong said the man had contact with a soldier who is the husband of the woman in Makoi who had tested positive.
He said the passenger had interacted with the soldier on the day of his discharge from the managed isolation quarantine (MIQ) facility.
The fourth case is a 68-year-old man in Rakiraki.
Dr Fong said the man’s case is being investigated because there was no link between him and any existing cases.
He said the man had tested positive after presenting himself to the Rakiraki Hospital, complaining of a cough and fever.
The fifth case is a Tongan man who had travelled from Guyana to Fiji and was on his way to Tonga. He arrived in Fiji on April 22, via Auckland.
Dr James Fong. Photo: Fiji govt
So far, 98 people who were discharged from a quarantine on April 12-25, have been identified with 82 of them contacted and told to stay home.
The rest have also been contacted and will be tested, Dr Fong said.
He said all the latest Covid-19 patients are in a stable condition.
Areas of interest
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has released areas of interest in an effort to track anybody who could have come in contact with those who have tested positive for Covid-19.
The ministry said members of the public who were present at the following locations and have not been contacted by officials are urged to remain at home and ring 158.
Suva-Nausori:
April 12: FNU Nabua
April 13: Evening at Burger King Nakasi
April 18: 4-6pm at Nadera Catholic Church
April 15: 12-2pm: BSP Thompson Street branch, FNPF Ellery Street, Caines Jannif on Renwick Road
April 17: After 6pm at John Wesley School
April 19: After 4.30pm at Bargain Box opposite Suva bus stand.
April 24: i-Taukei Affairs office Suva HQ
April 24: 10.30am-2pm at Manoca Kava Pounding Shop, Nausori
Navua:
April 16: 12-1pm at Navua Agriculture Office
Ra:
April 20-27: Ra Provincial office and compound
Fiji now has 116 Covid cases with 44 active and 26 locally-transmitted.
There have been 65 people recovered and two deaths reported since the country recorded its first case in March last year.
Police have arrested a 34-year-old man and a 29-year old man from Nukunuku on Tuesday 27 April 2021 with 6.84 grams of methamphetamine, 0.88 grams of cannabis and drug utensils.
Drugs arrested by police in Nukunuku. Photo/supplied
Both accused have been charged with possession of illicit drugs and are remanded in police custody to appear in Court at a later date.
“We encourage anyone who may have information about drug related offending to contact 7704660”, Police said.
For Kepueli Hanisi, a childhood spent fishing in the waters of Tonga, to an interest in fishing in New Zealand, led to voluntary work as an Honorary Fishery Officer.
Kepueli Hanisi. Photo/Supplied
Kepueli was born and grew up in the Tongan village of Vaotu’u Tongatapu until he was 16 years old when his family swapped the village life for Auckland.
Driven by those formative young days, along with a genuine interest in fishing rules, he moved into voluntary work as an Honorary Fishery Officer protecting the Auckland fishing resources in the eastern and southern areas.
As he explains – fishing in Tonga was something most people did and so his enthusiasm to catch a feed but not take more than his share was something he was keen to do when New Zealand became home in 1998.
“My mother was from Vava’u which is about a 20-hour ferry journey from the main island of Tongatapu. Net fishing and diving for Vasuva (clams) was my family’s main source of income, which we would sell at markets. It was our way of life.
“At the village I came from, people would often go out fishing and if their luck was good, they would share some of their catch with the village elders,” he says.
Kepu Hanisi has been an HFO since 2014. It’s a community role he enjoys, particularly as it involves a lot of ‘one on one’ rules education work with recreational fishers.
He says some of the Tongan community in Auckland are aware that he is an HFO, and people are often asking him for advice on recreational fishing rules.
“Through word of mouth, it got around that I was a volunteer Fishery Officer (HFO). The questions have been flowing since – everything from fin fish catch limits to rules around cockles and set nets. It’s really good because I get the opportunity to explain rules on a personal level which I hope will make a difference in protecting the fishing resources for the future,” he says.
The education side of his work is what appeals to him most about being an HFO.
“I get to talk with fishers on the boat ramps, or on the beaches and coasts. The rules have been the topic of many deep discussions with the Tongan community out East during our traditional Kava session on a Friday night,” he says.
Generally, Kepu says most people he deals with during Auckland HFO patrols are cooperative, even if it leads to an infringement. He also enjoys fishing from time to time when off duty to land a feed of fresh snapper and mullet on the dinner table.
Kepueli Hanisi is married with three young children under the age of 4 and is confident his children will also be keen to drop a line in the ocean when they’re old enough.
“I took my eldest boy out to gather cockles at Kawakawa Bay earlier this year. He loved the experience and it’s something I hope we can do for generations to come,” he says.
A Tongan man who arrived in Fiji last night Wednesday 28 has been quarantined after tested positive for Covid-19.
“He is now in quarantine in Nadi”, the Editor of Pacific Islands News Association (PINA)Makereta Komai said on Facebook this evening.
She said there were five confirmed more cases which were two from Vunimono in Nausori, one travelled recently from PNG, one man in Rakiraki and the Tongan national.
The Fiji Times said the country has 49 active cases in isolation.
Fiji’s capital Suva went into lockdown on Monday 26 for the next 14 days after four more new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed
Tonga is still Covid-19 free and its vaccination program against the coronavirus is going well, officials said.
It said the kingdom is closely monitoring Fiji’s outbreak.
18 years after making his professional debut, the former Tonga captain is still clearing rucks and making tackles at the ripe age of 39 for Hino Red Dolphins in the Japan Top League.
The Dolphins season came to an end at the weekend as they were outclassed 49-29 by Toyota Verblitz to miss out a spot in the Top League quarter finals.
39 year old Nili Latu is still lacing his boots for Hino Red Dolphins in Japan. Photo: Supplied/Nili Latu
It’s been three years since Latu accepted a six month contract to return to Japan but he hasn’t ruled out playing on into his fifth decade.
“I thought I had made my decision of 50/50 hanging up my boots but I got another offer from another club, so at the moment I’m sitting on the fence,” he admitted.
“I’ve just got to have a look at it and if it fits in with the time period I will probably carry on and if not I guess I’ll come home and enjoy the club rugby and see how it goes from there.”
The proud father is looking forward to being reunited with his wife Lavinia and their four children (aged 15, 13, 10 and three) in Auckland, admitting it had been hard to be separated from his loved ones for so long because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“My two older ones are in college so I miss a lot of being there as a father on-hand most times. Credit to my wife for holding the family down while I’m away and I’m on the verge of I’m not sure at the moment, 50/50, if I’m going to hang the boots up or come back home.”
Family is everything for former Tonga rugby captain Nili Latu. Photo: Supplied/Nili Latu
But he was also grateful to still be able to lace up his boots and do what he loves to provide for his family.
“Moving from Tonga quite young as well and understanding, being in a household with six brothers and one sister, seeing the parents also struggling to make ends: that was my motivation quite early from high school leading into my career and now I have a family with four kids and that’s my drive at the moment.”
The Sacred Heart College old alumni made his professional debut in 2003 and still name-checks Bay of Plenty’s Ranfurly Shield win over Auckland in 2004 as one of his greatest rugby memories.
Latu was born in Tonga but moved to New Zealand with his family in 1991. Growing up in Aotearoa, he dreamed of playing for the All Blacks but the former Chiefs and Hurricanes flanker holds no regrets about moving to Japan in 2007, and later England, which opened the door to him representing the ‘Ikale Tahi.
“I had to make a decision of chasing the black jersey or going with the money and helping my family. It’s a decision I’m very grateful I made quite early in my career and, when I look back now, I’m very blessed to still be playing.”
Latu has played more than 50 tests for Tonga and the Pacific Islanders since his debut in 2006, including at two Rugby World Cups.
His last international appearance was an emotional affair, as the ‘Ikale Tahi beat Samoa in their first test on home soil in eight years.
“I didn’t know that was my last test for Tonga and that’s something that has stuck with me, with my journey up to now,” he said.
“…from my point of view, if I wasn’t in the scene after 2017, I guess being home for the first time after nine years and playing in front of my own people, I would love to announce my retirement from internationals just at the front of my people.”
Tonga hasn’t played in Nuku’alofa since 2017 and Latu hoped the current squad will also get the opportunity to play in front of their home supporters.
“We are proud people but it felt like we were exiled for so many years and I guess that’s through our own doing: it’s either our board, our government or our politics, but I really believe that’s one of the memories I will hold and the reason why I decided to play for Tonga was for my people.”
The Latu family. Photo: Supplied/Nili Latu
Sport brings Tongan together, he said.
“It was 80 minutes but it made the whole country happy for 80 minutes, and that’s something that’s really hard, even our own government cannot do and our own people cannot do.
“When it comes to sport – if it’s either league or rugby – that’s the only moment that I see our country really happy. Our rugby and our league brings our people together.”
And while it’s been a long time between drinks, Latu isn’t ruling out a fairytale comeback in Tonga’s upcoming Rugby World Cup qualifiers against Samoa.
The Polynesian rivals will play two tests in New Zealand in July, and former skipper has already sounded out head coach Toutai Kefu.
“I just said I’m available, if you need me for that test match, for the qualifier, I’m available. I’m still hungry to play rugby but anything for my country – I think I played 12 seasons for my country and I would do the same again.”
Deported Canadian academic Pal Ahluwalia is still Vice Chancellor and President of the University of the South Pacific, said Chancellor Lionel Aingimea.
Professor Ahluwalia and his wife, nursing lecturer Sandra Price, were forced to leave Fiji in early February after the government claimed the couple had breached provisions in their work permits.
University of the South Pacific (USP) vice-chancellor and president Pal Ahluwalia. Photo: USP
Aingimea, who is also Nauru’s President, said once issues relating to the academic’s departure were cleared at the council level, Professor Ahluwalia would be allowed to operate out of any USP member country, except Fiji.
Aingimea’s comments comes amid a council meeting this week to discuss a report which had highlighted governance issues at the regional institution.
The report was compiled in 2019 by forensic accountant BDO Auckland following allegations by Ahluwalia of ‘serious mismanagement and abuse of office’ at the USP.
The fallout between the university’s governing body, the USP Council, and the head office host nation, Fiji, came to the fore following the deportation of Ahluwalia.
Aingimea had condemned the deportation.
He said the USP Council, Professor Ahluwalia’s employer, was not informed of his deportation by the Fijian authorities.
The Council had not revoked Professor Ahluwalia’s contract, Aingimea said.
He told the Fiji Times newspaper last week that he had received a lot of letters from USP students and staff expressing their disappointment that issues remained unresolved.
The question of Ahluwalia’s role was put to a subcommittee, Aingimea said, and the subcommittee had returned it to the council meeting this week with some recommendations.
“As far as I am personally concerned, he [Ahluwalia] is still the VC of the USP,” he said.
On Ahluwalia not being able to return to Fiji, Aingimea said he could operate from any member country.
“As far as I am concerned there are other campuses around the region, USP is a regional institution and, therefore, the VC can, as far as I am concerned, operate out of Samoa, Vanuatu or Nauru or any other country for that matter.”
Ahluwalia and his wife were taken from their Suva home late at night on February 3 and driven to Nadi International Airport to be put on a flight to Australia.
According to the Fiji Government, Alhuwalia and Sandra Price had continuously breached Section 13 of the Immigration Act which led to their deportation.
The couple have denied the claims.
USP Chancellor and Nauru President Lionel Aingimea. Photo: Facebook/Fiji Parliament
Another year of exemption has been approved for the whale watching and swimming operators who must pay annual licencing fees to allow them to use radio communications while providing their services to the public.
Tonga Tourism. Photo/Kalino Lātū (Kaniva Tonga).
The exemption only applies to holders who have Very High Frequency (VHF) and High Frequency (HF) radio communication licences.
The Ministry of Communication (MEIDECC) said yesterday this has been decided due to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic.
While the whale watching businesses were pleased about the announcement some wanted to know why the government did not apply the same justification to other whale watching licence fees since the pandemic impact affected them as well.
Concerned whale watching operators who spoke anonymously with Kanivanews wanted to know why the Communication Minister could waive the radio licence fees while at the same time the Minister of Tourism told them she has no power to defer the payment for the whale watching and swimming licences.
As we reported last week, the Minister of Tourism Akosita Lavulavu told the Vava’u operators this month if they did not pay their fees on time their licences would be cancelled.
Lavulavu was responding after the operators requested to defer or waive the $3,500 fees for another year because of border closures. The amount was the total of TOP$1500 per boat licence fee and TOP$2000 for a third party insurance which valid for three years.
PM intervention
It is understood a meeting was held in Nuku’alofa last week in an attempt to continue pushing for the government to waive the three-year whale watching licences and insurance fees.
It is also understood the organisers wanted to ask the prime minister to intervene.
Food duties exemption
As Kaniva News reported previously, the operators have questioned the response from the Minister of Tourism after it was clear the government can make special decision when the country was in a state of emergency.
The Prime Minister has recently extended the State of Emergency for another month, until 10 May, due to ongoing concerns around the global spread of Covid-19.
The Minister of Customs and Revenue has used such power to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 by announcing last year that his Ministry has allowed duty exemption on food and household items imported from overseas countries.
MEIDECC announcement
“Due to the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Communications Sector, the Government of Tonga is extending the exemption of the Whale Watching Industry license fees for another 12 months period commencing April 2021 – March 2022.” the MEIDECC said yesterday Tuesday 27.
“The exemption only applies for license holders of VHF and HF Radio Communication in the Whale Watching Industry”.
