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Tonga’s innovative e-health project ready to be rolled out before the end of the year

By
Kaniva Staff
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By Makereta Komai, PACNEWS Editor in Manila

A new and innovative e-health project that will improve the quality and reliability of health statistics in Tonga is expected to be rolled out before the end of the year.

The Asian Development Bank is finalising the recruitment process for vendors before work starts, either by October or November this year, according to the bank’s Principal Management Specialist for the Pacific, Pamela Wyatt.

“Once it’s rolled out, it will take a couple of years to cover all five hospitals, 12 health centres and 34 health clinics across Tonga. It means that if you have a medical emergency from one of the rural hospitals and you get flown to the main Vaiola hospital in Tongatapu, they will have a record of your medical history.

Wyatt told PACNEWS in Manila, the project will cover medical and health record of all the citizens of the island nation, which has a population of just over 100,000.

She assured information gathered will be safe and secure in a government database that will be accessed only by a limited and authorised government officials – particularly in the health sector.

“The medical record of all its citizens will be there. It will be secure and it will have a unique health identification. We need to make sure the data is protected and this is one of the major issue that we are discussing with potential vendors.

The World Bank is working on a separate e-government project on data privacy and cyber security.

“We are also developing a digital health strategy that will come under Tonga’s national health strategy. The strategy will identify how technology can be used to improve health outcomes.

Wyatt said the Tonga e-health project is a first in the world and one of the world’s developed nation, Canada is keen to learn from Tonga’s e-health experience.

“The other thing the e-health system will do is link with Tonga’s civil registration and vital statistics system (CRVS) that sits with the Ministry of Justice. It will automatically push information on birth and deaths to the Ministry of Justice.

“At the moment, Tongans have a record for every event – birth, marriage, changed name and divorce but they are not linked. Hopefully with this birth and death data coming in, they are also going to look at having people-centric database which helps with national ID, passport, land ownership etc., said Wyatt.

She admits the project will require a nationwide awareness campaign to prepare the people of Tonga to provide their medical and health records to be registered on the online database.

“That’s what we are talking to the youth group about it. Young people are more comfortable about sharing information and they can go home and talk to their parents.

A digital health information system will also be implemented, which will include patient, facility, and workforce registries, while digitally recording data on births and deaths to the government’s population databases…PACNEWS

Acting Speaker makes u-turn, saying no gov’t bills to “remove” king’s power after government’s plan to take legal action against him

By
Kalino Latu
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The Acting Speaker, Lord Tu’ilakepa, has shifted his tone this week after he said no bill had been submitted to parliament by any MP to remove the king’s powers.

He said it was an opinion raised during the government’s consultation talkback show early this year to discuss the six new bills the government said were urgent.

He said the opinion was then discussed to the point where it was misstated as a fact.

In Tongan he said: “Te’eki ke ‘asi ‘i Fale ni te u fakahoko atu kia moutolu Hou’eiki ‘oku te’eki ke tau ’asi ‘i Fale ni ha Lao he Lao ko eni ‘o pehē ha Mēmipa na’e liliu ‘a e mafai e Tu’í. Te’eki ke ‘asi ia. Ko e ‘asi ia mei he talanoa telefoni ko ē na’e kamata he consultation ko ē ‘a e Pule’angá ‘a ia ko e talk back ‘i he telefoni ‘o ‘alu aipē ia ‘o hangē ha fo’i mo’oni’i me’a ‘a e fakakaukau ko iá.

He called on the Parliament’s Legislation Standing Committee to return and table the bills in the House.

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He said there was nothing bad about the bills the government submitted.

The Noble and Independent benches were vocal in opposing the bills. Lord Fusitu’a, who is currently receiving medical treatment at Middlemore hospital in Auckland, said if the bills became laws they would remove some of the king’s powers.

The government and the then acting Attorney General denied this.

But the nobles’ claims have convinced some constituents who voted against the bills during public consultations conducted by a Parliamentary committee throughout Tongatapu and the outer islands.

The change in the Acting Speaker’s language about the controversial bills was especially striking given his hard-line approach and the alleged use of his powers to slow the passage of the new  bills through the House.

It was not clear why the Acting Speaker changed tone on Monday, but he made the statement in the House after he said he had received the details of a lawsuit the government has taken against him.

As Kaniva news reported previously, the Minister of Police confirmed in Parliament that cabinet had passed a resolution to take legal action on the appointment of the Acting Speaker.

He said it was an “opinion” of the government that the Noble’s appointment was illegal.

This week Lord Tu’ilakepa asked why the government wanted to take him to court.

He said the legal actions against him could be justified if he made any decision which caused loss to the public funds.

He said the decision he made which caused dissatisfaction in the government was only administrative.  

In Tongan he said: “‘Ka ke fakamolemole pē ki he Feitu’ú na ko e hā koā e me’a ‘oku mou to e ‘ai ai ke tau to e ō ‘o fakatonutonu ‘oku ‘ikai ke ‘i ai ha pa’anga ‘e mole he fonua ni. Kapau na’e ‘i ai ha’aku tu’utu’uni ‘o mole ha pa’anga e fonua ni pea ‘oku totonu pasika pea ‘oku totonu ke ‘ave e motu’a ni. Ko e tu’utu’uni fakangaue pē ia.”

He told the House he had yet to see a lawyer.

The Minster of Police told the House the lawyer for the government was New Zealand barrister Dr Rodney Harrison and the lawyer for the Parliament was former Tongan Attorney General Neil Addsett.

The main points

  • The Acting Speaker, Lord Tu’ilakepa, has shifted his tone this week after he said no bill had been submitted to Parliament by any MP to remove the king’s powers.
  • He said it was an opinion raised during the government’s consultation talkback show early this year to discuss the six new bills the government said was urgent.

Tonga Rugby League says it had no choice but to sack Woolf

By
Kaniva Staff
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By Koro Vaka’uta, RNZ Pacific Journalist. Radio NZ has a content shared agreement with Kaniva Tonga.

The Tonga National Rugby League board says it has been unfairly attacked publicly and the relationship with former coach Kristian Woolf became untenable.

Tonga rugby league coach Kristian Woolf.

Former Tonga coach, Kristian Woolf Photo: PHOTOSPORT

TNRL Secretary and former international William Edwards said the board was moving forward with preparations for Tonga’s October tests against Great Britain and Australia without him.

Edwards said Woolf was set to be offered a contract, before a sudden and public spat which led to his dismissal.

The prominent lawyer said the problems became apparent when a group of players wrote a letter of concern to the International Federation, the NRL, the government and other stakeholders in August.

Edwards said the letter contained information that only Woolf would have known and also contained a number of inaccuracies.

“What they [the players] had been informed of was false,” he said.

“The people who had the constitutional right to appoint the board and dismiss the board were never consulted.

“When you have matters like that made very, very public, you would have thought that the people who were behind the letter would have effectively gone and put the allegations to those it concerned.”

Edwards said the board was denied a complete right to be heard on the matter and they were belittled and effectively defamed.

This was seen as a betrayal from Woolf, who the board believed had been devious in his actions.

Previous to the rift, Woolf had asked for a three-year contract up to and including the 2021 World Cup.

Edwards said the board was amenable to that suggestion.

“They came back with a resolution that was emailed to him on the 22 July, suggesting that the board do that independently and appoint a review committee to review what would be suitable terms and conditions and terms of references for any contract moving forward, because we don’t know what his terms of employment were.”

Edwards said this was because they had never seen a copy of Woolf’s previous contract and were not sure one existed.

Woolf had been coaching the Mate Ma’a Tonga since 2014 under the previous TNRL administration.

That administration and board was dissolved by the Supreme Court amid concerns surrounding the body’s finances.

The court said “substantial funds” had not been accounted for.

William Edwards said the new regime, elected this year, had set out instilling a new structure around contracts and administration which did not exist in the past.

“We have a duty to the stakeholders to ensure that it’s properly audited, to ensure that people are properly accounted for, to squash any or quash any rumours of corruption, which has always been labelled against the Tonga National Rugby League from a long time ago.”

He acknowledged it hadn’t been a smooth transition from the old methods of doing things which may have led to some added friction.

However, Edwards insisted the current board had wanted Woolf to remain at the helm of the team.

“If he won the games at the end of the year, his contract would have been very lucrative to say the least,” he said.

“There was no pressure on him to be sacked or anything like that and it is a shame that it has to come to this.”

Edwards paid tribute to the now outgoing coach.

Nanise Fifita's lawyer William Edwards.

“For what he has done in terms of the World Cup 2017, that will never be forgotten. We accept he has made a significant contribution to World Cup and to Tonga as a team and to Tonga’s position and standing in international rugby league, that goes without saying.”

However, Edwards underlined the relationship had regressed and the board had been undermined to such an extent Woolf could no longer remain.

The former interim head coach at the Newcastle Knights was informed of the decision last week.

Despite this, Woolf, who has just been announced as the new head coach of Super League side St Helens, had the backing of a large group of players.

Senior members of the team like Andrew Fifita, Siua Taukeiaho, Will Hopoate and Solomone Kata have led a group threatening to boycott this year’s fixtures if Woolf is not reinstated and Edwards, along with chair George Koloamatangi, are not stood down.

Edwards said the idea of a player boycott was concerning but he said the door remained open for all players to pull on the Mate Ma’a Tonga jersey.

“There are players that are going to represent Tonga, whether they are from the last team or not, that’s left to be decided by them.

“But we haven’t closed the door on the players playing or representing their country and we are not going to close the door on them.”

Edwards said there was not going to be any action taken against the players.

“They have a right to represent their country and it is not for us to determine that they are unfit to play.”

Kristian Woolf refused to comment on the matter when contacted by RNZ Pacific.

Former Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan was appointed coach for next month’s World Cup 9s and could be a stop-gap solution for the end-of-season tests if the dispute cannot be resolved.

The Rugby League International Federation said it was closely monitoring the dispute which it regarded as an internal matter.

Southern Hemisphere General Manager Jeremy Edwards, (no relation of William), said the RLIF would consider taking a more active role in proceedings if the situation continued to deteriorate.

Deputy PM asks for “prayers” as PM Pōhiva medevaced to Auckland

By
Kalino Latu
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Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva has been sent to New Zealand this afternoon for medical treatment.

He was admitted to Vaiola hospital two weeks ago after he suffered from pneumonia, his Office said today.

In May he received the second stage of the medical treatment for a liver complication at Mercy hospital.

The Office said “he successfully underwent” the medical procedure.

The Acting Prime Minister, Hon Semisi Kioa Lafu Sika said in a statement sent to Kaniva and other news media: “I urge the nation to remember the Hon Prime Minister in your prayers and we look forward to welcoming him back home in good health in the very near future.”

New Zealand is appropriate forum for US$1.4 million dispute between cable company and Tongan government, says High Court

By
Philip Cass
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The New Zealand High Court has ruled that New Zealand is the right forum for a dispute between the Tongan government, Tonga Cable Ltd and Hawaiki Submarine Cable.

The ruling was made as part of a legal dispute between the three parties over a debt of US$1.4 million which Hawaiki Cable says it is owed.

The Cable company had wanted the case heard in New Zealand, but the Tongan defendants said Hawaiki Cable required leave to serve proceedings on it in Tonga and argued that New Zealand was not a legally convenient location.

However, both sides chose to approach the case using New Zealand law.

Hawaiki Submarine Cable owns and operates a fibre optic submarine cable network which  runs between New Zealand, Australia, Hawai’i and the mainland USA.

It provides international data bandwidth capacity to Hawaiki’s customers.

Hawaiki Cable sued the Tongan government and Tonga Cable Ltd over US$1.4 million it claims is owed a binding agreement.

Under the agreement  Hawaiki Cable laid a spur of the underseas cable to allow Tonga to connect to the Hawaiki cable network. The Kingdom of Tonga was guarantor for the punctual payment of the debt.

The terms of the agreement provided that by March 31, 2019,  Hawaiki Cable  would build the branching unit and complete a marine survey covering the route of the cable spur from the branching unit to Tonga.

Tonga Cable agreed to pay US$1.4 million on the date of execution of the agreement.

It would  pay US$1.4 million on or before  June 30, 2018 and the date on which the Hawaiki cable network and the branching unit was fully built, operational and ready for service;

Tonga Cable  paid US$1.4 million to Hawaiki Cable’s bank account on October 6, 2016.

The marine survey was completed in July 2017. Following acceptance testing in New Zealand and the USA, the Hawaiki cable network and the branching unit were fully built, operational and in-service as from about  July 20, 2018.

In July 2018, an invoice for US$1.4 million was sent to Tonga Cable. Despite the demand, neither Tonga Cable  nor the Kingdom paid the sum.

Subsequently, Hawaiki Cable took legal action.

Associate Judge P.J.Andrew said both sides had chosen to approach the case under New Zealand law and there would be no real difficulty in enforcing a New Zealand judgement in Tonga.

“While there can be no suggestion that the courts of Tonga are unable to determine an apparently straightforward claim under an alleged guarantee, the parties’ choice (which, by implication, is New Zealand law) should be respected in applying New Zealand law as the proper law of contract.

“I thus conclude that New Zealand is the appropriate forum.”

Read More:

TP$6 million“golden opportunity” deal with Hawaiki telecom baffles Tongan authorities

Remembering missing Tongan woman in Australia with a milk bottle

By
Kaniva Staff
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Amelia Hausia disappeared 27years ago from the Woden Plaza Shopping Centre just before Christmas after a fight with her boyfriend.

Numerous sightings have been reported since her disappearance but no positive identification has ever been made, Australia’s 10 Daily has reported.

The Dubbo girl was just 17 years old when she vanished in Canberra in 1992.

Recently, thousands of bottles of milk sent out to stores across Canberra had been plastered with Hausia’s face along with 11 other missing Australians, some of whom disappeared decades ago.

“Authorities are hoping the joint initiative, between the Australian Federal Police and Canberra Milk will start a new conversation about the region’s missing people, and ultimately help police find them,” AFP Assistant Commissioner Debbie Platz reportedly said.

Before her 25th anniversary of her disappearance in 2017, her brother John, two years younger than Amelia, told of the heartache he feels, Daily Liberal reported.

“There’s always that sorrow and anger and sheer grief, I suppose, that is relived, just talking from my own perspective,” he said.

“Especially at anniversaries, her [recent] birthday… the date where she was last reportedly seen in Canberra.

“For me personally, it’s like a wound that never heals.”

Amelia attended Dubbo West Primary School and Delroy High before going to Canberra to finish her secondary education, staying with relatives.

AG reported to be in Australia for meeting with Facebook over online attacks on royals

By
Philip Cass
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Attorney General Linda Folaumoetu’i and two senior government officers are in Australia to meet with Facebook representatives, reliable sources have told Kaniva news.

The sources said the meeting would discuss the government’s concerns over what have been described as “violent attacks” on the royal family that were carried on Facebook last month.

The government set up a panel to investigate the attacks which were believed to have been made  by Tongans living in Australia.

It was originally understood the government would make a decision by the end of last month.

The Attorney General said last month police were considering laying treason charges against the people responsible.

“There’s a couple of accounts with Tongan names that have actually shown pictures and comments which may amount to defamation or sedition or treason,” she said, adding that the prime minister and government had also been targeted by some Facebook pages.

The government announced it was considering banning Facebook in the kingdom.

Tonga Cable director Paula Piukala said the move was because of the complexity of the legal situation.

“We cannot hold fake identity responsible,” Piukala said.

“There’s no law applied to this kind of platform.”

Piukala said the government had also considered asking Facebook to install backdoors on local servers so the government could monitor accounts.

“People will be free to write whatever they think and want, but be responsible,” Mr Piukala said.

USP academic Jope Tarai said banning Facebook would be an over-reaction.

He said ordinary Facebook users would pay the price for what he called a “heavy handed” response.

No solution

Kaniva news has argued against shutting down Facebook.

In an editorial last month we said that while it was understandable that the government had been outraged by the attacks on the royal family.

However, shutting down Facebook in Tonga would not solve the problem.

People with the right software would be able to circumvent the ban and continue to post whatever they wanted on Facebook.

The main points

  • Attorney General Linda Folaumoetu’i and two senior government officers are in Australia to meet with Facebook representatives, reliable sources have told Kaniva news.
  • The sources said the meeting would discuss the government’s concerns over the attacks on the royal family that were carried on Facebook last month.

All Blacks run riot over Tonga in 14-try victory

By
Kaniva Staff
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The All Blacks have announced their Rugby World Cup intentions with a dazzling 14-try performance to rout Tonga 92-7 in Hamilton.

Playing with freedom against hopelessly outclassed opposition, the world champions flexed their attacking muscles ominously on Saturday, notching their biggest winning margin over any team in more than a decade.

Winger George Bridge bagged four tries while fullback Ben Smith and inside centre Ryan Crotty crossed twice each in what was a glorified training run before leaving for the global tournament in Japan.

It was a colourful way for Smith, Crotty and captain Kieran Read – who also scored a try – to end their careers on New Zealand soil. The veteran trio will all take up offshore club contracts after the World Cup.

Tongan skipper Siale Piutau crossed three minutes from the end to ensure the All Blacks wouldn’t keep their opponents scoreless for a second straight game, having whitewashed the Wallabies 36-0 three weeks ago.

Up 54-0 at halftime, New Zealand appeared on track to raise a century for most of the game but were held scoreless over the final 15 minutes.

They weren’t helped by their own tactic of fielding just 14 men for that period. They didn’t replace Crotty, choosing to play under-manned to prepare for that contingency at the World Cup.

Otherwise, the hosts were ruthless, playing with a speed the 15th-ranked Tongans couldn’t match.

Steve Hansen’s men won’t get the same leeway when they face the Springboks in a mouth-watering opening World Cup pool game against South Africa in Yokohama on September 21.

Read was pleased his team stayed grounded throughout.

“It’s one of those games where you could have had your eyes on what’s coming over the next couple of weeks but I’m really proud of the way we stuck at it,” he said.

“It’s two weeks until that first big game so it’s important we keep building. It’s the exciting part now from here on in.”

Five-eighth Josh Ioane replaced Beauden Barrett at halftime to make a memorable Test debut.

Ioane’s first touch was a kick off claimed by Bridge, who scored just seven seconds after the restart – most probably a world record.

Tonga face England in Sapporo on September 22 and coach Toutai Kefu, the former Wallabies forward, has a mountainous task to get them up to speed.

Injuries forced Kefu to field Siua Maile as his starting hooker. Maile is a full-time Christchurch roofer who had never previously played higher than club rugby.

Piutau said the lessons came thick and fast for his team.

“We knew it would be hard playing a world class team like the ABs. We prepped as well as we could and had a game plan but we got put to the sword.”

-AAP

OPINION: Interim board’s decision insults coach and players and infuriates Mate Ma‘a’s loyal fans

By
Kalino Latu and Philip Cass
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The decision to sack Mate Ma’a coach Kristian Woolf has damaged the great spirit of rapport that has built up between fans and the team.

Kaniva news has been talking to die-hard supporters in South Auckland about the decision and they vowed to boycott any future Mate Ma’a games.

Many online users frankly expressed their fury and rage against the board. They said they would not tell their children what had happened to the national team, because the Mate Ma’a was their idol.

The fans’ great affinity with the team has manifested itself in their vocal support at matches. The team’s successes have also led Mate Ma’a to push hard for more games against tier one teams as a reward for their support.

The interim board’s decision to sack Woolf, who has coached the team to new levels of success  is discourteous to the team’s fans.

It is also a slap in the face for the team, especially those players like Jason Taumālolo who gave up playing for New Zealand or Australia for the honour of representing the kingdom.

Players like Andrew Fifita, Siua Taukeiaho, Manu Ma’u and David Fusitu’a  gave up substantial fees to play for Tonga and volunteered their time and effort to give back to the kingdom by building up the  team’s international reputation.

Fifita is reported to have forfeited a Aus$30,000 tournament payment as well as a possible Aus$20,000 payment if the Kangaroos won the World Cup.

If he takes to the field for Mate Ma’a during this year’s tournament, which starts on October 27, he will get $30 a day.

Tonga is unlikely to have the money to pay the players what they could be earning any time soon.

Thanks to the sacrifice and skill of all the Mate Ma’a players Tonga is no longer just a team from the Pacific pool, but a new force on the world rugby league stage.

They may not have won all their matches, but the world’s top tier teams now know that win or lose, the Mate Ma’a – and their fans – will make it a memorable occasion.

Koloamatangi

When interim board chair George Koloamatangi confirmed that Woolf had been sacked, he said it was because there were issues the board and Woolf could not agree on.

These included sponsorship, managing the team and negotiating with sponsors.

Were these issues really such an obstacle that they could not be solved without sacking Woolf?

All the interim board has done is to insult Woolf and the players and to shock and infuriate the fans.

With the World Nines and other matches in the offing, the decision could not have been more damaging.

As Kaniva news reported last night, judging from his comments on Thursday, Koloamatangi already seems resigned to losing at least some of the current players.

If Mate Ma’a’s players do decide to walk, does he really think he and the rest of the interim board can whip up another world-challenging team out of thin air?

It is time for the board to reconsider its decision.

Waitakere library teaches Tau‘olunga as part of Tongan language week celebrations

By
Kalino Latu
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Waitakere library hosted a celebration of Tongan dance this afternoon when a small,  but enthusiastic group was led through the  basic  movements of the Tau’olunga.

Participants danced to Sei o Fafine, which was composed by Queen Salote III.

Library assistant Monty Lakatani, who is of Tongan descent, said he was passionate about Tongan dance and culture, but said he wasn’t a punake (instructor).

However, he did admit to watching his three sisters, who teach dancing, very closely.

People from New Zealand, Tonga, Romania and New Guinea attended.

Among those attending was  Seini Rea and her grand-daughter Isabelle.

Mrs Rea is originally from Ma’ufanga and has been in New Zealand for 44 years. She regularly returns to the kingdom and is looking forward to returning in December.

She said she had brought her granddaughter Isabelle to introduce her to the dance.

Other participants included Devah Hill-Tupou from Auckland Girls Grammar.

Kathleen Reihana said she attended on the spur of the moment after hearing an announcement.

This afternoon’s event as part of Tongan Language Week, which is being celebrated at libraries across Auckland.

Other events today included food demonstrations, traditional dance and fun family activities at Mangere and Otahuhu local libraries will host.

Te Matariki Clendon Library demonstrated how to make Otai at the Tutubugs children’s club.

Tomorrow, September 6, there will be a special Tongan story time at Manurewa Library from 10.30-11am, along with simple yoga and stretches for children.

Glen Innes Library will hold a bilingual story time with stories, songs and rhymes from 10-10.30am.

The main points

  • Waitakere library hosted a celebration of Tongan dance this afternoon when a small,  but enthusiastic group was led through the  basic  movements of the Tau’olungao.
  • Participants danced to Sei o Fafine, which was composed by Queen Salote III.

For more information

Big range of free events at Auckland libraries to celebrate Tongan language week

Big range of free events at Auckland libraries to celebrate Tongan language week

Photos: Monty Lakatani leads the dance group at Waitakere library.

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