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Ombudsman upholds allegation about ferry costs, but dismisses Kele’a’s other claims

By
Philip Cass
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Tonga’s Ombudsman has told the country’s government-owned shipping agency that it must carry out due diligence on buying large ship.

His comment came after an investigation showed that the Friendly Island Shipping Agency paid almost three times the value of a 36 year old ship in 2014.

Ombudsman ‘Aisea H. Taumoepeau said at a press conference this morning that in February 2014, Pacific Royale Shipping sold the vessel to FISA for NZ$936,500.  The vessel was then renamed MV Niuvakai. 

In April 2017, three years after the purchase of the vessel, New Zealand Marine Brokers inspected and evaluated the MV Niuvakai as worth NZ$350,000.

The Ombudsman’s investigation into the purchase of the over-priced ship was part of a set of enquiries made into allegation made in Kele’a newspaper against the Boards of Directors of the Public Enterprises. 

The claims were made in the newspaper on December 24 last year under the heading ‘Pau’u ‘i he ngaahi Poate, Ngaahi pisinisi ‘a e Pule’anga.’

The allegations about the MV Niuvakai was the only one of six claims to which the Ombudsman gave any credence.  He found no evidence to support the newspaper’s other allegations:

Kele’a claimed that PE Boards did not follow the same procurement process as Government ministries and could spend more than TP$1million without using the procurement process.

The Ombudsman said public enterprises had the power to create rules and procedures to govern their own procurement processes pursuant to Regulation 3(3) of the Public Procurement Regulations, 2015.  Carrying out their procurement processes according to their rules and procedures did not breach the Procurement Regulations.

The Ombudsman said Kele’a did not take up an offer to provide information to the investigation.

The newspaper also complained that board members were taking loans from Board funds. 

The Ombudsman said Kele’a’s publisher, Siaosi Pohiva, confirmed the allegation was about an incident alleged to have occurred at the Ports Authority Tonga Ltd (PAT) in 2011 or 2012. 

The Ombudsman told this morning’s press conference that PAT said no loans were granted to any Board members during the 2011-2012 financial year and there was no policy to allow for personal loans to be granted to any of its employees or Board members. 

PAT said the claim might have referred to a TP$500,000 loan to Waste Authority Limited in that period. The loan account was audited and disclosed in PAT’s Annual Report. The Ombudsman said there was no evidence to support Kele’a’s claims.

The newspaper further alleged that Board members were being paid gratuities, with some bonuses being as high as TP$60,000.

The Ombudsman said there was no evidence to support the claim. He said Kele’a had been invited to supply information to help the investigation, but had not done so. Since mid-2018 board directors are only paid their annual director’s fees and meeting fees.

Kele’a complained that one member of the Board of Directors of a Public Enterprise had a Board meeting in Barcelona. 

In 2017, a delegation of the Tonga Airports Limited travelled to Barcelona to attend World Routes 2017, and to finalise documentation and verification to complete the process for a security bank guarantee due to TAL for breach of contract by a Spanish contractor, GECI. The Ombudsman said the presence of the delegation in Barcelona was crucial.

Finally, Kele’a  claimed some Board members of Tonga Power Ltd were paid overtime, when this was normally reserved for low wage earners.  

The Ombudsman said that in 2018 the Board of Directors of TPL approved a sub-committee to carry out due diligence of its Enterprise Resource Planning System.  The Board ordered the sub-committee to be chaired by Director, ‘Aisake Tu’iono and Director, Fuiva Kavaliku, to work with Mr. Tu’iono on identifying and solving problems for ERP system. 

The Board approved payment to the sub-committee members by way of consultancy fees, rather than overtime.   Because the work was outside their normal duties of Directors of TPL, it required special rates.  The Ombudsman said the payment of special rates was not unreasonable. 

The main points

  • Tonga’s Ombudsman has told the country’ government-owned shipping agency that it must carry out due diligence on buying large hip.
  • His comment came after an investigation showed that FISA paid almost three times the value of a 36 year old ship in 2014.

More stories on MV Niuvaka and FISA

MV Niuvākai out of service, 'Otu Angaʻofa captain sacked after leaks found on ferries
E-mail reveals ‘Akolo wanted sweetener for Ramanlals over cargo ship deal

Israel Folau fundraising campaign page shut down by GoFundMe Australia

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Sacked Wallabies star Israel Folau’s GoFundMe page has been shut down and the funds will be returned to donors, the company says.

The player’s $4 million contract was torn up in May after one of his social media posts citing the Bible was deemed homophobic.

Folau started the GoFundMe campaign last week, asking people to donate $3m to fight Rugby Australia over the termination of his contract.

The fundraising post, republished to Maria Folau’s Instagram page on Friday, explains the couple has spent more than $100,000 on legal fees to fight the termination.

As of Sunday afternoon, a GoFundMe page set up by Israel Folau had raised more than $670,000 of its $3m target.

In a statement, Nicola Britton of GoFundMe Australia said the campaign violated its terms of service.

The statement said the company was committed to the fight for equality for LGBTQI+ people and fostering an environment of inclusivity.

“While we welcome GoFundMe’s engaging in diverse civil debate we do not tolerate the promotion of discrimination of exclusion,” it said.

At the weekend, Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle condemned Folau’s public appeal for money at the weekend.

“From our perspective, [GoFundMe] is a place where sick children get support, so it’s certainly not a strategy we think is appropriate,” Castle said.

– RNZ / ABC

Lobbyists in Tonga want marijuana legalised for medical reasons; MOH says kingdom too small to bear it

By
Kalino Latu
-

A group of lobbyists wants Tongan lawmakers to legalise marijuana for medical reasons, a reliable source has told Kaniva news.

It is understood an attempt by the group through the Prime Minister’s office to discuss the proposal was unsuccessful.  

The source did not provide names of the group or how many of them.

Chief Secretary Edgar Cocker said he was unaware of any “submission – but hemp is illegal as per the Tonga Drugs Act.”

A Ministry of Health spokesperson said Tonga was too small to allow marijuana to be used in any form.

Drugs testing lap

Meanwhile, the Minister of Police said in Parliament the government was planning to set up a drug lab in Tonga to provide drugs testing for evidential reasons.

Drugs in Tonga which need to be tested have to be sent to New Zealand labs.

Hon. Mateni Tapueluelu said he and the Police Commissioner were expected to attend an official meeting in New Zealand next month.

He said they would have an opportunity to visit drugs labs in the country as part of the plan for Tonga.

He said a drugs lab in Tonga could speed up work required for fact findings.

Hon. Tapueluelu said the war against illicit drugs was proceeding satisfactorily and TP$1 million had been provided to help the fight.

Rehabilitation concerns

In the meantime, there was concern in the country that little had been done to rehabilitate drug users 

The concern was raised by the director of the Mental Health Unit and head psychiatrist, Mapa Puloka, at a recent workshop in Nuku’alofa.

Dr Puloka said most of those who came to the hospital for help were put into the Mental Health Ward, but staff said ineffective services meant many were not properly cared for, Radio New Zealand international has reported.

There were almost weekly arrests of drug dealers, especially for methamphetamine or marijuana offences, and among them were senior Customs officials, who had been instrumental in “clearing” container shipments of drugs coming into Tonga from overseas, Dr Puloka said.

While there is rising concern about the health and addictive impact on users, little is being done in terms of rehabilitation.

However, health officials, church and community leaders, as well as NGOs, are meeting regularly to devise a co-ordinated plan for drug education in schools.

Medical marijuana

Last year the New Zealand government proposed legalising medical marijuana. The bill passed its third reading in December with the support of Labour, New Zealand First and the Greens. The National Party opposition also proposed a Member’s Bill to implement a medicinal cannabis regime.

Investors are interested in growing medical marijuana in Vanuatu, but no licences had been issued yet.

Radio New Zealand reported that the Vanuatu government had expressed an interest in looking at the possibility of allowing investment in cannabis or hemp for medical purposes.

However, the Director general of Vanuatu’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity, Moses Amos, said government agencies had yet to work on relevant legal provisions to cater for medical marijuana investment.

The Australian Parliament has passed legislation to allow for the cultivation of marijuana for medical or scientific purposes. This involved an amendment to the Narcotics Drugs Act 1967 and allows for cultivation through a national licensing scheme.

Pre-paid parking, multi-million plans for central Nuku’alofa upgrade revealed

By
Kalino Latu
-

New sidewalks, road and public facilities upgrades and pre-paid parking are the main focus of a multi-million dollar projects to improve central Nuku’alofa.

The projects have been given a $14 million head start for the constructions of sidewalks which connected Kolomotu’a and Fasimoeafi.

The projects included upgrades to the Queen Salote Memorial hall, Nuku’alofa Primary School, Mala’ekula Royal Tomb,  the Sports Complex and areas between Vuna and ‘Amelika wharves.

New public toilets, bus stations and bus stops were parts of the improvement plans.

An upgrade to the Tonga Maritime Poly-Technical Institute buildings and facilities was part of the plans.

A new sweeper was expected to arrive in Tonga soon as part of the government’s attempts to keep Nuku’alofa clean.

This was part of the Prime Minister’s vision to upgrade infrastructure and public facilities, the Deputy Prime Minister Hon Semisi Sika told Kaniva news.

He said the Vuna road upgrades were funded by the government through its Ministry of Infrastructure and Tourism’s budgets.

Some of these projects were expected to be funded by foreign donors, he said.

Root crop exports double in April; fish exports almost triple same time last year

By
Philip Cass
-

Agricultural exports doubled in April, according to the latest report from the Reserve Bank of Tonga.

The bank said 642.3 tonnes of produce was exported, driven by an increase in the sale of root crops such a yam, taro and cassava.

The Governor of the Reserve Bank, Sione Ngongo Kioa, said exports of fish had almost tripled compared with the same period last year.

New data for the fisheries sector showed that exports of fish since the beginning of 2019 averaged 188 metric tons per month compared with an average of 67.2 metric tons per month in 2018.

Nearly all the exported fish were tuna, which accounted for 96.6% of the total 164.0 metric tons exported in April.

The export of aquarium products also rose by 94.7% over the month. Receipts from exports of fish and other marine products also grew by 3.6% over the same month.

Kioa said a drop in loan to the industry may indicate that activity in the secondary sector had slowed.

Loans to the construction and manufacturing sectors declined by 5.7% and 15.3% respectively.

However, container registrations rose by 7.7%, largely due to an increased volume of business containers reflecting active commercial trading.

International air arrivals also rose by 23.7% and the arrival of two cruise ships during the month may have supported the tourism sector.

Travel receipts also recorded a 1.9% increase, whereas receipts for other trades in services also increased by 19.2%, mostly transport and construction services.

Tonga’s economic growth prospects remained positive in the medium term, but weather uncertainty posed a risk.

Official foreign reserves slightly declined by $0.8 million to $464.2 million during April. The monthly movement was attributed mainly to repatriation of unspent project funds and net outflow from interbank foreign exchange deals.

The annual headline inflation slowed further to 0.2% in April

Foreign reserves were projected to remain at a comfortable level and inflation was likely to remain below the reference rate of 5% per annum. The banking system was anticipated to continue to remain sound.

The main points

  • Agricultural exports doubled in April, according to the latest report from the Reserve Bank of Tonga.
  • The bank said 642.3 tonnes of produce was exported, consisting of an driven by an increase in the sale of root crops such a yam, taro and cassava.

Newcomers named as best players for Mate Ma’a Tonga as Kiwis triumph with 20 pt lead

By
Philip Cass
-

After a day of cold and rain, Mate Ma’a Tonga went down 14-34 against New Zealand Kiwi this evening.

The Kiwis were leading 16-4 at half time.

Brandon Smith scored the first try of the evening for the Kiwi in the 11th minute.

Shaun Johnson scored three tries for New Zealand Kiwis, with Brandon Smith, Jahrome Hughes and Joseph Manu also going over the line and Esan Marsters making five successful conversions.

Solomone Kata, SioSiuaTaukeiaho and Daniel Tupou scored tries for Tonga with Taukeiahoscoring a conversion.

Commentatorsdescribed  SitiliTupouniua and ManaseFainu as the outstanding players on the Tongan ide.

During his live coverage of the game, New Zealand Herald reporter Christopher Reive said: “They should just give the ball to SitiliTupouniua every play. He’s the only one having any success tonight.”

This evenings’ game was important for Mate Ma’aTongas’ long term goals.

Mate Ma’aTonga prop TevitaPangai Jr told the Herald: “We know as a goal, going into the World Cup we want to be a top three nation,”

“Our eyes are on the Kiwis, and we’re looking longer term.”

Playing more matches against top tier teams is the first step for Tonga to make progress in the standings. The Rugby League International Federation’s ranking system gives more points for a win over a strong nation than for a victory over a country with a lower rank.

Tongan team

As we reported yesterday, the Tongan side was missing Andrew Fifita, who has been suspended for three matches.

Fifita told the media before the game he was“absolutely gutted” not to be playing, but said “I can’t wait to see the red sea this weekend.”

AddinFonua-Blake was listed to takeFifita’s place in the front ow.

The Mate Ma’a squad announced for this evening’ game were Will Hopoate,  DanielTupou, Kotoni Staggs, Solomone Kata, David Fusitu’a, John Asiata, TuimoalaLolohea, Siliva Havili, SioSiuaTaukeiaho, TevitaPangai Junior, Manu Ma’u, Jason Taumalolo,ManaseFainu, AddinFonua-Blake, PeniTerepo, SitiliTupouniuaandfSioneKatoa and TevitaTatola a reserves.

Asiata,  Staggs, Fainu and Tupouniua were making their debut for Tonga.

Red and white

The run-up to the game had drawn some concern, with tickets till available only hour before the match.

This was in contrast to previous games where the enthusiasm of Tongan fans had been widespread.

However, this evening’s number were estimated at 23,624 and Radio New Zealand reported that cars adorned with Tongan flags had reappeared on the Auckland’s streets.

The national broadcaster said houses on Rockfield Road, a few blocks from the stadium, were coated in red and white. 

RNZs’ Jamie Wall concluded his report on the game by describing it as “a fun evening here at Mt Smart.”

“There’s still a ton of Tongan fans hanging around waiting for their heroes. It really shows how important test rugby league is.”

The main points

  • After a day of cold and rain, Mate Ma’a Tonga went down 14-24 against New Zealand Kiwis this evening.
  • Solomone Kata, SioSiuaTaukeiaho and Daniel Tupou scored tries for Tonga with Taukeiahoscoring a conversion.

For more information

Run up to clash with Kiwis low key, but government boosts reward to Mate Ma’a Tonga

Tonga’s Andrew Fifita to miss Kiwis test

Tonga’s Andrew Fifita to miss Kiwis test

Mo’unga shines as Crusaders storm home

By
Kaniva Staff
-

First-five Richie Mo’unga grabbed two tries in a flawless 23-point game as the Crusaders stormed into the Super Rugby semi-finals with a 38-14 hiding of the Highlanders in Christchurch.

With a breathtaking blend of defensive grunt and attacking inspiration, the double defending champions kept their perfect home record in playoffs intact and extended their unbeaten winning streak at Rugby League Park to 29 matches.

They will return to the venue to meet the winner of the Hurricanes and the Bulls, who play their quarter-final on Saturday.

“We knew it was going to be tough, quarter-finals are always tough,” Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock said.

“We knew these guys were going to try to pin us down in our own half … We want to pressure every team right across the board.

“To get the win is what you need and we got it.”

All Black Mo’unga had an outstanding night, grabbing a try in each half and slotting all five conversions and an early penalty.

It was a tougher night for his All Blacks team mate Liam Squire, who was yellow carded early in the second half for a shoulder charge after the Highlanders restricted the home side to a 17-14 lead at the break.

It proved the turning point as the Crusaders ran in two tries to blow the game open while Squire was in the sin-bin.

“Obviously we prepared to come up here and give it our best shot and we were in it for most of the game,” said Highlanders co-captain Luke Whitelock.

“They’re very good at what they do and they execute it really well.”

The Crusaders came into the match after a week off and it showed in a scrappy opening quarter as they struggled with a few handling errors and a shaky set-piece.

They allowed the visitors the first try in the 17th minute as centre Rob Thompson made a brilliant step and offload to Ben Smith to crack open the Crusaders defence, with the departing co-captain putting winger Sio Tomkinson across near the left corner.

The home side snatched back the lead, however, with an unmarked David Havili jogging through a huge defensive hole to cross under the posts.

The Highlanders could do little about the Crusaders’ second try, as Scott Robertson’s men launched a breathtaking raid from midfield to the right corner.

A majestic offload by George Bridge to Whetu Douglas was flicked wide to Mo’unga who crossed and converted his own try to put the Crusaders up 17-7 in the 28th minute.

The Highlanders rallied again, rumbling forward to earn a scrum near the try-line.

Halfback Aaron Smith hurled a long, flat pass wide to inside centre Teihorangi Walden who burst through and planted the ball just over the line as the Highlanders kept in touch in a relentless first half.

Five minutes after the restart, however, Squire was sin-binned and the Highlanders unravelled.

A defensive blunder giftwrapped the Crusaders their third try in the 48th minute as the Highlanders stood off a rolling maul and allowed Douglas to barge over.

With Squire still stewing in the sin-bin, replacement prop Michael Alaalatoa grabbed the Crusaders’ fourth five-pointer, with Mo’unga kicking the Crusaders to a 31-14 lead into the final quarter.

Mo’unga capped a fine individual performance by grabbing his second try with brute strength in the 69th minute, rushing forward to chase a kick over the line and ripping the ball off Marty Banks in mid-air before planting it down.

-Reuters

Ombudsman calls press conference for Monday; will he make statement on petitions?

By
Philip Cass
-

Speculation is growing that Tonga’s Ombudsman will make an announcement about the three petitions attacking the government on Monday.

The Ombudsman has called a press conference for 10am on June 24.

As Kaniva news reported last month, King Tupou VI has referred three petitions attacking the government to the Ombudsman.

The petitions, demanding the government be dissolved, have been organised by long-standing opponents of the government.

Professor Steven Ratuva, Director of the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand told Radio Australia the case was a litmus test for Tongan democracy.

“The King still has considerable power despite the reforms in the Constitution in 2010,” he said.

“Recently the Government has been trying to push what it refers to as ‘urgent’ bills’ to be passed by parliament.

“At least two of those bills refer directly to reforming the power of the King in terms of appointment of some of the senior officers of Government including the Commissioner of Police.”

Professor Ratuva said the petitioners were using this to convince the King that his power was under threat.

In August November  2017 the Speaker persuaded the king to dissolve Parliament and put the government of ‘Akilisi Pohiva out of office.

However, only a few months later, Hon.Pohiva’s government was voted back into power.

In June last year, a petition to impeach the Prime Minister and seven of his cabinet ministers was submitted to parliament.

Three petitions with more than 10,000 signatures were presented to the palace in Nuku’alofa.

Former government minister Clive Edwards presented a petition signed by former politicians.

He said he believed that once a Royal Commission for Investigation was appointed, a caretaker government would need to be put in place.

Noble MP Lord Nuku presented a petition from the country’s nobles.

The third petition was presented by former MP Teisina Fuko from members of the general public.

The Lord Privy Seal said the Ombudsman would investigate complaints in the petition, take such action as he considered appropriate and decide whether any maladministration had occurred.

The Ombudsman would report to the king.

If any case was established the petitions would be referred to the Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Commissioner of Police.

The main points

  • Speculation is growing that Tonga’s Ombudsman will make an announcement about the three petitions attacking the government on Monday.
  • The Ombudsman has called a press conference for 10am on June 24.
  • As Kaniva news reported last month, King Tupou has referred three petitions attacking the government to the Ombudsman.

For more information

King orders petitions from government’s enemies to be referred to Ombudsman

King orders petitions from government’s enemies to be referred to Ombudsman

Anti-government petitions test young Tongan democracy

https://www.abc.net.au/radio-australia/programs/pacificbeat/anti-government-petitions-test-young-tongan-democracy/10943410

Man arrested after shooting in Hihifo

By
Kalino Latu
-

Police have arrested and charged a 22-year-old after a man was shot in Nukunuku.

The incident occurred after midnight last night at Hihifo rd.

A 22-year-old man from Fua’amotu was at Vaiola hospital with an injury sustained from a gunshot wound to his stomach during an altercation with the suspect, Police said.

Police also seized a .22 rifle from the suspect.

The suspect is in police custody while police investigation continues.

Run up to clash with Kiwis low key, but government boosts reward to Mate Ma’a Tonga

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The level of support for the Mate Ma’a Tonga, both in Tonga and in Auckland, is not as intense as it was last year and the years before.

Tickets for this weekend’s clash with New Zealand Kiwis have not sold as fast as expected.

The parade and activities which have been organised so far to support Saturday’s match look like being low key affair.

It has been reported that fewer Tongan homes have been decorated ahead of the game.

While there appears to be no specific reason for this, some analysts believed the disarray within the Tonga National Rugby league could be responsible.

The Mate Ma’a Tonga is now being looked after by an interim board set up by the Supreme Court following a bitter and protracted dispute that has threatened to tear the NRL apart.

However, it has also been suggested that it would have been better to stage the game last year when New Zealand’s 2017 loss to Tonga was fresh in people’s minds.

There have also been argument that the Kiwi lost a great deal of local support because of their performance.

In the meantime, tickets for the game are still available and organisers are confident more than 20,000 will be old.

One block of seats will definitely be filled thank to Hynds Pipe system in East Tamaki which, for the third year in a row, is shouting it workers tickets to support the Mate Ma’a.,

Support

While Saturday’s game may not have aroused the passion that surrounded the game against Australia, the Mate Ma’a have won increased support from the Tongan government. 

Sports Minister Saia Piukala told Parliament this week the government would pay AUS$2,500 for each player who took to the field on Saturday.

He said the government normally paid $1000 for a player, but because of the high standard of performance  the team had achieved, the government has increased the amount.

Gutted

When Mate Ma’a Tonga take to the field they will do so without powerhouse Andrew Fifita, who has been given a three-match ban by the NRL’s judiciary committee for a dangerous tackle.

Fifita described himself a “absolutely gutted” that he could not play, but said “I can’t wait to see the red sea this weekend.”

While Fifita won’t be playing, the game offers Brisbane Broncos’ centre, Kotoni Staggs, a chance to play for Mate Ma’a Tonga for the first time.

Saturday’s match against the New Zealand Kiwis will kick off at 5.40pm.

The stadium gates open at 2pm.

The New Zealand women’s national rugby league team, Kiwi Ferns, will play Fetu Samoa, Samoa women’s national rugby league team at 3.10pm.

The main points

  • The level of support for the Mate Ma’a Tonga, both in Tonga and in Auckland, is not as intense as it was last year and the years before.
  • Tickets for this weekend’s clash with New Zealand Kiwis have not sold as fast as expected.
  • Saturday’s match against the New Zealand Kiwis will kick off at 5.40pm.
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