King Tupou VI has appointed Mr. Tatafu Toma Moeaki as new Minister for the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development today, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said.
New Trade Minister Tatafu Moeaki (L), and New Ha’apai Governor Viliami Manuopangai
Moeaki was a former secretary of the Ministry of Finance.
His Majesty has also appointed Mr. Viliami Manuopangai Hingano to the position of Governor of Ha’apai with effect from January 26 2021.
Manuopangai was former MP for Haʻapai 12 constituency.
Hon. Sāmiu Kuita Vaipulu, the former Minister of Trade and Economic Development was appointed as Minister for the Ministry of Justice and Prisons, following recommendations from the Hon. Prime Minister. Hon. Rev. Dr. Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa, as stipulated by the constitution.
A Tongan flag appears during protest in US Capitol building. Photo/Facebook
A Hawai’i-based Tongan academic has called for a discussion about how the kingdom’s flag should be used after one appeared in photographs of the attack on the Capitol building on January 6.
Professor Tevita Ka’ili, who is Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Culture, Language and Performing Arts at Brigham Young University, said he believed a Tongan Trump supporter took the flag to the Capitol.
Egged on by President Trump, hundreds of Trump supporters entered the Capitol building in a bid to overturn his election defeat. They planned to force Congress to postpone a session that would have certified Democratic President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the November election.
Five people died as a result of the attacks.
Professor Ka’ili said on Facebook the use of the flag by Tongans living overseas should be discussed.
He said such a discussion could be part of the Tonga Research Association conference at BYU, which was planned for September this year.
Some Tongan commentators on social media lashed out at people who flew the flags during the protest saying it was embarrassing and it did not reflect well on Tonga. Some said people were free to use it.
Flags from South Korea, Georgia, Israel, Vietnam, Cuba and India were also identified during the attack on the Capitol.
President Trump attracted a certain amount of support among the Tongan community in the United States.
There are at least two ‘Tongans for Trump’ websites, both of which are still active. One has 1800 followers and the other 500.
Prof Tevita Ka’ili. Photo/Facebook
Both contain anti-Biden propaganda, links to articles by right wing extremists and commentary. They also contain bizarre conspiracy theories, many of which are strongly anti-Catholic.
In 2002 the international media reported that Tonga has suspended its international ship registry after Israel seized a vessel flying Tonga’s flag, claiming it was smuggling arms to Palestinians.
The cargo ship Karine A was captured by Israeli commandos in the Red Sea with 45 tonnes of weapons aboard, including rockets, mortars and explosives.
In 2003 the Tongan media reported that democratic supporter and advocate ‘Alani Taione had burnt the Tongan flag in Auckland to protest against King Tupou IV for not supporting the late ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s efforts to approve the democratic reforms for the country.
Taione’s move angered government supporters, who said his behaviour was a disgrace for Tonga.
Three years later, the New Zealand Herald reported that Taione, 40, drove a car into the gates of the royal estate, ‘Atalanga, in Epsom in Auckland and set it on fire.
This story originally appeared on RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission
The Immigration Advisers Authority is investigating an alleged scheme at an Auckland Tongan church, which promises residency for cash.
Photo: 123RF
Meetings have been held at the ‘I Laumalie Mo Mo’oni church in Māngere with claims they are promoting the unauthorised scheme.
Overstayers and those wanting residency are said to have been told if they join the church and pay around $500, a judge will sign off on their residency.
Immigration Advisers Authority spokesman Duncan Connor said they were encouraging anyone who feels they have, or know someone who has, been given unlicensed immigration advice to contact them or police.
Connor said anyone giving immigration advice must be licensed by the authority unless they have been given a special exemption.
The Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio is urging Pasifika families to beware of unofficial residency schemes.
Sio said people who have lost money over passports and citizenships should notify his office, or the police.
“We don’t want to see people being ripped off and we’re seeing more and more of these scams happening online and they are targeting very vulnerable communities and we just need to work together to make sure that our people aren’t being ripped off.”
He said there are community law centres and local MPs who are willing to provide the correct information to people seeking permanent residency.
Tonga’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries (MAFF) has not paid the team which audited Tonga’s watermelon shipments after New Zealand suspended its export last year, it has been claimed.
MAFF Minister Lord Tu’ilakepa. Photo/ Fale Alea ‘O Tonga
A source told Kaniva News the auditors were told to go ahead and start the auditing last October while their payment was processed.
It is understood the auditors were told the government would pay them and that the Cabinet had allocated a budget for that.
It is understood MAFF Minister Lord Tu’ilakepa also confirmed the auditors they would be paid.
However, it appears a contract agreement between MAFF and the auditors was not signed before they took up the jobs.
Lord Tu’ilakepa demanded the contract agreement be drafted and signed while the work was underway.
Kaniva News understands that some of the auditors sent their invoices to MAFF and demanded to be paid within two weeks or a late payment fee would be charged.
They claimed they were not paid because there was no money.
It has been reported that when contacted about their pay in December, MAFF Acting CEO Mana’ia Halafihi said the Ministry was working on the payments and would “inform you accordingly as it progressed.”
We have contacted Halafihi for comment.
As we reported previously, shipments of Tongan watermelons were suspended after live fruit fly larvae were detected at the New Zealand border last year.
In early December, New Zealand issued Tongan exporters a temporary approval permit, allowing them to send watermelons to the country under special conditions.
Leaked
Documents leaked to Kaniva News showed that on December 22 last year Nacanieli Waqa, the Biosecurity Senior Advisor for the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries, e-mailed Metui Falesiva, the MAFF watermelon team-leader and reminded him that the pay for the auditors was confirmed.
“As discussed on Friday 18 December 2020, I would appreciate receiving confirmation from your office on the status of the above subject considering that it’s over 2 months now since they’ve been engaged,” the e-mail said.
“The first watermelon export consignment under the ‘Temporary approval’ arrangement has been effectively facilitated last week and the team was very instrumental in achieving the outcome and therefore they should be remunerated accordingly before further engagement of their time and expertise can be secured.
“As you’ve requested, I have provided an official confirmation letter from MPI on the appointment of the members of the Audit team to also facilitate the securing of funds from Tonga Government for payment of their engagement in line with the government’s financial policies.”
The following day, December 23 Halafihi responded, saying: “Regarding your query, please note that we are now working on it and will inform you accordingly as it progressed in due course.”
On the same day another member of the Audit team responded to the Acting CEO and said: “The Hon. Minister informed me . . . that there is a need for contract to be drawn up – normal requirement of the procurement unit. May I request that a contract – for me at least be drawn up. This is to cover the days worked. My daily rate is the same as . . . but have lesser days (as I took some days off on other national duties) – will submit number of days when needed.
“Since the audit will be on-going, please provide a clause for future engagements to be agreed upon by all parties involved.”
Joe Biden has been sworn in as president of the United States, assuming the helm of a country reeling from deep political divides, a battered economy and a raging coronavirus pandemic.
Biden, 78, is the oldest US president in history at a scaled-back inauguration ceremony in Washington that has been largely stripped of its usual pomp and circumstance, due both to the coronavirus as well as security concerns following the 6 January assault on the US Capitol by Trump supporters.
Trump left the White House with his wife Melania just after 8am (2am NZT) and went by helicopter to a sendoff event at Joint Air Force Base Andrews, where he promised supporters “we’ll be back in some form” and extolled his administration’s successes before flying off to Florida.
Accusations by Tongatapu 4 MP Māteni Tapueluelu that government members drank alcohol and had a barbecue after launching the national fasting and prayer service in ‘Eua have led to a complaint against him being upheld – and the Prime Minister asking the House to pardon him.
(L-R) PM Tu’i’onetoa, Speaker Lord Fakafanua and MP Māteni Tapueluelu
The Tongatapu 4 MP made the allegation last year.
He went on to claim that Tonga would be cursed because of the government’s behaviour.
Minister of Finance Tēvita Lavemaau said no one had the right to tell Parliament that the fasting and prayer services the government had promoted around the islands had brought a curse on the nation “fakamala’ia.”
He was speaking in support of a Parliamentary complaint that Hon. Tapueluelu breached the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Assembly.
The complaint was lodged by the Minister of Police, Lord Nuku, after Hon. Tapueluelu told the House last year: ” ‘Eiki Palēmia ‘oku ke mea’i, ko e ngaahi pau’u ‘oku mou fai he fonuá ni ko e fo’i pau’u kovi tahá eni kuo mou faí, ko ho’omou pau’u lotu ‘aki ‘a e ‘aukaí pea ‘e mala’ia ai e fonuá ni”
In English this means: “Hon. Prime Minister you know, among these mischief you and your Cabinet are doing in this country, this is the worst mischief you have done. You have conducted the fasting in a mischievous way and it will bring a curse on this country.”
Lord Nuku immediately told the Speaker he wanted to lodge a complaint against Hon. Tapueluelu’s statement. This gave the Speaker a chance to use his Parliamentary power to order the House Parliamentary Privileges Standing Committee to process the complaint and report to the House.
The Committee returned to the House last week with its findings and said Tapueluelu’s statement breached the the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Assembly regulation 108 and the constitution clause 70. It said the statement was disrespectful, offensive and contempt of Parliament, a breach punishable by imprisonment or other punishment that the House may impose according to its rules.
Tapueluelu’s response
The Committee, however, did not submit Hon. Tapueluelu’s response to the accusation against him alongside its findings.
The Committee said it did not submit his response because it did not directly answer the questions the committee demanded he answer about the complaint.
The Tongatapu 4 MP told the House he was concerned about the omission of his response.
He said he would accept any punishment the House could impose upon him as long as his response was heard.
No denial
Hon. Tapueluelu responded to the Minister of Finance who queried his statement and claimed it was the worst ever to be made in the House and it has affected religion in the country.
Hon. Tapueluelu reminded Lavemaau that after they marked the beginning of the fasting with prayers (“fakama’u ‘a e ‘aukai”) they left and drank alcohol and had a barbecue.
In Tongan Tapueluelu said: ” Ka fakama’u ‘a e ‘aukaí pea ‘osi pē pea mātuku atu ‘o inu mo papakiu…”
“What would you call that?” (“Lau ia ko e hā?”) Hon. Tapueluelu asked Lavemaau in Tongan.
Tapueluelu said that was what he concerned about, according to Hansard.
Lavemaau did not deny it, or answer the MP’s question. Instead, he just repeated Hon. Tapueluelu’s question by saying: “What would you call that?” (“Te ke toe ui ‘e koe e me’a ko iá ko e hā?”)
Neither the government bench nor the Committee denied the accusation made by Hon. Tapueluelu. Instead, they focused their debates on the importance of fasting and prayer services to the nation. They said this was why Tonga was still Covid free. They also debated the importance of keeping the privilege and dignity of the House according to the laws.
Ask for pardon
The Committee’s report was carried 12 – 9, but in a bizarre twist, the Prime Minister asked the House to pardon Hon. Tapueluelu. The Prime Minister was supported by Lord Nuku, who lodged the complaint and the Speaker agreed.
The Prime Minister told the House the statement by Tapueluelu was directed to others including him.
“I ask the House please put it aside ,” (“Fakatatafe atu”) the Prime Minister said.
This story originally appeared on RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission
A promoter of a suspected pyramid scheme in New Zealand has been told to stop or face court.
Lion’s Share, a cryptocurrency operation, is believed to be a pyramid scheme, the Commerce Commission says. Photo: 123RF
The Commerce Commission is cracking down on the Lion’s Share scheme, a cryptocurrency operation.
The commission announced it had sent a “Stop Now” letter to one of the promoters, Shelly Cullen, who was recommending it online and in person.
Cullen regularly held seminars online and in person, stating Lion’s Share gave people an opportunity to earn extra money. She is popular on social media, with some of her videos receiving tens of thousands of views.
The letter urged Cullen to stop associating with and promoting Lion’s Share.
On receiving the letter, Cullen told the Commission she had stopped promoting the scheme.
If she did not, the commission could seek an injunction in the High Court.
In a statement, the Commission said the investigation was ongoing.
“However, because it considers that the Lion’s Share scheme is likely a pyramid scheme, the Commission advises any individuals already involved with the Lion’s Share scheme to cease their involvement and those considering joining the Lion’s Share scheme are advised not to do so,” the statement read.
Pyramid schemes are illegal under the Fair Trading Act.
They can take many forms but usually offer a financial return based on payments made by new recruits.
Returns are dependent on the recruitment of new members, not sales of a product or service.
This is a problem because many participants will always be near the base of the pyramid and will not get the promised return on investment.
Only the few initial participants at the top of the pyramid would likely make money, since the number of possible new recruits in any community would be limited.
FAKAMATALA FAKA-TONGA:
Kamata ke ngāue atu ma’u mafai ‘a Nu’u Sila’ kia kinautolu ‘oku nau tu’uaki ‘a e uki kakai ke nau līlī pa’anga kae palōmesi tokua te nau ma’u ‘a e pa’anga lahi ange. Kuo tohi ‘a e Commerce Commission ‘a Nu’u Sila’ ‘o fakatokanga ki he taha e kakai kuo pehē ‘oku nau tu’uaki ‘a e va’inga tānaki pa’anga ta’efakalao ‘i he founga ko e sikiimi pilamita pe pyramid scheme. Ko e fo’i līlī pa’anga ‘eni ‘oku fai ‘aki hano uki fakatokolahi mai ha kakai ne kau lī ‘a e pa’anga taki lauteau ‘i he funga e palōmesi te nau toho ha pa’anga ‘oku lahi ange’. ‘Oku lolotonga felauaki foki heni ha ni’ihi e komiunitī Tonga’ ‘o tatau ‘i Tonga mo Nu’u Sila’ ni ‘o tu’uaki ‘e ha ni’ihi ‘oku lelei pe tokua ia, kae taimi tatau kuo ‘osi ‘asi hake ‘a e ngaahi lāunga ‘a ha kakai Tonga ne nau kau ki he ngaahi līlī ‘i ‘Aokalani mo Tongatapu ‘o pehē kuo mole ‘enau silini’ ka kuo ‘ikai ma’u ha me’a ia. ‘Oku mahino foki ‘oku fakatauele ‘a e fa’ahinga līlī pa’anga ko ‘eni’ he ko ‘ene kamakamata’ ‘oku malava ia ke uini (win) ha ni’ihi ha pa’anga lahi ange he me’a ne nau lii’. Kae fakatatau ki he hisitōlia’ ko ‘ene fuoloa atu pe mo ‘ene ‘alu ke tokolahi ange’ ko ‘ene hoko ia ‘a e palopalema’. Pea ko e me’a ia ‘oku ui ai ‘a e fa’ahinga va’inga’ ni ko e pilamita he ko e ki’i tokosi’i pe ‘i he tumu’aki’ te nau ma’u e melie’ ko e toenga tokolahi ‘i lalo’ ‘e ‘ikai ke nau ma’u ‘enautolu ha me’a, ko e fakamole ‘ata’atā pe. Ko e fo’i ngaue ko eni kuo fai e fakatokanga ki ai ‘i Nu’u Sila ni’ ne ui ko e Lion’s Share. Kuo tuku atu ai ha tohi ‘a e Komisoni ki he fefine ko Shelly Cullen ke ta’ofi leva he ‘oku ta’efakalao. Ne ne ‘iloa ‘a Cullen he mītia fakasōsiale ‘i hono tu’uaki ‘o e līlī ta’efakalo ko ‘eni’ ki hono kau muimui’.
Real Tonga CEO Tēvita Palu is working to restore his airline this year.
Real Tonga CEO Tevita Palu. Photo/Real Tonga (Facebook)
Speaking to Kaniva News, Palu said he was applying for a license from the government.
Real Tonga ceased operating last year and most of its staff and assets were taken over by the government.
Before Real Tonga stopped trading, Palu opened the country’s first flight training school, Kingdom Flight Training at the Real Tongan Airline depot at Fua’amotu Airport.
Palu told Kaniva News yesterday that many of the costs of the government’s new airline, including staff and two aircraft, had already been absorbed by Real Tonga.
His company spent US$600,00 repairing its Saab 340 after a birdstrike, only for the aircraft’s owner to re-assign the lease to Lulutai.
Meanwhile ‘Atu Finau, founder of one of Real Tonga’s predecessors, Fly Niu, has become CEO of Air Vanuatu.
Finau was general manager of Air Vanuatu until 2014.
Fly Niu was forced out of business when the government passed a one airline policy and gave a license to Peau Vava’u, an airline, co-owned by the Late King George Tupou V and his business partners, the Ramanlal brothers.
Finau returned to Tonga to try to revive his airline and was expecting to be operational by the end of 2019.
He also proposed operating a joint service between Tonga and Auckland.
A woman is facing assault, abuse and causing bodily harm charges related to the alleged severe abuse of her female toddler last week.
A woman from Folaha was arrested and charged after Police alleged her 3yo toddler was abused
The 26-year-old mother from Folaha is remanded in police custody to appear at the Magistrate Court on Wednesday 20 January 2021, Police said.
Tongan Police have placed the child in care following an investigation into images shared on Facebook.
As Kaniva News reported last week, the images showed what appeared to be a woman and a female toddler inside a vehicle.
Police said they began an investigation after many people contacted them regarding the images.
“The safety and security of the child was our priority,” Police previously said.
“We would like to make it clear the child is now in a safe place.
“The Police investigation continues and we cannot comment further due to the sensitivity of the case.”
The photos have been widely shared on Facebook by Tongan news sharing groups. One group has so far garnered 1100 reactions, 1000 comments and 1200 shares.
The images shared on Facebook showed what appeared to be a woman and a female toddler inside a vehicle.
Other photos showed a headshot of a man. Some of the photos appear to show the toddler crying with a bloodied face in the company of the woman.
One of the images appeared to show the woman holding the toddler’s head while the little girl was crying.
Another image appeared to show the woman showing the child to somebody who was watching what she was doing to the toddler.
A number of unverified and unsupported claims about the identities and motives of the people shown in the images have been made online.
“Police were informed of a viral post on Facebook last Friday that allegedly shows a mother abusing her child. The Police Commissioner directed a police investigation which resulted in the child being removed to a safer place and the mother being arrested on Friday 15 January,” Police said this afternoon Monday 18.
“Every child has the right to feel safe and no child should know what it’s like to be abused,” says A/Deputy Commissioner Tevita Vailea.
“Tonga Police has a dedicated domestic violence unit, with two female investigators and we work closely with both Women and Children’s centres to help victims of abuse.
Tonga Police has a zero-tolerance policy to any forms of domestic violence, and we are committed to a future where no woman or child is violently abused.”
