Home Blog Page 532

“Human factor” surrounds internet damage as police conduct preliminary inquiry, Police Minister says

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Minister of Police, Hon. Māteni Tapueluelu said there appeared to be a “human factor” in the damage to the undersea cable that cut Tonga’s internet connection.

Hon. Tapueluelu said an initial report has been submitted to Police which included photos taken at the site where damage to the international and domestic submarine internet cables was located.

Tonga Cable director Piveni Piukala previously told Kaniva news he could not rule out foul play as the reason for the damage.

Piukala confirmed these photos were taken at the site where damage to the international and domestic submarine internet cables was located last week.

Hon. Tapueluelu said the ropes which were found tied to the damaged parts of the cables appeared to show the knots were ones that were usually employed only by seamen or fire fighters.

Hon. Tapueluelu, who is also the Minister of Fire and Emergency Services, said this meant the knot was believed to have been made by someone who had been trained on how to tie that particular type of knot.

Speaking to Television Tonga this week, Hon Tapueluelu said, he had been advised by technical experts on the knot and how it has been tied.

He said Police were at the stage of preliminary inquiry to decide whether the damage had been caused by criminal activity. 

He said the government wanted to know the cause and if it was man-made it had to be stopped. 

An independent committee has been set up by the Cabinet to investigate the cause of damage which has cut Tonga from the outside world in two weeks last month.

Tonga’s Chief Secretary Edgar Cocker told Kaniva news the committee’s mandate included looking at all possible scenario which might have led to the internet blackout.

The committee included the Minister of Police, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for MEIDECC and some experts from related fields.

As we reported earlier, damage to the cable wiped out internet access almost entirely and meant people could not make international phone calls.

Limited access was restored via satellite, but authorities blocked most people from using social media like Facebook to preserve precious bandwidth until repairs to the international cable were completed.

Last month government spokesperson, Lopeti Senituli, said the government had been given an understanding there was almost no chance of the cable failing.

“When we hooked up to this optic fibre cable we were given the guarantee that the chances of a disconnection, or an accidental disconnection, was 00.0011, so it was virtually non-existent,” Senituli told Radio New Zealand.

The main points

  • The Minister of Police, Hon. Mateni Tapueluelu said there appeared to be a “human factor” in the damage to the undersea cable that cut Tonga’s internet connection.
  • Hon. Taueluelu said an initial report has been submitted to Police which included photos taken at the site where damage to the international and domestic submarine internet cables was located.

For more information

Implication of “foul play” says director, as photos show suspicious rope tied to internet cable 

Naufahu Skeen upbeat despite early World Champs exit

By
Kaniva Staff
-

by Radio New Zealand

Tongan skier Kasete Naufahu Skeen is staying positive despite a late rule change denying him a place in the men’s giant slalom main race at the Alpine World Ski Champs.

The 36-year-old finished 107th of 108 competitors who completed both runs in the qualification race in Åre, Sweden overnight, with 12 of the original starters failing to finish.

Kasete Naufahu Skeen about to start his first run.

Kasete Naufahu Skeen about to start his first run. Photo: Royal Tonga Ski Federation

The top 50 finishers automatically qualified for the main World Championships race on Friday.

A further 25 spots in the main race were originally reserved for skiers from countries, such as Tonga, that have only one representative at the event but officials changed the criteria after the race.

“Unfortunately they have changed the qualification criteria at the last minute and I have been counted out,” he said.

“After the race they decided to base the criteria on FIS points rather than the result of the qualification race. That means that I along with several other competitors from smaller nations can no longer take part in the final race.”

Skeen was 109th in the first run, in a time of 1 minute 36.96 seconds, and 107th in the second in 1 minute 40.33.

His overall time was 65 seconds adrift of the race winner, 18 year old Swede Axel Lindqvist, but he did manage to cross the finish line ahead of 55 year old Haitian Jean-Pierre Roy.

It marks an improvement for the London-born athlete, who failed to complete both runs on his World Championship debut two years ago and only returned to the slopes in December following 14 months out with injury.

“In St Moritz (two years ago) I crashed out on the second run after hitting a huge bump and I found myself in a similar position halfway down the course today and I had a bit of a flashback to St Moritz,” he reflected.

“I kind of told myself this isn’t going to happen again, I’m going to make it down to the end and I did so that’s the kind of positives that I’m taking away from today. It wasn’t necessarily my best result but it was a good finish for me today and I’ll take confidence from that.”

“I achieved what I set out to achieve and the fact that they changed the qualification critera just at the last minute doesn’t detract from the fact that I made the goal that was originally set out before me,” Skeen said.

“I’m happy with what I’ve done – it’s a shame not to be starting tomorrow but I’m pleased to have represented Tonga.”

This article is republished under the Kaniva Tonga’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.

Tonga and Fiji network in fight against violence

By
Kalino Latu
-

by Radio New Zealand

Anti-violence campaigners in Tonga say a recent fact-finding mission to Fiji has helped them become better soldiers in their fight against violence.

Eleni Mone, of Families Free of Violence, said they explored service delivery models for family and domestic violence cases.

She said they also gathered and exchanged ideas with their Fijian counterparts on how to respond to gender-based violence.

“To let the group engage and find out what’s happening so that when the group goes back to Tonga, they’ll have identified okay that would work for Tonga or that won’t work for Tonga.

“So that the Tongans themselves build up their own as to context – availability of resources and also the way we Tongans think. Sometimes it’s a little bit different.”

Eleni Mone said Tonga’s anti-violence campaigners will now go to Canberra to study Australian systems.

UN Women is helping to facilitate the fact finding missions.

Its Pacific representative, Abigail Erikson, said the agency’s role is to support Pacific countries to develop tools, protocols and systems to help women and girls who experience violence.

“And to make sure that the police, health, social services, crisis centres are working well so that we can make sure that women and girls get the services they need, and that there’s a nice continuum of care and everyone is working together,” Ms Erikson said.

This article is republished under the Kaniva Tonga’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.

Tongan parents don’t understand value of creative industries, says AUT academic

By
Philip Cass
-

Tongan parents push their children into traditional areas of study at university because they do not see the commercial value in creativity, according to Tongan academic Dr Janet Tupou.

Dr Tupou, who graduated from AUT in December, said her doctoral research showed that Tongan parents tended to push their children into studying subjects like medicine, politics and accounting.

“Statistics through Auckland Council’s Creative Sector Report show that the Auckland creative sector generates $2.8 billion and employs 30,901 people,” Dr Tupou told Kaniva Tonga news.

However, Pacific people were reluctant to make the most of what she described as a booming industry.

  • Dr Janet Tupou in graduation regalia. Photo/supplied

“Tongan artists who delve in creative areas of study often complement their creative pursuits by studying alongside traditional area,” Dr Tupou said.

An example might include somebody who was studying singing while simultaneously doing an accounting degree.

In an interview with the December 2018 issue of  Spasifik magazine she said: “Creativity is seen as a concept that can be seen as a threat to the Tongan culture.”

She said research for her thesis, Deconstructing Creativity: A Talanoa about Tongan Creativity, showed the affect of traditional Tongan culture on Tongan art forms was to preserve rather than to change them.

“Creativity expressed in traditional creative work comes with guidelines and attempts to alter the traditional forms by incorporating Western influences into traditional forms is largely a process of taking Western ideas of innovation and ‘Tonganising’ it,” Dr Tupou said.

Whether they were born in Tonga or New Zealand, Tongan creatives had to walk in two worlds.

“The walk in two worlds is hedged on both sides by cultural appropriation, cultural negotiation and social stigma that needs more attention, particularly for Tongans in diaspora who may be struggling with identity issues,” Dr Tupou said.

She said Tongans in general – herself included – had to constantly walk in the two worlds of Tonga and Aoteoroa/New Zealand.

Her research showed that the traditions and cultures of the two countries became woven together to form a third space where custom and contemporary pressures came together.

“This space is where Tiwis (Tongan Kiwis) have the potential to produce something quite different as they stand on Aotearoa soil looking into Tongan ways of life,” she said.

They could use their creativity, skills and talents to generate saleable products that could bring in steady income.

Celebration

Dr Tupou celebrated the conferring of her doctorate at the end of January when what she called “400 of my close family, friends, colleagues and extended family” gathered in Auckland for a blessing and a traditional kava ceremony.

The event was held at Netball North Harbour Arena in Takapuna on the North Shore.

The main points

  • Tongan parents push their children into traditional areas of study at university because they do not see the commercial value in creativity, according to Tongan academic Dr Janet Tupou.
  • Dr Tupou, who graduated from AUT in December, said her doctoral research showed that Tongan parents tended to push their children into studying subjects like medicine, politics and accounting.

For more information

Janet Tupou

NZ presents vision in Tonga during Waitangi speech

By
Kalino Latu
-

The New Zealand government wanted to help Tonga become a safer and prosperous place, High Commissioner Tiffany Babington has said in Nuku’alofa.

She said the New Zealand government greatly appreciated partnership with Tonga.

Babington was speaking during the 179th Anniversary of New Zealand’s National Day, Waitangi Day which was celebrated on February 6, at the High Commissioner’s residence at Va’epopua.

The event was attended by Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva and some cabinet ministers.

Babington said New Zealand would continue to work closely with Tonga on its Pacific Reset programme.

The New Zealand government announced this week the funding of the NZ$8.8 million to expand the Pacific Employment Support Scheme, she said.

“Many of New Zealand’s national and international achievements reflect the contribution of highly talented Tongans whether in sport, art, literature, film making, business, music or other a host of other areas,” Babington said.

“The amazing achievements of your rugby league team Mate Ma’a Tonga are world-famous and this year will see some friendly competition between our national teams as well as warm up games before the rugby world cup.”

Babington also spoke on New Zealand’s multi-million financial assistance during Tropical Cyclone Gita post recovery, the conclusion last year of the NZ$30.7 million Tongatapu Village Network Upgrade project and others.

“We share a vision of helping to make Tonga and the Pacific a safer and prosperous place for us all,” she said

Police seize drugs after man crashes car in Tongatapu

By
Kalino Latu
-

Police have charged a Fangaloto man with possession of illicit drugs after the man crashed a vehicle on Monday at Fonongahina.

The  50-year-old driver was heading north on Tapuvao Road when he allegedly swerved and crashed into a power pole.

The driver is in critical condition at Vaiola Hospital, Deputy Commisioner Pelenatita Vaisuai said in a statement.

She said the Police Drugs Taskforce seized 24 cannabis packs from the vehicle.

Police investigation continues.

‘Uhatafe: Crown’s appeal adjourned sine die, accused still in US

By
Kalino Latu
-

A Nuku’alofa Supreme Judge on Wednesday 6 adjourned with no appointed date for hearing a court case in which the Crown appealed against a decision by the Magistrate Court saying it was inadequate.

It has been revealed the defendant has left for the US and has not returned to Tonga.

The decision came after a Magistrate in 2011 fined and ordered Supileo ‘Uhatafe to pay $100 immediately after Police charged him for causing bodily harm. If he failed to pay the fine he would have served six weeks in jail.

The Magistrate also fined and ordered ‘Uhatafe to pay $50 immediately after Police charged him for assault. Failing to do so would have ended him up in jail for three weeks.

The Crown argued in its appeal that the “sentence imposed was inadequate and did not reflect the gravity of the offence, in that the circumstances of the offence and the impact thereof upon the complainant were not properly considered by the Court in the sentence it imposed.”

“The Crown asked for orders that the sentence be quashed and that the respondent be sentenced by this Court instead.”

The Magistrate decision showed that on 7 February 2011, the charges were read to the respondent and that he pleaded guilty to both of them. The prosecutor then informed the Court that the respondent had no previous criminal record.

Oversight

“For some unknown reason, the appeal was not forwarded by the Magistrate’s Court to this Court for some 7 years,” Mr Niu said.

“ It was only forwarded on 17 October 2018, after Mr. ‘Aho wrote about it to the Registrar of this Court on 10 October 2018. Mr. ‘Aho says that it was only through routine scrutiny of outstanding files in their office that the oversight to follow up this appeal was discovered.”

According to the court judgement, after Bailiff failed in a number of attempts to notify the respondent of the hearing the Supreme Court was eventually told ‘Uhatafe has left for the US and that there was no indication when, if ever, the respondent would return to Tonga.

Judge Laki Niu said: “The Crown failed in that obligation. It failed for 7 years.”

“I order that this appeal is adjourned sine die, unless the Crown chooses, in the circumstances, to withdraw it.”

Tongan skier to compete in world alpine skiing championships in Sweden next week

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tongan alpine skier Kasete Skeen will compete at the 2019 FIS Alpine Skiing World Championships in Åre, Sweden.

Next week Skeen, who has family links to Vava’u and Tongatapu,  will compete in the Giant Slalom qualification race at the Åre World Championships.

He became the first Tongan to compete at Alpine Skiing World Championships in St Moritz in Switzerland in  2017.

He finished 104th out of 105 competitors.

He wanted to qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, but ruptured the tissue that connects the thighbone to the shinbone while training in New Zealand.

While recovering, Skeen moved to Sweden, learned Swedish and took up a job in the Åre ski area to help fund his return to competition.


Skeen was working as  Manager at Opera Holland Park in London in 2016 when he decided to pursue his dream of becoming Tonga’s first Olympic alpine skier.

He once joked to Radio New Zealand that Tonga probably isn’t overrun with skiers.

The first Tongan to compete in the Winter Olympics was Bruno Banani at the Sochi Winter Games in 2014.

“He’s a trailblazer definitely for Tonga – the first Tongan to compete in the Winter Olympics – and also it’s kind of inspiration for not just Tongans but lots of people from non-traditional backgrounds or non-traditional Winter Olympic countries to kind of get involved,” Skeen said.

The main points

  • Tongan alpine skier Kasete Skeen will compete at the 2019 FIS Alpine Skiing World Championships in Åre, Sweden.
  • Next week Skeen, who has family links to Vava’u and Tongatapu,  will compete in the Giant Slalom qualification race at the Åre World Championships.

For more information

Tongan skier sets sights on 2018 Winter Olympics

Royal Tonga Ski Federation

Sione Feimoefiafi: murder accused to appear in court

By
Kalino Latu
-

The men accused of murdering the US based Tongan Sione Feimoefiafi are scheduled to make their first appearance in the Fasi Magistrate Court at Nukua’alofa on Monday next week.

Feimoefiafi, 49, arrived in Tonga in early January to attend his father’s funeral. He was beaten during a brawl inside Tali’eva bar on Monday 4.  He died in hospital later that evening.

Police arrested the accused the following day.

The five suspects, aged between 39 and 51, remain in police custody while investigations continue.

The tragic death of Feimoefiafi has sent shock waves throughout Tonga and the Tongan international community.

From the moment Feimoefiafi was shown being beaten in a viral video clip to today’s court decision for his accused’s court appearance date, people have become obsessed with the life of Feimoefiafi especially with what had been documented about him on Facebook.

Dozens of public and private groups are now dedicated to the murder.

A public group called Must Be Tongan has 120,393  followers. Another has nearly  17,000.

Feimoefiafi painted a portrait of the perfect family man on social media. Homemade videos and photos he and others had posted show what seemed to be an outgoing and light-hearted man.

“….We have a 19-day fast which end right now. We are heading out right now to eat some good food somewhere,” he said while making fun with his children in one of his Facebook live videos.

Tropical depression moving away from Tonga

By
Kalino Latu
-

A tropical depression which travelled at a speed of 15 knots or 28 kilometres per hours with maximum momentary wind of 40 knots or 74 kilomtres per hour continues to travel away from Tonga.

The Fua’amotu tropical cyclone warning centre said this morning at 6am a gale warning remains in force for the Niuas and Vava’u.

But it is now cancelled for Ha’apai, Tongatapu, ‘Eua, Tele-Ki-Tonga and Tele-Ki-Tokelau land areas and coastal waters.

A heavy rain and flash flood advisory remains in force for the Niuas and Vava’u but is now canceled for Ha’apai, Tongatapu and ‘Eua.

A heavy damaging swell warning remains in force for all of Tonga coastal waters.

The tropical depression td10f was located near west of Niuafo’ou, it said.

It is now moving south southwest at the speed of 15 knots (28km/hr).

The potential for this system to develop into a tropical cyclone is low in the next 24 hours.

On its current track, td10f is expected to lie at about 360 kilometres southwest of Niuafo’ou or 460 kilometres west northwest of Vava’u at 10am this morning.

It will continue to move south-south-west away from the groups.  

Associated clouds, heavy rain and strong to gale force winds may affect the Niuas and Vava’u.

1...531532533...955Page 532 of 955