Two new chief executive officers and an eye doctor have joined those at government’s senior positions.
Dr ‘Ōpeti Pulotu has been appointed as Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board (TNQAB) new Chief Executive Officer effective from 21 February 2020.
Dr Pulotu, from Toula, Vava‘u, recently
completed a PhD in Educational Assessment from Durham University in the United
Kingdom. He has been the Principal Qualifications Officer at TNQAB since it was
established.
Tonga’s sole Ophthalmologist, Dr Duke Mataka has been announced as the new leader of the Ministry of Health’s Ophthalmology Division after obtaining a Masters’ degree in Ophthalmology in 2018 from the Pacific Island Institute, Fiji.
The post had
been left vacant for about 10 years.
Government’s partly owned Tonga Cable Limited has appointed Sēmisi Pānuve as its new Chief Executive Officer effective from 2 March.
Pānuve is an engineer by profession and was Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Friendly Islands Satellite Communications Ltd or Tongasat, owned by Princess Pilolevu Tuita, sister of King George Tupou VI.
The complaints lodged against three journalists suspended by Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC) board in January were still being investigated, a TBC board of director has told Kaniva News.
Sētita Tu’i’onetoa, the TBC Station Manager along with two other television anchors Vilisoni Tu’iniua and Salamo Fulivai were suspended with pay after the national broadcaster board received complaints from former Cabinet Minister and MP ‘Etuate Sungalu Lavulavu.
As the investigation dragged on for seven weeks now, the TBC Board Director Keith Moala said the trio had been suspended after the board received legal advice from its lawyer.
A committee outside the board was then set up to probe accusations which included allegations the journalists did not contact Lavulavu for his comment and televising a news piece which was without merit and being falsified.
Tu’i’onetoa previously told Kaniva News they did not break any laws and she had consulted two lawyers before the news was released.
Meanwhile, the Pacific Media Forum co-chair Ofani Eremae said the forum was calling for
“transparency” over the suspensions, which had added to the ongoing
history of “intimidation” at the broadcaster.
In 2017, the Prime Minister removed TBC news editor Laumanu Petelo and news manager Viola Ulakai from their positions in the newsroom, accusing them of “unfair reporting” of the government.
The first group of 26 athletes previously stranded in China due to the coronavirus outbreak have begun leaving some quarantined rooms in a hotel in the UK this morning.
They were expected to start arriving in Tonga tomorrow March 5.
The last group of 25 athletes was expected to leave UK on Thursday, said Tongan medical doctor in UK, Dr Faka’osi Pifeleti.
The sport teams included boxing, table tennis, swimming and weightlifting trainees who were being trained in China before they were evacuated to London.
The Tongan authorities have previously announced that after being quarantined for 14 days in London the sport teams were expected to leave via Dubai and Auckland and will arrive in Tonga on March 5 and 7.
Meanwhile the epidemic
has cancelled international upcoming world events in which Tonga was expected
to participate.
These included the ITB
Berlin Travel Fair, the world biggest travel show which was scheduled for this
week, Former Acting Prime Minister Semisi Sika said on Facebook.
He said the Pacific Art
Festival in Honolulu which was set to begin in three months time just got
canceled.
A protest planned in Vava’u to force authorities to divert cruise ships coming to their port has been scratched.
Neiafu town officer Vāvā Lapota said they took back their notice yesterday after government announced a diversion order has been put in place to block four cruise ships from docking in Tonga over fears of coronavirus ongoing outbreak.
He told Kaniva News some of those ships had been scheduled to visit Vava’u.
He said the governor met with all district and town
officers of Vava’u to discuss the cruise ships upcoming visits and they all agreed to turn the ships away.
The diversion order came after the kingdom allowed MS Amsterdam to dock in Nuku’alofa on Friday saying it has
been cleared by the Ministry of Health.
Asked whether authorities have put any preventive coronavirus measures in place for yachters sailing to the group Lapota said he understood the governor’s office was talking to Nuku’alofa about diverting all yachts to Tongatapu for screening procedures before returning to port in Vava’u.
He said it was normal for yachts to start arriving in Vava’u after next month.
The Maasdam, Silver Whisper, Artania and Carnival Spirit were scheduled to stop in the kingdom on March 9, March 23 and March 31.
“I have reasonable grounds to believe that it is necessary to divert them to a place outside of Tonga,” Health CEO Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola said.
Last month four cruise ships including a yacht – the Astor, Columbus, and Crystal Serenity and a super-yacht Windstirid, were all refused entry in Tonga due to health warnings following the global coronavirus outbreak.
Tonga should try to attract wealthy investors, the International Monetary Fund said in its latest report on the kingdom’s economy.
The IMF recommended a raft of polices
to improve the country’s economy and to help it face what it said would be a
spike in debt repayments from 2024.
The
IMF said the kingdom was in “high debt distress.”
It
recommended the government build up a budget surplus to allow a sufficient
build-up of fiscal buffers for debt repayment.
It
also needed to rationalise the taxation
regime to allow for sufficient reserves
The IMF also recommended increasing the emergency fund to meet unexpected climate related shocks
Among
its other recommendations were to introduce policies and schemes on land issues
and investment policies to attract large and wealthy investors.
“The
complexity and non-transparency and delays in the operation of the land market
is critical to attracting of large investors and strategically expanding the
production and economic base of Tonga,” the IMF said.
The
financial institution said Tonga’s economic performance was gradually growing
and could grow more strongly if it implemented its policies.
It
said the kingdom’s economic growth was three percent in the 2019 financial year.
This
was driven by consumer demand, overseas remittances and effective monetary
policy, and credit growth.
However,
it noted that economic growth was slower due to market losses after Cyclone
Gita.
The
IMF also noted low inflation, a fourth consecutive budget surplus and a stable financial
sector.
The main points
Tonga should try to attract t wealthy investors, the
International Monetary Fund says in its lest report on the kingdom’s economy.
The IMF recommended a raft of polices to improve the
country’s economy and to help it face what it said would be a spike in debt
repayments from 2024.
Any attempt to declare the Tonga National Rugby League as the governing body of the game in Tonga is unlawful.
That
is the latest salvo in the ongoing struggle over the future of League in the
kingdom.
Saia
Penitani of the Tonga Ma’a Tonga Rugby League Inc said the Supreme Court had
declared in October last year that there was no law giving the TNRL the right
to solely govern rugby league in Tonga.
Penitani’s
comments come ahead of a hearing later this month at which full members of the
international body will decide whether to uphold the expulsion of TNRL.
As Kaniva News reported last week, Tonga’s Prime Minister has written and asked IRL and its member countries to readmit TNRL to the international body’s membership.
“That
we seek a review and lifting by the board of IRL and its member countries of
the expulsion of the TNRL,” the Prime Minister said in a copy of his letter
seen by Kaniva.
As we reported last month, the TRNL is appealing its expulsion.
A decision to reverse the expulsion of TNRL would require a 75% agreement of the full membership.
The
expulsion came after a three month
investigation of the TNRL.
“TNRL
is a duly registered body as is TMTRL; the crucial difference is the membership
of TMTRL far exceeds that of TNRL,” Penitani said.
“We
question the legitimacy of any endorsement of TNRL in light of the clear fact
that in doing so it promotes the interests of the minority in TNRL at the
expense of the interests of the majority in TMTRL, our rugby league players and
rugby league in Tonga.”
Claims
by the TRNL that it wanted to foster inclusivity and harmony appeared to be
contradicted by statements that the
Tongan government was advocating for the TNRL whose support consisted of a
small minority of rugby league clubs.
“To
foster harmony is to cede with grace to the will of the majority, that is the
will of the majority of clubs and of fans who support our international
players, players who have repeatedly made clear their refusal to work with or
play under TNRL,” Penitani said.
“Any
insistence on dictating that TNRL is the governing body is blatant interference
that could jeopardises Tonga’s future participation in the rugby league
international community and competitions.
“It
is entirely the prerogative of the RLIF to decide who the rugby league member
Federation in Tonga is.”
The main points
Any attempt to declare the Tonga National Rugby League as the
governing body of the game in Tonga is unlawful.
That is the latest salvo in the ongoing struggle over the
future of League in the kingdom.
Methamphetamine and cash have been seized after multiple homes were raided in a sting targeting drug suppliers in Tongatapu.
Police arrested three men and one woman with methamphetamine from three
different locations in Tongatapu.
Police seized 21.54 grams of methamphetamine, over TOP$6,000 pa’anga cash and drug utensils during these arrests.
All four accused have been charged accordingly and to appear
in court at a later date.
A/Deputy Commissioner Vailea said that these arrests show that those who are seeking to profit from the harm these drugs cause can continue to expect to be targeted by Police.
“Drugs have no place in our community; they destroy the lives of the users, harming our children and our communities. We hope these arrests will bring some reassurance to the community.”
A/DC Vailea also wanted to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of staff who were involved in the seizures, and their commitment to intercepting the supply of these harmful drugs, keeping our communities safe and protected.
He urged anyone who has information on drug dealing in our communities to contact police on 22782.
Kiliki ‘i he halangaope ‘i ‘olunga’ ke ke fanongo ki he fakataha ‘a e kāinga Tongatapu 1’ mo e ‘Eiki Palēmia’ ‘i he lea fakaTonga’.
Sponsored:
Audios of the Prime Minister’s meeting in Tongatapu 1 were provided by the Prime Minister’s office and transcribed and translated into English by Kaniva News. This English version of the audios had been abridged.
A residential area in Kolomotu’a has been described as threatening and the Minister of Police, Lord Nuku, has been asked to give it special treatment.
A
resident has likened it to Sodom and Gomorrah in the Holy Bible.
It has been claimed there were ongoing loud party music, singing and swearing (“lau e veesi lauloto kehekehe”) coming from party goers in this area known as Israel (“’Isileli.”)
Police when called sometime turned up and sometime they didn’t, it has been claimed.
The road pits in the area had been likened to an underground oven. The Minister of Police told residents he did not know their problems went that far.
Lord Nuku also denied rumours that the Tu’i’onetoa government was using the Prime Minister’s roading project as a political campaign tool.
The noble said the roading priority policy was created based on what had been recorded by Parliament every year in the past four decades after it annual visits to all constituencies as people’s top urgent needs. He said people’s second top priority was water,
Lord Nuku said the Prime Minister’s Roading Project for the whole of Tonga has yet to begin. He said the government was currently repairing roads under its normal road maintenance policy.
He said the government has approved an estimate of TOP$700 million for the Prime Minister’s Roading Project and an allocation of $18 million to spend on road maintenance until June.
The revelations were made during a meeting organised by the Prime Minister’s office for the Prime Minister and some of his Cabinet ministers to meet with the Tongatapu 1 constituents to hear their urgent needs.
As Acting Minister of Infrastructure, Lord Nuku told the ‘Isileli residents the Ministry will repair their roads soon after repair works currently underway at Pea. His response was followed by applause.
The government told the constituents it would build and upgrade evacuation centres to include special features required for people with disabilities.
The meeting was reminded that the Tu’i’onetoa government was just on its fourth month after it came to power in October 2019.
The situation at ‘Isileli has been also described as disrespectful to a retired minister of the Free Church of Tonga, Manase Tafea, who was one of only four residence owners in this particular area of Tongatapu 1.
Joi
Schaumkel told Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa during the meeting the
situation was threatening.
She
said she and her husband always carried with them in their vehicle a machete as
a weapon to protect them if somebody tried to attack them when their vehicle
had to run at low speed because of the road pits.
She
said during night time whenever she heard vehicles speeding up in their road
she woke up and put the light on.
Schaumkel told the meeting the Japanese surveyed the area as part of the plan to construct the roads, but when the construction began the area was not included.
She asked the Prime Minister to repair the roads.
A
Tongan man who said he was living in the US told the Prime Minister during the
meeting to consider building drainage first before the roads because the area
was swampy.
He said they did this in the US when constructing roads in swampy areas because if drainage was not provided the water would damage the road from time to time.
Other concerns from the residents included asking the Prime Minister to defer putting an end to building materials’ tax and duty free policy it offered after recent tropical cyclones.
A
woman has asked the Prime Minister to help provide accommodation for children she
said she looked after because their mother had died.
Another
woman told the Prime Minister when it rained his children could not go to
school because of poor road conditions. He asked Hon Tu’ionetoa to repair the
road.
Tongatapu 1 MP Siaosi Pōhiva told the Prime Minister he was concerned after he was not invited to be part of those people who were given the roles to organise the meeting.
MP
Pōhiva said he wanted politicians to be united and set aside their political
differences to enable them to work together for the benefit of the people.
The death of a young girl in Touliki on Friday has prompted questions about what international safety measures are in place at public swimming pools.
The girl’s body was recovered from the ocean pool about 2pm. She was identified by relatives and friends on social media as 13-year-old ‘Elisapeta Heitonga of Tofoa.
Local reports said attempts to revive Heitonga at the scene failed.
It is understood the girl was with
members of a sport team from Lavengamālie College.
In 2013 a 41 years-old man drowned at
the pool, which was then closed for two
months.
In New Zealand public swimming pools
generally have volunteer or paid lifeguards who keep an eye on swimmers.
Government regulations lay out strict
rules on supervising pool users, particularly children. Responsibility
stretches to a range of staff.
A minimum of one qualified lifeguard
is required at all times, with more depending on the number of users.
At New Zealand beaches lifeguards
maintain a watch on swimmers and mark out safe areas with flags.
In Australia there is a strong
culture of lifeguards on public beaches and in public pools and in both
countries lifeguards have to qualify for the position.
In California lifeguards have to
undertake qualifications of up to two years and undertake life saving and CPR qualifications.
