An online attack on the Tongan Electoral Commission was designed to disrupt Thursday’s by-election, the Commission said today.
It described the attack on the commission as a fabrication.
The commission said a Facebook post by somebody using the name Takaeafe
alleged impropriety by the supervisor of
elections.
“It is a blatant attempt to interfere with and disrupt the democratic
process on the eve of a Parliamentary by-election in the Tongatapu 1 constituency,” the commission said.
It is also a libelous and untrue attack on the integrity and
independence of Tonga’s Electoral commission.”
The commission said the Facebook post had been referred to the police.
The election is being held to fill the vacancy left by the death of former Prime Minister
‘Akilisi Pohiva.
Mr Pohiva’s son Siaosi is standing against environmental scientist
Netatua Pelesikoti Taufatofua, who lost to the former Prime Minister in 2017.
Dr Taufatofua is a Director of the Climate Change Programme at the
regional environmental group, SPREP.
A total of 4,382 voters have registered for the election.
This is 126 more than registered for the general election in 2017.
Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa said the chair of the Shared Communication Boards is getting the axe for underperformance.
An official statement sent to media outlet said: “The
grounds for the termination are incompetence; failure to assist the Public
Enterprises to act accordingly with its principal objective; acting in bad
faith, and failure to follow the due process in appointing of CEO for Tonga
Broadcasting Commission.”
The Shared Communication Boards included the Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC), Tonga Communication Cooperation (TCC), and the Tonga Post & Fast Print Ltd (TPFPL).
His Majesty’s cabinet decided on 22 November, 2019 to terminate
Piukala’s contract.
It came after a direction by the late ‘Akilisi Pōhiva government to appoint Piukala to lead its electronic government reform process has been recently revoked.
In
that termination, it said “the proposed appointment of Mr Piveni Piukala was
handpicked and without proper due processes.”
It said there was “no agreed Terms of Reference in place,” a cabinet statement
said.
“Mr
Piukala did not meet the set criteria of the World Bank, the funding agency for
the project i.e. the educational and professional work achievements stipulated
by the World Bank policy that the Lead Consultant should have.”
The Supreme Court has handed down a fully suspended two year sentence to a married couple who stole TP$62,000 worth of artefacts from a relative.
Ana Moala Tu’itavuki and Malakai Tu’itavuki pleaded guilty before Lord Chief Justice Whitten on a charge that they stole the artefacts from Tangiloto Po’oi,69, of Tongatapu, who is ‘Ana’s grandmother.
Lord Chief Justice Whitten described it as an unusual case in which the
victim showed a rare level of forgiveness.
The grandmother became ill and moved to Vaini to stay with ‘Ana’s
family.
While she was away the couple stole the artefacts.
These included finely woven mats and other items that were described as
family heirlooms. Because Mrs Po’oi can no longer weave the mats are
irreplaceable.
The stolen items were then sold to a trader who was identified to
police.
However, the items have not been
recovered.
When she discovered the thefts the grandmother complained to the police
in order to teach the thieves a lesson.
She tried to persuade the police not prosecute them, but the Crown
proceeded on the grounds that the theft was a serious one.
She then paid for a lawyer to defend her thieving relatives.
“I will suffer twice in this matter,” Po’oi said.
“Not only has my property been stolen, but now I am financially
responsible for defending my own granddaughter and her husband…at the end of it
all I will bear all the consequences…particularly if my granddaughter is
convicted.”
Lord Chief Justice Whitten said that in sentencing the couple he took
into account the extraordinary forgiveness on the part of Mrs Po’oi towards her
granddaughter and her husband, as well as the immediate confession of guilt and
cooperation of the accused.
He sentenced them to two years jail and then suspended the sentence
completely on condition that, among other things, they perform 100 hours community
work, including repairs, maintenance and improvements on the grandmother’s
property and attend a Salvation Army Life skills course.
The main points
The Supreme Court has handed down a fully suspended two year sentence to a married couple who stole TP$62,000 worth of artefacts from a relative.
Ana Moala Tu’itavuki and Malaki Tu’itavuki pleaded guilty before Lord Chief Justice Whitten on a charge that they stole the artefacts from Tangiloto Po’oi, 69, of Tongatapu, who is ‘Ana’s grandmother.
Mrs ‘Amelia Fakahikuo’uiha Liliu’okalani Fonua-Helu
has been appointed the new Honorary Consul of the Republic of Finland to the
Kingdom of Tonga.
A ceremony this afternoon at the Prime Minister of
Tonga’s office , St George Building, The Hon. Prime Minister and Minister for
Foreign Affairs, Hon. Dr. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa presented the Letter of Exequatur
on behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Tonga to Honorary Consul Mrs
‘Amelia Fonua-Helu granting authorisation to exercise honorary functions,
conduct official duties and to access provisional benefits stipulated in the
1963 Vienna Conventions on Consular Relations.
Honorary Consul Mrs ‘Amelia Fonua-Helu is currently a businesswoman whom owns with
her spouse various businesses for more than ten (10) years, including, JH
Electrical Contractor & Supplies, JH Mortuary Freezer Hire, JH Heavy Machinery Hire Pool; AJ Fabric
Store, and a Finance company.
The Honorary Consul Mrs ‘Amelia Fonua-Helu graduated
from The University of Auckland in New Zealand with a Master of Arts degree in
Literature plus various graduate qualifications from the Australian National
University of Canberra, Australia. Mrs Helu also holds a Diploma qualification
in Spanish Language from The University Complutense of Madrid in Madrid,
Spain.
She previously worked for the Government of Tonga as a
Senior Officer at the Tonga Ministry of Foreign Affairs , including overseas
posting as a Diplomat of the Kingdom of Tonga to The People’s Republic of China
in Beijing.
Mrs ‘Amelia Fonua-Helu was one of the first Justice’s of the Peace appointed in the
Kingdom of Tonga in 2014 and still carries this official duty to date.
Present at the occasion were senior officials of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Honorary Consul was accompanied by her spouse, Mr Sosaiah
Soyuz Helu, CEO of JH Electrical businesses so as her twin son.
Installing of the Honorary Consul and officiating of
Finnish Consulate office is confirmed to take place in December 2019 upon
official visit of The Ambassador of Finland to Tonga, Australia, New Zealand
and the Pacific Islands.
A man convicted of trying to smuggle 1.9kg of methamphetamine from Tonga to New Zealand has been sentenced to 12 and-a-half years in jail.
As Kaniva news reported earlier this month, Viliami Mangisi, 59, was found guilty of
trying to export the drugs through Fua‘amotu International Airport in May 2018.
He was originally charged with three
counts of possession of Class A drugs, the attempted export of illicit drugs
and failure to make declaration to Customs Officer.
The methamphetamine was estimated to
have a street value of $TP2 million.
The court was told Mangisi arranged
with an airport cleaner, Samuela Fonua, to smuggle the drugs into the airport
and hide them in the departure lounge so he could pick them up on the way to
the plane.
The plan came unstuck after a shift leader at the airport spotted
Fonua acting suspiciously and told his manager who called the police.
Mangisi proclaimed his innocence in
court, saying that his bag had contained tobacco and that police had planted
the drugs on him.
Fonua gave evidence against him.
Mr Justice Cato, who heard the case
in the Supreme Court, has been quoted by Tongan media as describing Mangisi as
“the mastermind who corruptly co-opted Fonua in his plan it seems for little or
no reward.”
“In my view, a condign sentence
is required as deterrence and to protect society from offenders who participate
in and promote this evil trade.”
Because he had not co-operate with
the police, no part of his sentence would be suspended.
The
sentence would begin from the date Mangisi was first taken into custody.
The main points
A man convicted of trying
to smuggle 1.9kg of methamphetamine from
Tonga to New Zealand has been sentenced to 12 and-a-half years in jail.
As Kaniva news reported
earlier this month, Viliami Mangisi, 59,
was found guilty of trying to export the drugs through Fua‘amotu International
Airport in May 2018.
The Tongan Government has not written off any debts owing to the Ministry of Revenue and Customs.
A government spokesman said yesterday
the government had gone back on an earlier decision to write off the money because
it had not followed the right procedure.
On July 12 this year cabinet agreed to a proposal from the Minister of Revenue and Customs to write off debts of unpaid tax and duties due to the Ministry for the period of 2004-2014. This amounted to more than TOP$11 million.
The Minister for Finance was not present at the meeting. He later advised cabinet that the proper legal process to write off debts had not been followed.
According to Section 41 of the Public
Finance Management Act, proposals to write off debt have to be submitted to the Secretary for
Finance and the Minister for Finance for investigation.
Once that investigation is completed, it is only the Minister for Finance and no one else, who makes recommendations to cabinet whether or not to write off the debt.
In addition, when a submission to
write off debts is received by the Ministry of Finance, it is usually referred
to the Auditor General’s Office to verify why the debts cannot be collected by
the reporting agencies.
The Auditor General then reports back to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Finance reports to cabinet as to whether the debt is to be written off or not.
On July 17 cabinet decided to go back on its decision.
A government spokesman said no debts
had been written off and the Ministry of Finance had not received any
submission from the Ministry of Revenue and Customs.
The main points
The Tongan Government has not written off any debts owing to the
Ministry of Revenue and Customs.
A government spokesman
said yesterday the government had gone back on an earlier decision to write off
the money because it had not followed the right procedure.
Auckland based Tongan Democrats (PTOA) have accused the chair
of the Tonga Advisory Council, Melino Maka, of attempting to drag them through
the mud after he lodged a complaint with New Zealand police.
The complaint was made after what appeared to have been part
of a post on Facebook alleging there was a threat to kill Tonga Prime Minister
Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa and his advisor ‘Etuate Lavulavu in New Zealand.
The post alleged the plot has been decided in a meeting.
According to a screenshot of what appeared to be the original
post on which Maka based his complaint to Police, the post was made by a person
who goes by the name of Moana Fameitau.
Some online users, who knew Fameitau, were quick to comment and said Fameitau was
just making a joke.
The PTOA officials have denied being part of the allegation.
However, Maka took to Facebook this morning to warn the PTOA
members in New Zealand after his complaint to Police.
“I have been busy this morning with calls from our community
here in NZ about this threat to kill Hon Tu’ionetoa (PM Kingdom of Tonga) and
Lavulavu. I have lodged a complaint to the NZ Police. To the NZ PTOA committee,
like it or not you have to understand and respect democracy. So you have now
deal with the police,” Maka wrote.
The Tongan Democrats have organised themselves in Auckland and regularly meet at 30 Station Road, Papatoetoe.
A PTOA spokesperson said Fameitau was not a member of the
PTOA organisation in New Zealand and he never attended the group’s meeting.
New Zealand-based Tongan Sione ‘Eniketi Taufa told Kaniva news Fameitau was free to post what he thought on Facebook and it did not affect their PTOA group.
Taufa has questioned Maka’s position in the Tongan community
in New Zealand and asked who he was representing.
Taufa, a long time strong supporter of the democracy movement in Tonga, said Maka was free to say what he wanted, just like Fameitau, but to say he was representing the Tongan community, was misleading.
Many people have criticised the Tonga Advisory Council, saying
it was not active and it did not relate directly with members of the Tongan
community.
The
main points
Auckland-based
Tongan Democrats (PTOA) have accused the chair of the Tonga Advisory Council,
Melino Maka, of attempting to drag them through the mud after he lodged a
complaint with New Zealand police.
The
complaint was made after what appeared to have been part of a post on Facebook
alleging there was a threat to kill Tonga Prime Minister Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa and
his advisor ‘Etuate Lavulavu in New Zealand.
The Tu’i’onetoa government has finally canceled its decision last month to conduct a public consultation following a proposal from members of the public to cultivate hemp in Tonga.
As we reported last month, a cabinet document provided to us
date October 17 appears to show cabinet approved the application from an entity
identified as ‘the Brown group,’ subject to a public consultation
organised by the Attorney General’s
office.
The decision was made while the Prime Minister was away
overseas.
He later told media last month he would revoke the decision.
In a statement released to Kaniva and other media yesterday, the prime minister’s office said: “The Cabinet would like to reassure the people of Tonga that it has rejected the business proposal from the Brown Group on 30 October 2019, and this will be the end of it.”
It said the “final decision was reached after cabinet
received a report from its Cabinet Sub-Committee that was set up to look into
this important issue.
“The report submitted by the Cabinet Sub-Committee reiterated that hemp is an illicit substance and it is banned by law, in Tonga. The Committee also noted the high risk that the current drug related problems will escalate if the project is allowed. The Cabinet fully endorsed the Sub-Committee’s findings.
The way cabinet first dealt with
the proposal caused strong reaction from the public with many have remained
suspicious that this would lead to an easing off in the war against illicit
drugs.
A Free Wesleyan pastor preached on the issue and told his congregation the government has allowed “Satan’s plant” to be cultivated in Tonga.
Vicar-General Monsignor Lutoviko Fīnau of Roman Catholic church has warned that the government’s dealing with the proposal could push the nation to the brink of danger.
Three journalists at Tonga Broadcasting Commission who Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa recommended be suspended are still working full time.
The PM wanted the TBC’s Station
Manager Setita Tu’i’onetoa, television anchors Vilisoni Tu’iniua and Salamo
Fulivai suspended pending an investigation.
Hon Pōhiva said he made the recommendation after he received complaints from the public including one lodged by ousted Cabinet Minister ‘Etuate Lavulavu, who was stripped of his parliamentary seat after the Supreme Court found him guilty of bribery and overspending during the 2014 election.
‘Etuate and his wife ‘Akosita Lavulavu were also arrested last year and charged with three counts for obtaining by false pretences and three counts of knowingly dealing with forged documents.
‘Akosita refused to resign as Minister
of Foreign Affairs in the former government and as a result she was dismissed.
The Tu’i’onetoa government appointed
her as Minister of Infrastructure and Tourism last month.
This has raised a few eyebrows, but
the Prime Minister defended the appointment, saying she was still innocent
until proven guilty.
TBC chairman Pīveni Piukala echoed the Prime Minister’s argument in the case of the TBC journalists.
Piukala asked why Hon Tu’i’onetoa appeared to take a different view when it came to the journalists’ case.
In an interview with Kaniva news, Piukala believed the Prime Minister should have recommended keeping them in their jobs and wait for the outcome of the investigation just as he did with ‘Akosita.
TBC released a statement on the situation this evening saying it had come from Piukala.
It said Piukala had received the
complaints and recommendations from the Prime Minister to suspend the trio last
month.
The statement, which was also carried
by Setita on her Facebook page, said that given the severity of the complaints
Piukala had queried the prime minster’s office and asked for further
information.
It said Piukala wanted more concrete
evidence and supporting information to facilitate the investigation process.
It said Piukala wanted to give the
journalists an opportunity to respond if the complaints were legitimate.
As Kaniva news
reported last night, Hon. Pōhiva said the part of the investigation process
which was taken by his office against one of the trio had been nearly
completed.
As we reported last month, ‘Etuate wrote to TBC General Manager Solomone Finau demanding he suspend his news room staff and station manager.
‘Etuate wanted to investigate reports after part of an audio recording of him was broadcast on the TBC television news. He described the recording as falsified, incomplete and invalid and claimed it had been doctored and twisted to discredit him.
Setita said: “We are not prepared to agree to the terms of Lavulavu’s offer and if Lavulavu files proceedings, we will defend ourselves,” she said.
“The news was clear of breaking any laws of the
government of Tonga and the news did not breach any of TBC’s policies and
regulations.”
The main points
Three journalists at Tonga Broadcasting Commission who
Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa recommended be suspended are still working
full time.
The
PM wanted the TBC’s Station Manager Setita Tu’i’onetoa, television anchors
Vilisoni Tu’iniua and Salamo Fulivai suspended pending an investigation.
For more information
PM Tu‘i‘onetoa ‘recommends’ three TBC journalists be suspended
pending investigation
