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Business councils, private sector voice, vital to Pacific Co-operation Foundation says new CEO

By
Philip Cass
-

New Zealand-based business councils were crucial to the work of the Pacific Cooperation Foundation, the PCF’s new head said this week.

Speaking to Kaniva Tonga news, the Foundation’s new CEO, Don Mann, said bodies like the New Zealand Tonga Business Council, Tonga Advisory Council, the Fiji New Zealand Business Council, the New Zealand Samoa Trade and Investment Commission, the New Zealand PNG Business Council and the New Zealand French Chamber of Commerce provided an important private sector voice.

“We sit in the middle, between government and the private sector,” Mann said.

“We can feed ideas back up to government and from them to the private sector.

Don Mann (L) with his parents Elaine and Don Snr at Port Neiafu. Photo/Supplied

“As one example, the NZTBC is essentially a New Zealand agency, but speaks to a lot of Tongan business owners.

“Tongans running businesses here have deep links to the business community in Tonga.

“It is absolutely valuable working with them because they work both sides of the boarder.”

Mann, whose father Don Snr was from Neiafu in Vava’u, took over as head of the Auckland-based body last month.

He said he wanted the Foundation to be seen as a trusted, impartial entity to which people could turn to unlock opportunities in the Pacific.

“We want to be at the top of people’s minds when they want to do business in the Pacific.”

Mann said that while the Foundation had been established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade it was important that it was seen as independent.

He said this helped its mandate to work with 18 countries in the Pacific creating opportunities for business, helping developing leaders and putting people from different sectors together.

He said New Zealand operated as a Pacific nation, which made it different from Australia.

“There are many similarities between the two nations, but at the end of the day the difference is that we have a unique Māori identity,” Mann said.

He said culture was at the heart of national identity and how people saw themselves. Apart from his links with Tonga, he has affiliation with Ngāti Ruapani and Ngāti Kahungunu through his mother.

“I have a Māori mum and a Tongan father,” Mann said.

“I was born in Auckland and consider myself to be both Tongan and Māori.

“I have family in the US and Australia consider them Tongan.

“It’s who we are, how you see yourself,” Mann said.

“As they saw in Te Reo: ‘E ngā  tagata o te moana  nui a kiwa’ – we are the people of the Pacific.”

The PCF had a long term goal of creating business opportunities between Māori business and Pacific islands.

Iwi economic entities were worth about NZ$40 billion. He said Pacific nations could learn from iwi about how indigenous bodies had developed over the years into successful businesses and managed economic and social transitions.

The PCF could be a conduit for this kind of knowledge sharing.

Areas of co-operation could include resource based industries.

Mann took over at the PCF after being head of Corporate Partnerships at ATEED. While with the Auckland Council body he led Pasifika stakeholder engagement which included the Pacific Business Trust Awards and the Pasifika Festival commercial strategy. He also mentored emerging Pacific Business Leaders and advised Pasifika business owners.

Originally a policeman, he left the force when he was 33 to go into sports management and became general manager of the Warriors.

His family has strong ties to rugby league. His uncle George founded the Mate Ma’a Tonga. His father played league professionally and his brother Duane captained the Kiwis and MMT.

His father ran a well-known heavy haulage company and was involved in several major infrastructure projects around New Zealand. He liked to point them out to his family as a tangible mark of what he had achieved.

Mann said that in each role he had been involved with he had been able to make a serious and positive affect on people’s lives and wanted to do the same at PCF.

The main points

  • New Zealand-based business councils were crucial to the work of the Pacific Cooperation Foundation, the PCF’s new head said this week.
  • Speaking to Kaniva Tonga news, the Foundation’s new CEO, Don Mann, said bodies like the New Zealand Tonga Business Council provided an important private sector voice.
  • Mann, whose father Don Snr was from Neiafu in Vava’u, took over as head of the Auckland-based body last month.

For more information

Pacific Cooperation Foundation

New cyclone warning as tropical disturbance moves towards northern Tonga

By
Kalino Latu
-

The possibility for a tropical disturbance in Tonga to develop into a tropical cyclone is moderate, said the Fua’amotu Meteorological centre this morning Tuesday 12 at 7am.

The system, named by the Centre as TD 10f was located near the north west of Niuafo’ou.

It is moving east south east at the speed of 12 knots (22km/hr) towards  Niuafo’ou.

Associated clouds, heavy rain and strong to gale force winds are expected to affect the group, it said.

The Centre said, a gale warning remains in force for all of Tonga land areas and coastal waters.

A heavy rain and flash flood advisory remain in force for all of Tonga.

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

Meanwhile, it said tropical cyclone alert previously in force for all of Tonga for 08f is now cancelled.

Court denies Institute’s application for injunction, sets early date for trial of dispute

By
Philip Cass
-

The Supreme Court has refused application by the ‘Atenisi Institute for an interim injunction against the Tonga National Qualifications Accreditation Board.

The Institute wanted an interim injunction preventing  the TNQAB from stopping the Institute from recruiting new students; imposing new, amended or revoking the institute’s qualifications and publishing anything about its compliance with the board’s regulations.

The Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said making the orders sought would serve no useful purpose.

 “ ‘Atenisi has not satisfied me that it has good prospects of success,” the judge said.

“I do not accept that ‘Atenisi’s position can be so dire that it is necessary to issue an injunction.”

Instead, he said he had allocated an early date to hear the matter at trial.

The ‘Atenisi opened in 1975 and operated without interruption since then.

It lodged an application for registration as a university with the TNQAB in 2010. After a legal dispute it was registered as the Tertiary Academy of ‘Atenisi Institute in 2011.

The Institute’s registration was renewed in 2013 and 2015 until August 2017 after which its registration lapsed.

In 2015 it was advised by the TNQAB that it would not be permitted to renew its registration as a University;

In February last year ‘Atenisi filed an action for a declaration that it was a University.

In March 2018 the TNQAB told the Institute it considered it was delivering unaccredited programmes.

It was told to show what it was going to do to have the programmes accredited and told that if it did not comply the TNQAB could impose new or amended conditions or revoke the Institute’s registration.

The Institute argued in court that not being able to recruit students would endanger its financial status and continuing operations.

However, Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said prospective students had the right to know their proposed courses of study were to be delivered by an entity not registered under the Act and that any qualifications earned may not be recognised by the kingdom’s largest employer, the government.

“The students’ right to be informed outweighs ‘Atenisi’s interest in recruiting them,” he said.

The main points

  • The Supreme Court has refused application by the ‘Atenisi Institute for an interim injunction against the Tonga National Qualifications Accreditation Board.
  • The Institute wanted an interim injunction preventing  the TNQAB from stopping the Institute from recruiting new students; imposing new, amended or revoking the institute’s qualifications and publishing anything about its compliance with the board’s regulations.

Tongan artist colony lost their lagoon ‘home’ but their spirit lives on

By
Kalino Latu
-

By Blessen Tom, Pacific Media Centre

“In Loving Memory”, a recent exhibition in Tonga, attracted many art lovers.

The exhibition was hosted at the On The Spot Artspace in Nuku’alofa and was arranged by the Seleka International Art Society Initiative (SIASI).

It was a tribute to their fallen fale which was destroyed by Cyclone Gita last February.

“We’ve lost our land and our studio but cyclones cannot take our spirits and we will move forward,” says Taniela Patelo.

The exhibition featured more than 20 paintings from Tongan artists Tevita Latu, Taniela Petelo and Virginie Dourlet.

Seleka International Art Society was founded by Tevita Latu in 2008 aimed at promoting art and encouraging young artists from Tonga.

“I had the chance to study art in Australia. I always promised myself that when I would be back I would teach Tongans about art,” says Latu – and the Seleka initiative was the result.

The fale has been a home for more than 100 young artists and was situated in the Fanga ‘Uta Lagoon in the main island of Tongatapu.

Taniela Patelo … “We’ve lost our land and our studio but cyclones cannot take our spirits and we will move forward.” Image: Blessen Tom/PMC

Painting to poetry
“The core intention was to teach painting…then later on a friend came in and started teaching poetry, musicians came on board and started teaching music.

“Since the house came down we’ve lost a tour of artists. We moved to my house and it’s not the same.”

The group has moved back to town since the destruction of their fale.

“I want this vision to flourish. I wanted to go to the poorest village and teach art to the young kids there,” says Latu, when asked about the future of Seleka.

“I wish we could have more exposure overseas and exhibit more.”

Seleka International Art Society Initiative has started an art movement in Tonga. They want this to continue and hopes for more support from the government to travel around Tonga to conduct workshops for young people.

The exhibition was welcomed by art lovers and common people and many paintings were sold on the opening day.

AUT graduate Blessen Tom reported on the exhibition while in Tonga for the Nuku’alofa International Film festival late last year. Kaniva has a republication arrangement with Pacific Media Centre.

New CEO appointed to Tonga Tourism

By
Kalino Latu
-

Sione Finau Moala-Mafi has today been named as Chief Executive of the Ministry of Tonga Tourism with effect from 7 February 2019 for a period of four years.

The Public Service Commission said it welcomes Moala-Mafi and wishes him a successful and fulfilling term in office.

Moala-Mafi holds a Master of Tourism (Marketing) (2000) from James Cook University, Australia and a Bachelor of Arts in Socio-Economic Development (1987) from the University of the South Pacific, Fiji.

Moala-Mafi has extensive years of work experience in the Tourism sector.

He was first appointed to the public service in 1990 as an Educational and Training Officer, Tonga Visitors Bureau.

In 1999, he was promoted to the position of Deputy Director of Tourism (Marketing) for the same Department.

In 2009, he exited the Public Service and was again re-appointed in April, 2016 to the position of Deputy Secretary for the Ministry of Tourism where he currently serves to date.

However, prior to his re-appointment in 2016, he was employed by Tonga Communications Cooperation Ltd (TCC) as from August, 2011 to April, 2013 as a Sales and Marketing Manager.

League board and president appeal after court new election ban order

By
Kalino Latu
-

Former Rugby League Board members and president have appealed a supreme court judge’s order barring them from attending a meeting at which a new Board was elected.

Former president Sēmisi Sika said he had not been convicted in any court during the entire tenure of his office.

He said they believed the court decision has violated the democratic rights of each league club in Tonga to choose whoever they wanted to represent them in the board and presidency.

Hon. Sika said he, the former Chairman Stan Moheloa and another board member were baffled by the court decision.

As Kaniva Tonga news reported earlier, the Supreme Court dissolved the Tonga National Rugby League (TNRL) board and ordered an election of new board members.

The sacked board members included Chairman Stan Moheloa, General Secretary Tavake Fangupō, Board Director Siu Fangupō,  Board Director Pita Vakautakakala, and Board Director Mātani Nifofā.

The Court appointed Acting Attorney General ‘Aminiasi Kefu as Amicus Curiae (friend of the court) to organise and oversee new elections.

Judge L.M.Niu said the Incorporated Societies Act required that incorporated societies must be  managed in accordance with their rules and constitutions.

“When a society fails to manage or govern its funds in accordance with its rules, the Supreme Court must make the necessary orders to ensure that it does,” the judge said.

“This Court has found that the defendants have failed to govern and manage the funds of the Tonga National Rugby League in accordance with its constitution.

“Substantial funds are not accounted for.

“The Board of Directors at the time was the body responsible for that failure. The members who constituted that Board must be replaced by new members and the new members must not be persons nominated by or voted for by any person who was member of the Board responsible for the failure.

“They must not influence the nominations and voting for new members. They must therefore be excluded from the meeting at which the new Board of Directors is elected.”

Presidency

Judge Niu said the President and Vice President of the Society were not members of the Board, but could take part in meetings to ensure the board carried out its functions properly.

“Because the Board has failed to carry out its functions properly, it is clear that the President and Vice President have also failed in their duties,” the judge said.

“Accordingly, they should also be excluded from the meeting at which the new Board is elected.”

Judge Niu ordered that Acting Attorney General ‘Aminiasi Kefu, in his role as Amicus Curiae, convene and conduct a meeting to elect a new board of directors.

He said Hon. Kefu would decide all questions arising at the meeting.

“The new Board shall govern from its election until the election of the Board of Directors is completed at the general meeting which shall be convened by the new Board after the accounts of the society have been audited and after completion of appropriate actions, if any, which shall have been taken by the new Board in consequence of the results of the audit,” the judge said.

New Zealand to ban smoking in cars with children

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s government  has today announced it will prohibit smoking in cars carrying children under 18 years of age.

The announcement has been released by Associate Minister of Health Jenny Lātū Salesa.

The law change will come into effect by an amendment to the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990.

“First and foremost this change is about protecting children. However, it is also part of the Government’s commitment to achieving Smokefree 2025,” says Jenny Salesa.

“Too many New Zealand children, particularly Māori and Pacific children, are exposed to second-hand smoke in the vehicles they usually travel in. Children are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of second-hand smoke due to their smaller lungs, higher respiratory rate and immature immune systems.

“Second-hand smoke accumulates in vehicles, even with the windows open. It reaches much higher levels than in homes.

“Public education and social marketing campaigns over many years have had some impact, but the rate of reduction in children exposed to smoking in vehicles is slowing. It is now time to do more by legislating,” says Jenny Salesa.

Under the change, Police will be able to require people to stop smoking in their cars if children (under 18) are present. Police will also be able to use their discretion to give warnings, refer people to stop-smoking support services, or issue an infringement fee of $50.

“In 2016, recommendations by the Health Select Committee to ban smoking in cars carrying children were ignored. Now, this Government is taking action,” says Jenny Salesa.

“One of our core priorities is achieving equity in health. Raising public awareness about the dangers of smoking in cars carrying children can assist in achieving this goal.

“The legislation will also be backed up with a new and innovative public education and social marketing effort.

“Ultimately, the focus of this change will be on education and changing social norms – not on issuing infringement notices.

“There is strong support for legislating. Multiple surveys have shown around 90 per cent of people support a stop to smoking in cars with children present.

“New Zealand will join other countries such as Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, South Africa, parts of the United States, and most of Canada – where smoking in cars with children is already prohibited,” say Jenny Salesa.

Vaping will also be included in the prohibition and it will apply to all vehicles both parked and on the move.

It is expected that this amendment will become law by the end of 2019.

Tongan US man gets eight-year prison term for molestation

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A Tongan man in San Mateo was sentenced to eight years after he was found guilty of two counts of child molestation.

Latu Lavaki’s sentence came after nearly five months after a jury handed down his guilty verdict for crimes he committed at his Millbrae residence more than a decade ago, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.

San Mateo Daily Journal report today said, although the defense attorney for 62-year-old, made a motion for a new trial, a judge denied the motion and sentenced him to eight years in state prison. Lavaki is also not allowed to contact the victim for 10 years, according to prosecutors.

Lavaki was found guilty of molesting a 7-year-old relative during the Christmas break of the 2006-07 school year after luring her upstairs by promising to give her a chocolate bar. Years later, the victim disclosed to older female relatives who admitted they too had been molested by Lavaki as far back as 1985. However, those cases fall outside the statute of limitations, according to prosecutors.

Lavaki, who has been in custody on no bail since his trial ended Sept. 10, will receive 633 days credit for time served, according to prosecutors.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Al Serrato said prosecutors are gratified to see Lavaki receive a sentence commensurate with the serious nature of his crime.

“Victimizing a young child is particularly reprehensible,” he said.

Lavaki’s defense attorney Peter Goldscheider was not immediately available for comment.

Reports of minor damage as cyclone warning cancelled for Tonga

By
Kalino Latu
-

The storm warning previously in force for all of Tonga land areas and coastal waters is now cancelled.

There were reports of fallen trees in Tongatapu as tropical cyclone Neil moving on from Tonga’s northern island groups.

Last night there were unconfirmed reports on social media of ongoing power outages at Hihifo, Tongatapu.

Neiafu town officer Vava Lapota told Kaniva this morning Vava’u was not structurally affected.

He said a few plantain plants and trees were blown down.

The Fua’amotu Met Centre says, a gale warning remains in force for the Niuas, Vava’u and Ha’apai land areas and coastal waters.

It said a strong wind warning is now in force for Tongatapu, ‘Eua, Tele-ki-Tonga and Tele-ki-Tokelau land areas and coastal waters.

The heavy rain warning and flash flood advisory previously in force for all of Tonga is now cancelled.

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

Ex-tropical cyclone Neil also referred to as td07f was located near latitude 20.7 south, longitude 174.9 west or 120km south southwest of Lifuka, 55km south of Nomuka, 50km north northeast of Nuku’alofa and 75km north of ‘Eua at 7am this morning.

This system is moving southeast at the speed of 16 knots (30km/hr).

The maximum winds near the centre is about 30-35 knots (57-67 km/hr) with momentary gust up to 45 knots (87km/hr).

On its current track tropical cyclone Neil’s centre is expected to lie nearest to 45km east northeast of Tongatapu and 35km east of ‘Eua at 10:00am this morning.

Associated clouds with occasional rain is expected to affect the group.

Read more:

Cyclone expected to cross Ha‘apai tomorrow morning, warning in force for all of Tonga

Cyclone expected to cross Ha‘apai tomorrow morning, warning in force for all of Tonga

By
Philip Cass
-

Tropical Cyclone Neil is expected to cross Ha’apai early tomorrow morning.

A storm warning is now in force for all of Tonga land areas and coastal waters.

A heavy rain warning and flash flood advisory has been issued for the kingdom.

A warning for a heavy damaging swell warning remains inforce for all of coastal waters.

AT 7pm category one tropical cyclone Neil was located 175km northwest of Vava’u or 260km north northwest of Ha’apai.

Wind gusts at the centre of the cyclone are 35-40 knots (64-75 km/hr)  with momentary gust up to 55 knots (101km/hr).

On its current track the cyclone’s centre is expected to be 80km west of Vava’u at 1am tomorrow and to cross Ha’apai at 4am.

Rough to very rough seas with a heavy damaging northwesterly swell are forecast for the Niuas.

There is a possibility of flash flood and sea flooding in low lying areas.

For Tongatapu and ‘Eua gusts of up to 55 knots (101 km/hr) are expected by early tomorrow morning.

Rain will be heavy at times with rough seas and there is a chance of flash floods and sea flooding in low lying areas.

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