Around TOP$2.3 million worth of cocaine has washed up on Vava’u beaches.
Packages of cocaine washed ashore in Vava’u. Photo/Supplied
Police have been out at Hōleva and Ha’alaufuli this week, sweeping the area for more drugs.
Detective Acting Deputy Commissioner Halatoa Tāufa said local residents found the packages and handed them over to Police.
“Police confirms the packages had been tested positive for cocaine and is working closely with the Tonga Navy, utilising the VOEA Ngahau Koula to scour areas of interest in the Vava’u waters”, Tāufa said.
“There is possibility that more packages may turn up on the beach and we ask any members of the public to immediately contact Police if they found or knew anyone to have found further drugs.”
Tāufa strongly reminded that anyone who has in their possession any of the washed- up drugs must hand them over to Police.
Failing to do so is a serious offence, he said.
Contact Police on phone 740-1660 or 922 and share any information you may have on this matter or any drug related offence.
A man from Ma’ufanga has been sentenced to eight years in prison for attacking and killing a 67-year-old grandfather in the town.
Ned Cook, a drug rehabilitation expert from the Salvation Army . Photo/TBC
Siosaia Tu Maile, 20, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter of Tuipulotu Afiulo Cook, also known as Ned Cook.
Mr Cook died in hospital following an assault in Vuna Road, in May 2020, Tongatapu Supreme Court heard.
The judge ordered that the final two years of the sentence be suspended for two years on conditions.
Sentencing, Lord Chief Justice Whitten said Maile was given credit for the period he spent remanded in custody between 17 May 2020 and 19 January 2021.
An autopsy report from New Zealand where the body of Mr Cook was later buried said the cause of death was the result of blunt force head injuries, consisting of one or more blows to the face causing Ned to fall and impact the back of his head. That impact caused a number of injuries including a skull fracture which in turn led to the acute bleeding, swelling and displacement of the brain.
What had happened?
The court was told that on 15 May 2020, around 3 pm, Ned finished up his volunteer work at the local Catholic Church and headed to the Billfish Bar and Restaurant for a drink.
At one stage, he was heard arguing with the prisoner.
Witnesses told the court Maile had punched Ned without any provocation on Ned’s part.
“The punch was so forceful that he saw Ned’s whole body lifted about six inches off the ground.”
“The punch evidently rendered Ned unconscious before he hit the ground. Witnesses described how he fell without ever trying to break his fall. The back of his head hit the road. His arms were outstretched beside his body. Blood trickled onto the road.”
According to the Crown eye witnesses, Maile then ran off down the street.
Victim impact statements
The Crown provided statements from Ned’s widow and grandson in New Zealand.
She told of how Ned spent most of his life in New Zealand, working to improve the lives of vulnerable youth, addicts, those with mental health issues and offenders.
Upon his retirement, Ned wanted to ‘give back’ to his homeland of Tonga. And so, in a bitter twist of irony, he returned and committed himself to helping those in need here.
Tragically, Ned’s death closely followed the passing of his daughter in January 2020 after a long battle with cancer.
His passing was followed shortly after by his widow suffering a heart attack, the pain of which prevented her from being able to cry for her lost husband.
Her grief and pain continue, with the rest of her life now only a shadow of what it was meant to be.
Despite the natural depiction of sorrow and loss and acceptance of the punishment which must be meted, both statements were remarkably tempered by forgiveness and hope for the Defendant’s rehabilitation and future life.
Te Puawaitanga manager Alison Bourn was told it would take up to two weeks before they were fully booked.
“Within 24 hours of going live on the national booking system last week, we were fully booked for the first two days. And I had a quick look last night and we’re fully booked for about 10 days now. So I’m pleased that we’ve been able to meet the needs of the community.”
Meanwhile, a Samoan community leader involved in promoting take up of the vaccine in Ōtautahi, wanted to see a more proactive approach to encouraging Pasifika peoples to come in for their Covid-19 vaccinations.
Samoan community leader Reverend Fitifiti Luatua said one approach could be taking buses out into the community.
“So they can open that [clinic] 24 seven, but if there’s no one to bring [in] the ones that are at home, that’s part of the difficulty. So I would see a vehicle that goes around…and nurses and doctors [can say] come in. People might be doing shopping, they can come in and get the injection.”
Reverend Luatua, who will soon appear on billboards in Ōtautahi promoting the vaccine, said it was up to leaders such as him to advocate for its use.
But it was Fiji’s day as they ran in four tries to cap an excellent tournament. They put pressure on the All Black Sevens from the start with a deep kick and were rewarded when the tall Meli Derenalagi dived over in the corner.
Fiji were in again when Andrew Knewstubb failed to gather a kick into New Zealand’s in-goal area and the impressive Sireli Maqala dotted down the loose ball.
All Blacks captain Scott Curry then crossed for an unconverted try, but Fiji had fire in their bellies and Jiuta Wainiqolo, who was in tears at the anthems, beat two defenders with a rampaging run down the right wing side to score.
The All Blacks’ Sione Molia showed great leg-drive to power over the line after the halftime hooter, but Fiji dominated possession in the second period and Asaeli Tuivuaka crossed for the try that sealed the win.
In the bronze medal match, Ben Harris put Britain in front with an early score, but Argentina roared back as Lautaro Bazan Velez and the electric Marcos Moneta, one of the players of the tournament, ran in tries to give them a 12-5 lead at the break.
Ollie Lindsay-Hague levelled for Britain, though that joy was short-lived as Ignacio Mendy was put into acres of space for what proved the winning score with two minutes remaining.
The women’s Sevens competition starts on Thursday at the same venue and will conclude with the gold medal match on Saturday.
Three people have died from the house fire on Salote Rd in Nuku’alofa early yesterday morning, Tuesday 27.
One person is currently still in hospital with injuries from the fire.
It is understood the third victim, who died this morning Wednesday 28, was one of the two elderly women who were rushed to Vaiola Hospital following the fire.
A total of seven people reported to have been in the house opposite the Nuku’alofa Central Police Station before it was engulfed with fire.
The big old white house was known to many as the Percival residence.
This story appears on RNZ.co.nz. RNZ reports are republished by Kaniva Tonga in partnership.
Authorities working to contain a tomato plant disease are hopeful exports can resume to some countries before the season starts in October.
Photo: Thomas Martinsen/ Unsplash
Last month the Ministry for Primary Industries stopped exports to six countries after Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) was found on plants here.
The countries – Australia, Thailand, Fiji, Tonga and New Caledonia – consider the disease a quarantine risk. The sixth country, Japan, is only partially closed, and is still taking fresh New Zealand tomatoes.
The disease can affect the yield of crops and delay fruit growth.
It was found on plants in an Auckland greenhouse in April.
MPI response controller David Yard said PepMV is now in four glasshouses and work was continuing to control the spread.
“The key efforts will be in preventing the spread between different operations between different greenhouse complexes, and particularly between indoor and outdoor tomato growing units.
“We will be looking at having on-farm biosecurity plans for individual operators. Those will include measures such as good hygiene around equipment, and properties, for example, keeping equipment sterilized, keeping records of peoples movements, around the farm and onto other properties.”
“We’ll also be looking at the cleaning of equipment that’s shared between businesses such as crates that they use to transport the fruit between firms and retail, Yard said.
He is hopeful the export ban to some countries will be lifted before the season starts in October.
“I think it’s important so the exports can continue to many markets, including our largest market for fresh tomatoes, which is Japan, which came in at about 43 percent of the 2020 volume.
“We’re going to have continued discussions with markets where restrictions remain, hopefully with the aim of reopening trade ahead of the export season in October,” he said.
“Discussions are ongoing, but we cannot give any guarantees because they’re on a case-by-case basis with each country.”
Yard said tomato growers who think their plants may have the disease should contact the Ministry for Primary Industries on 0800 80 99 66.
By One News/TVNZ and is republished with permission
Victoria will cautiously exit its statewide lockdown, but health authorities say the war with the highly-infectious Delta coronavirus variant is not over.
A man wearing a protective face mask walks through Melbourne CBD, outside the iconic Flinders Street Railway Station. (file photo). Source: istock.com
Premier Daniel Andrews has announced the lockdown – the state’s fifth in 17 months – will lift at 11.59pm today, local time, scrapping stay-home orders and the five-kilometre travel limit.
“It’s not over. We’ve got to be vigilant against this virus, the Delta strain, in the days and weeks and months ahead until we get as many people vaccinated as we possibly can,” he told reporters today.
Under the eased restrictions, schools can welcome back students for all year levels, hospitality venues can reopen for seated service and outdoor gatherings are allowed for up to 10 people.
Live music venues, dance classes and gyms can also throw open their doors with a strict density limit of one person per four square metres.
But many onerous restrictions will linger as health officials remain wary of the Delta variant that sparked the shutdown.
“We’re on the cusp of containing our second Delta outbreak, this one being a really significant one with close to 200 cases” Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said.
“But we can’t call it mission accomplished yet.”
Victorians won’t be able to have visitors to their home and masks remain compulsory indoors and outdoors.
In addition, no crowds will be allowed at sports events or theatres and visitors to snow fields must carry proof of a negative test within 72 hours of arrival, unless they are a child under 12.
The restrictions will remain in place until August 10.
READ MORE
Victoria’s lockdown avoids ‘world of hurt’ – authorities
With the situation worsening in NSW, four local government areas will be thrown out of the border bubble.
Residents of Wagga Wagga, Hay and Lockhart and Murrumbidgee councils won’t be able to freely cross into Victoria from Wednesday.
Andrews said he didn’t enjoy locking out the four communities but “there’s a refusal to lock people in Sydney into Sydney, so I have no choice but to make these changes”.
The statewide lockdown was called on July 15 and initially slated to run five days before it was extended to 11.59pm on Tuesday, as contact tracers struggled to chase down people before they turned positive.
Ten new local Covid-19 cases were reported in Victoria today, all linked to current outbreaks and in isolation for their entire infectious period.
With no cases spending any time in the community for three days, no new exposure sites have been listed since Saturday.
There are now 190 infections linked to the outbreak, which was seeded by a Sydney removalist crew who passed the virus on to residents of Maribyrnong’s Ariele Apartments and a separate family who returned from NSW.
The state’s COVID commander Jeroen Weimar said one of the removalists had been handed a AU$200 (NZ$210) fine for not wearing a mask, in line with health directions.
“I’m pleased we can draw a line under this incident as we start to draw a line under the subsequent outbreak,” he said.
After reviewing the health department’s investigation, Victoria Police said there was no evidence of other offending and would not take any further action.
“This matter is closed from a police perspective,” a spokesman said.
More than 24,000 test results were received in the 24 hours to midnight, while 15,677 vaccine doses were administered at state-run sites during the same period.
A careful reading of the ruling Tu’i’onetoa’s Tonga People’s Party’s (PAK) manifesto appears to support claims that Democrat constituencies are being punished.
Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa. Photo/Kalino Lātū
Democrat supporters have long complained about the roading programme, which has been mired in controversy since it was revealed that contracts have gone to friends of the government, including PAK bigwig and convicted criminal ‘Etuate Lavulavu.
Recently they have complained that the only constituencies that are regarded as a priority for the roading project are those which voted for the PAK.
Voters in Nuka’alofa, which makes up by parts of Tongatapu 1, 2, 3 and 4, wonder why the capital’s roads are being left to deteriorate.
There has been outrage as people have begun to feel they are the victims of an outrage using taxpayers’ money to reward only government supporters.
However, the evidence has been sitting in plain sight since the manifesto was published last year: If you voted for the government, you will get your roads repaired by the end of next year.
If you voted for anybody else, you will just have to wait.
These constituencies are not due to be finished before the end of 2023:
While the road schemes are listed in the PAK manifesto as being the product of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources others are not. Among the government’s proposed schemes are several kilometres of bridges, all of which are labelled as “Hon. Akosita Lavulavu Projects.” It is unclear whether the name of the recently jailed Minister of Infrastructure will remain.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
‘Oku paaki he menifesitō pe tohi palani ngāue mo konisitūtone ‘a e Paati ‘a e ‘Eiki Palēmia’ Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa ko ‘ene polokalama tanu mo ngaahi hala laui miliona oku fai ai ‘a e vālau’ ‘oku fakamu’omu’a pe ‘a e ngaahi vāhenga ne nau fili ia mo ‘ene kapineti’ ki Fale Alea’. Ko e toenga’ toki vakai ia. Pea ‘oku hoko ai heni ‘a e ngaahi vālau he ‘oku tautea’i ‘a e ngaahi vāhenga ia ne ‘ikai ke nau fili he PAK, ka i he taimi tatau ko e pa’anga tukuhau ‘oku fai’aki ‘a e tanuhala filifilimānako ko ‘eni’ ko e pa’anga ‘a e ngaahi vāhenga’ kotoa ‘ikai ko ha pa’anga pe ia ‘a e PAK pe ‘ū vāhenga pe ko ē ne fili PAK ke nau fakapale fakatonutonu holo’aki. Lolotonga ‘oku lisi ‘i he menifesitō ko ‘eni ko e tanu hala ko ‘eni ko e fou mei he Potungāue Fonua’ mo e Savea’ ko e toenga’ e ngaahi polōseki ‘oku lisi ai’ hangē ko e ngaahi hala fakakavakava ‘oku ‘asi ia ko e polōseki ‘a Akosita Lavulavu. ‘Oku ‘ikai mahino pe ‘e toe liliu ‘o to’o e hingoa ‘o Akosita’ he kuo ngāue pōpula ia pe ‘e kei fakakakala’aki pe.
By One News/TVNZ and is republished with permission
A health worker who recently gave birth is among nine people who died from Covid-19 in Fiji.
Source: 1 NEWS
The government also confirmed 626 new cases of Covid-19 for the last 24 hours to 8am yesterday.
That compares to 684 infections and five deaths in the previous 24-hour period.
Health Secretary Doctor James Fong said the 44-year-old pregnant woman from Suva presented to a medical facility on July 16 with shortness of breath and chest pain.
She was taken by a medical team to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital and was assessed by specialists, he said.
“Her baby was safely delivered by emergency Caesarean section two days later. Sadly, her condition worsened and she died five days after admission on 21 July,” Dr Fong said.
READ MORE
Fijian settlement reeling from Covid-19’s devastating impact
The other victims are:
* A 72-year-old man from Muanikoso in Nasinu who died at home on 23 July.
* A 50-year-old man from Suva died at home on 25 July.
* A 61-year-old woman from Tacirua presented to a health facility in severe respiratory distress. She was taken to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital. Her condition worsened and she died 11 days after admission on 24 July. Her family reported that she had a cough, fever, shortness of breath and a reduced appetite one week prior to her going to the health centre.
* A 62-year-old man from Suva died at home on 24 July.
* A 60-year-old woman from Vatuwaqa in Suva also died at home on 24 July.
* A 75-year-old man from Nausori presented to a medical facility in severe respiratory distress on 24 July. His condition worsened and he died on the same day.
* A 74-year-old man from Nasova in Suva died at home on 24 July.
* A 53-year-old man from Naitasiri died at home on 23 July.
Dr Fong said 79 cases of the latest Covid patients are from the western division while the rest are from the Central Division.
Seven other people who tested positive to Covid-19 had died however Dr Fong said their deaths were not caused by the virus but due to “serious pre-existing medical conditions”.
“There have now been 186 deaths due to Covid-19 in Fiji, with 184 of these during the outbreak that started in April this year,” Dr Fong said.
“The ministry also has recorded 94 positive patients died from the serious medical conditions that they had before they contracted Covid-19 and these were not classified as caused by the virus.”
Meanwhile, Dr Fong said some people are more focused on undermining the ministry’s efforts to combat Covid-19.
His comments come amid a video that surfaced on social media recently, which showed how dead bodies were being kept at the country’s main hospital, the Colonial War Memorial Hospital’s temporary morgue.
The video showed a container located outside the mortuary full of dead bodies.
“Fortunately, together with our private sector partners, we have expanded our morgue space to address this issue,” Dr Fong said.
“This supportive effort by Suva Morgue Services highlights the positive spirit that is well appreciated by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.”
He said there was group tasked by the ministry to facilitate funerals of Covid patients.
Dr Fong said the seven-day average of new cases per day is 1046 or 1182 cases per million population per day.
He said with the high numbers of new daily cases, the ministry was also seeing increasing cases of severe disease and deaths.
Fiji now has over 17,000 active cases in isolation.
One person is currently still in hospital with injuries from the fire.
