Tonga is
bracing for gale force winds and heavy seas on the first day of the New Year.
The Fua’amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre said this evening that at 5pm a tropical depression was located 1080km west- northwest of Niuafo’ou and moving east-southeast at 16 knots/30kph.
It said tropical depression is now enforced for Vava’u land areas.
A heavy rain warning and flash flood advisory remains in force for Ha’apai and is now in force for the Niuas, Vava’u , Tongatapu and ‘Eua land areas.
Strong wind warning is now in force for Ha’apai.
On its
present course it is expected to turn into a tropical cyclone by tomorrow.
There is a
gale warning for Niuafo’ou and Niuatoputapu. Warnings of gale force winds and heavy damaging swell
remains in force for the Niuas coastal waters.
Heavy rain
and flash flood warnings have been made for Ha’apai, the Niuas, Vava’u ,
Tongatapu and ‘Eua.
In the Niuas
winds are expected to reach 35-40 knots (60-70 kph) with gusts of up to 48
knots (90kph) from tonight and tomorrow morning.
For Vava’u
and Ha’apai, winds are expected to reach 20-25 knots (35-45 kph) by tomorrow
morning.
For
Tongatapu and ‘Eua winds are expected to be 20-25 knots (35-45 kph) by tomorrow
afternoon.
The next
cyclone warning will be issued at 1am tomorrow.
Cyclones in 2018
Last year
Tonga was affected by three cyclones.
Gita, which
struck Tonga on was the worst.
Two people
died during the category four cyclone, including an elderly woman who was in
her house when it was blown away.
Police also
confirmed three major injuries and 30 minor injuries on Tongatapu as a result
of Gita.
Gita
flattened Parliament House, brought down power lines and caused widespread
destruction in the kingdom. In March Tonga was also affected by category one
cyclone Josie. In April the kingdom was affected by category three cyclone
Keni.
Both
cyclones caused about $5 million damage in Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga.
The
main points
Tongan
residents have been warned to prepare for gale force winds and heavy seas as a
tropical depression moves towards the kingdom.
The
Fua’amotu tropical cyclone warning centre said this evening that at 5pm the
depression was located 1080km west- northwest of Niuafo’ou and moving
east-southeast at 16 knots/30kph.
On
its present course it is expected to turn into a tropical cyclone by tomorrow.
New Zealand: A shoreline search for a Tongan teenager missing off a remote Auckland beach has been suspended, but aerial searches were continuing on Sunday.
The 16-year-old boy went missing at Whatipu beach in Huia, West Auckland, about 1.30pm on Saturday.
A relative told Kaniva news he felt for the boy’s mother.
Reports on social media said the missing boy was Sam Leka.
A commentator said the family was so devastated. He was at the beach during yesterday’s search.
“Sam Leka please come back so that we return home together. We love you so much,” he wrote on Facebook in Tongan.
The victim was in the water at Whatipu Beach with two others when they got into trouble.
Two women made it back to shore, but the police, Coastguard and search and rescue volunteers were still looking for the boy.
Police said “they continue to perform periodic aerial searches with EAGLE helicopter.”
“Surf Life Saving will continue to perform sweeps of the beach
area in the coming days, supported by Police staff,” it said.
A local reportedly said swimming at the beach was not
recommended due to the wild nature of the waves.
Police also said they were focusing on continuing to provide
support to the family of the missing swimmer.
A large sink hole has closed a main road in Lifuka, Ha’apai and could cause difficulties for commuters and motorists heading to Houmale’eia beach for end of year picnics.
The sink hole has opened up on the Holopeka
road following Saturday’s heavy rainfall at the Ha’apai main island.
The
size of the sink hole was unknown but pictures of it shared on Facebook appear
to show it looks huge.
It
was not immediately clear whether the closure will remain in place during the
week and whether any repair work was underway.
National Emergency and Management Office (NEMO) has warned
motorists and commuters about the incident.
It said the Fangale’ounga and Fuhu roads were submerged with water.
October will be remembered for the almost incessant build-up to the Mata Ma’a-Kangaroos game in Auckland.
In the end
Tonga lost 34-16, but the result wasn’t the reason the game will be remembered.
It was the
game Tongan fans felt should have been theirs in the World Cup and the ones
where they proved they were good enough to take on a tier one team.
King Tupou
VI spoke directly to the team at a private reception at Atalanga. He told them
Topou I had prepared his warriors for battle during the civil war in Tonga.
After the
game, Tongan captain Sika Manu told the thousands of supporters at the Mt
Smart stadium: “The boys gave everything.”
Mate Ma’a
Tonga united Tongans everywhere, with fans from Tonga, Australia and the United
States flying in to watch.
Princess
Angelika said Mate Ma’a Tonga reinforced
pride in the kingdom’s virtues.
The Guardian described Tonga as “terrific in
their energy and work rate” and said that for large periods of the match they
had kept the Kangaroos “absolutely scrambling.”
The New Zealand Herald said that despite losing, Tonga had made the case for playing more international matches.
October
ended with a royal visit that made a tremendous impression on the kingdom.
Prince Harry
and Meghan Markle flew into Tonga on October 25 and were met by Princess
Angelika.
They wore
the colours of Tonga during their visit, with Meghan Merkle in a red dress and
Prince Harry in a light weight white suit.
They
attended a private audience with King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipauʻu followed
by an official reception and dinner at Consular House.
On October
26 they met with Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva..
On a visit
to Tupou College they dedicated two forest reserves to the Queen’s Commonwealth
Canopy.
The royal
couple were entertained by students from the college with a song about mosquitos
that had them in stitches.
During other
performances Princess Angelika could be seen explaining what was happening.
The Princess
accompanied the royals on a tour of the Fa’onelua Centre, where they visited an
exhibition celebrating Tongan handicrafts and products.
This was
their first visit to Tonga.
Quarantine
Passengers
taking ‘umu and fish on flights from Tonga to New Zealand benefitted from a new
agreement with Biosecurity New Zealand that allows them to get through
quarantine faster.
The Ministry
of Agriculture has signed a memorandum of understanding that covers the
quarantine certification of food taken into New Zealand.
Head of
Biosecurity New Zealand Roger Smith said the agreement meant Tongan passengers
would bypass long queues in quarantine when they landed in New Zealand.
He said
Tonga posed a low biosecurity risk to New Zealand.
Toxic lagoon
The Ministry
of Fisheries declared the largest inland lagoon in Tongatapu was toxic in
October.
Fanga’uta
lagoon was declared a marine reserve in 1974, but has been in a poor state for
some years.
A range of
factors have been blamed for its condition, including pollution from sewage and
pesticides.
Hon. Fifita,
whose constituency was part of Fanga’uta lagoon, said the water was polluted by
plastic bags and rotting metal.
Lord
Tu’ikepa said the public should be
notified that they should not fish in that area.
November
Dialysis basis of visa decision
The New
Zealand Immigration and Protection Tribunal has granted a Tongan man and his
son resident visas, partly because of the lack of dialysis facilities in the
kingdom.
The Tribunal
ruled that Peniola ‘Ahofono and his son had exceptional circumstances of a
humanitarian nature that would make it unjust or unduly harsh for them to be
deported from New Zealand.
‘Ahofono’s
wife and adult daughter are New Zealand residents.
He arrived
in New Zealand in February 2008 and was joined by his wife and children in
March 2009.
For the past
decade he worked as a baker for a company that manufactures pies and held a
series of Essential Skills work visas.
His wife
held a series of work visas until December 2013 when she was unable to obtain
further temporary visas because of her chronic kidney disease.
The Tribunal
said the wife had end-stage renal failure secondary to diabetic nephropathy.
She receives dialysis at a community
dialysis centre, three
times a week.
The appeals
were based on the need for the wife to remain in New Zealand as she had been
receiving dialysis for four years and such treatment was not available in
Tonga.
‘Amanaki’s allegations mostly untrue
Auditor
General Sefita Tangi has found most of the allegations raised by PSA head Mele
‘Amanaki’s petition against seven Ministers, including the Prime Minister, to
be untrue.
He said the
issues raised were caused by procedural shortfalls.
The Auditor
did not report any breach of the constitution or any misappropriation of public
funds as alleged in ‘Amanaki’s the petition.
The Auditor General
recommended that the government should refer some of the complaints to the
Public Service Commission.
Most of the
allegation fell outside the Auditor General’s remit. He could not comment on
the government’s financial statements as the matters needed expert legal
advice.
‘Amanaki’s
petition alleged that International Computer consultant Piveni Piukala’s
contract issued by the government in 2015 was illegal, but the Auditor General
said he was satisfied that the contract was legal.
The petition
alleged that the public funds at the Tonga Tourism Authority had been abused, but the Auditor General said
the Authority had the power to choose an independent auditor.
Help for drop-outs
High school
dropout rates in Tonga have reached 20 percent and many young people have no
other way of learning new skills that could make them employable.
However,
Tonga’s Minister for Internal Affairs, Losaline Ma’asi said a new World Bank
programme would help overcome some of the barriers to students finishing high
school.
Hon. Ma’asi
said the Skills and Employment for Tongans (SET) project would provide
financial help for poorer families.
It would
also help improve the quality of courses
in areas that were most likely to lead to successful labour migration to
Australia and New Zealand.
Saving money
The
government has saved more than TP$2 million on the Popua Park and Golf Course
project.
An
independent report by the Pacific Engineering Consultant Group (PECG) showed
the government has spent only TP$648,000
on the project.
The report
said if the project had been outsourced to a private company it would have cost
TP$.9 million. If it had been done the Ministry of Infrastructure it would have
cost TP$1.7 million.
Finance
Minister Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa said money had been saved by hiring daily workers
at low rates and hiring machinery from the Ministry of Infrastructure and only
paying for the petrol.
He said
prisoners at Hu’atolitoli had also been employed.
December
PM’s wife dies
Her Majesty
Queen Nanasipau’u and the Prime Minister’s family shared a touching moment, as
foreign dignitaries turned out to commemorate the life of Tonga’s First Lady.
Neomai Tu’itupou
Pōhiva was buried at Telekava 1 community cemetery in Kolomotu’a, Nuku’alofa
after a service at the Free Wesleyan
church in Sopu.
The Prime
Minister’s 70-year-old wife, died after a long battle with cancer.
Thousands of
people took to Facebook to show their respects for the woman most regarded as
the “mother of democrats” in Tonga.
She was
described as “a kind-hearted lady” who always stood by her husband until the
end of her life in his long time fight to bring democracy to Tonga.
Edwards
Former
Police Minister and MP lawyer William Clive Edwards Snr called for the king to
re-dissolve Parliament and set up an interim government.
He claimed
the nation’s political status had deteriorated and an independent commission
should be set up to investigate Cabinet ministers.
He said the
government had failed to explain what had happened to the TP$74 million he said the Auditor General claimed was
missing.
Edwards, a
long-time political enemy of Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva, claimed Tonga was
moving towards dictatorship and autocracy.
The Director
of the Tonga National Sports Institute, ‘Ikani Taliai, said Edwards’ allegations
were only made to discredit the government.
He said that
if the king dissolved Parliament again the people would do the same thing they
did after last year’s dissolution by re-electing the same people in the current
government.
Jnr Fa
New
Zealand-born Tongan boxer Uaine Junior Fa may be going up against WBC world
champion Deontay Wilder in what is being called the “ultimate fight.”
Speculation
about the fight came a month after Fa said a bout with heavyweight champion
Joseph Parker was inevitable and something he wanted to happen sooner rather
than later.
However,
Fa’s manager, Mark Keddell, said there were no immediate plans for Fa to fight
Parker.
Fa’s most
recent win came in Christchurch where he knocked out Argentine boxer Rogelio
Omar Rossi in round one. It was his 16th straight win.
The fight
with Wilder is being touted for March or April 2019.
Meth threat
Drug dealers
are smuggling guns as well as methamphetamine into the kingdom, according to a
New Zealand television report.
Veteran
Pacific journalist Barbara Dreaver reported claims by a gang member that guns
were being smuggled in from America and China.
“The
Chinese people bring them in from China mixed in with imported goods,” the
syndicate member said.
The
Salvation Army has described the sale of P in the kingdom as a “tsunami” and a
police task force has made 96 drug-related arrests since April.
Tongan
police said they were not well resourced or prepared to deal with the level of
drug dealing and smuggling.
Increasing
numbers of criminal deportees from Australia and the US have been blamed for
the growing drug trade.
PM’s successor
As the year
ended Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva said he had a person in mind who could
replace him as party leader when he stepped down.
Speaking
exclusively to Kaniva news, the
77-year-old political veteran said he had picked his potential successor after
assessing members’ “commitment and sacrifice” to the Paati Temokalati ‘o e ‘Otu
Motu Anga’ofa (the Democracy Party).
Asked
whether he could release the name of his possible successor, Hon. Pōhiva
declined, saying it was not yet time for him to publicly announce the name.
Hon. Pōhiva
also declined to confirm whether he would leave politics after his next three
years in leading the government.
The legal
repercussions of the Tongan government’s shock decision not to host the 2019
Pacific Games reached the Supreme Court.
The Pacific
Games Council and Tonga’s own Olympic body, TASANOC, filed a legal claim
against the government in May.
However, the
government failed to respond within the legally stated period, setting off a
chain of claims and counter-claims.
TASANOC and
the Games council sought damages over what they said was a legally binding
contract to host the Games in 2019.
Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva suddenly announced the kingdom would not host the region’s main sporting competition despite previous predictions that Tonga could expect to benefit financially from the Games and the government’s introduction of special taxes to raise funds for the event.
The Pacific Games Council’s Chief Executive, Andrew Minogue said it was seeking damages for the losses that it suffered as a result of the decision not to host the games.
Tonga’s
Health CEO Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola said there were only a few confirmed HIV cases in
the kingdom.
However, he
said people should be focussing on reducing high risk behaviour rather than
focussing on the small number of cases.
His comments
come on the same day that the leading UK medical journal, The Lancet, warned that a dangerous complacency in the response to
the global HIV pandemic risked a resurgence of the disease.
Dr ‘Akau’ola
said attention should be focussed on avoiding risky behaviour that to
vulnerable people being exposed to HIV.
The Lancet said HIV infections remained
persistent in marginalised groups, younger people, women and in developing
countries.
Tongan to head fisheries agency
Tongan
lawyer Manumatavai Tupou-Roosen was elected head of the Forum Fisheries Agency
in July.
She had
worked for the FFA for 13 years and was the agency’s legal advisor.
At the
meeting where Tupou-Roosen was elected, the FFA said it would work improving labour
standards for all crews.
It said it
work to ensure that jobs in the industry were worthwhile and safe, including
for Pacific Islanders.
The agency
said human rights were important for retaining access to global markets.
Pacific International Commercial Bank
The Supreme
Court dismissed an attempt by the Pacific International Commercial Bank to
overturn the revocation of its banking license.
The Court also
ordered the PICB to stop calling itself a bank.
Lord Chief
Justice Paulsen said the National Reserve Bank revoked Pacific International’s
license in July 2016.
It had been issued
on the basis that the PICB had the resources and ability to carry out its
duties. The license was also dependent on bank having effective
accounting, internal controls, audit and
risk management systems.
However, the
judge said the Reserve Bank became
increasingly concerned with the PIBC as its debts grew to TP$4.5 million and it
failed to institute any effective management plan.
He said PICB
failed to honour its business plan; failed to have its accounts audited and
failed to provide accurate and reliable reports and continued to incur losses.
August
Death threats
The referee
who disallowed Tonga’s last minute try in their game against England last year
has announced his retirement.
Matt Cecchin
told the BBC he had been the target of “vile abuse” and had received “hundreds
and hundreds” of death threats.
As Kaniva News reported at the time,
Cecchin disallowed a last minute try by Andrew Fifita which would have given
Tonga victory and secured their place in the Rugby League World Cup final
against Australia.
He ruled
that Fifita had lost the ball before regathering and planting it over the try
line.
Cecchin said
members of his family had also received
death threats.
Prison escape aftermath
Police
Superintendent Tu’ungafasi Polelei Falakiseni has escaped being sacked over the
escape of American Dean Jay Fletcher, who was being held following the death of
his wife.
Falakiseni
was reduced to the rank of Chief Inspector of Police instead.
Fletcher was
arrested on 9 July 2016 and charged with manslaughter.
He escaped
from custody and sailed to American Samoa on his yacht.
The Tongan
government requested his extradition, but this was denied. He was then
transferred to Hawai’i and another request to have him returned to Tonga was
also refused by American authorities.
“The escape
has caused huge embarrassment to the Tonga Police, the Government of Tonga and
the Kingdom of Tonga. Further, the deceased’s
family is still deprived of the
justice for the brutal murder of their
loved one, “ the Police
Employment Committee said.
Henderson Cars
Henderson
Cars in Auckland continued to boost its cultural connection with the Tongan
community by providing a free meal and a sponsorship of a major Tongan dancing
competition.
The car
dealership at 24 Great South Road, Takanini gave away free puaka tunu (roasted
pig) and ‘ota ika (fish mixed with
coconut oils and vegetables) to the public every Saturday during August.
Henderson
Cars has offered a Nissan Venetta van for Kaniva
Tonga news as part of a new collaboration to boost the company’s public
relation.
The company
also live streamed a group dance of each category of the Miss Tau’olunga
Faka-Tonga 2018 every Saturday.
Tongasat
Lord Chief
Justice Cato ruled that the payment of millions of dollars of Chinese money to
Princess Pilolevu’s satellite company was illegal.
The judge has
described the Tongasat case as a “matter of national importance.”
He ruled in
favour of Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva and the Public Service Association
which had fought a five year battle against Tongasat over what it claimed were
illegal payments to the company.
Hon. Pohiva
began the case when he was in Opposition.
Tongasat was
established to exploit the commercial possibilities of exploiting the right to
place satellites in the orbital slot assigned to Tonga by the International
Telecommunications Union.
It was 80%
owned by Princess Pilolevu.
September
Kangaroos clash
The long awaited clash between Mate Ma’aand the Kangaroos
finally became a reality with the announcedmnmet that Tonmg and australia would
go head to head in Auckland on October 20.
Tongan star Jason Taumalolo
hailed Kangaroos players for accepting arguably the biggest pay cut in rugby
league history to stage the game.
Kangaroos players agreed to
slash their normal $20,000 match pay to under $5000 for the Auckland match.
Kangaroos
players pocketed around $50,000 each for winning last year’s Rugby Union World
Cup, while tournament Tonga received only $500 a game.
Taumalolo won Player of the Year awards at the
2018 Players’ Champion accolades ceremony held in Sydney in September.
Australian work visas
Plans by the
Australian government to introduce a new work visa for Asians that threatened
places for Island workers were put on hold in September.
The Vanuatu Post reported that experts said
the proposed visa would jeapordise gains made by Pacific workers.
The proposal
would have given Asian workers opportunities now offered to Pacific workers
under Australia’s Seasonal Worker Programme.
However,
following public opposition to the proposal, the Australian government shelved
the proposal.
Tonga now
has a 33% share of the Seasonal Worker Programme with 2790 workers. Tonga once
dominated Australia’s Seasonal Worker Programme, providing 81% of workers.
According to
Tonga’s Minister of Internal Affairs ‘Akosita Lavulavu, the kingdom earns US$45
million a year from season work in the two countries.
NZTBC
The New
Zealand Tonga Business Council Trade Mission signed a memorandum of understanding
with the Tongan government.
NZTBC
Chairman Sione Taufa signed the MOU with Hon. Tevita Tui Uata, Minister of
Commerce, Consumer, Trade Innovation and Labour.
The signing
took place at the New Zealand High Commission residence in Nuku’alofa.
“We the NZ
Tonga Business Council believe that using trade as a vehicle will improve the
lives of people of NZ and Tonga,” Taufa said.
Press complaint
Tongan
community leaders and top scholars in New Zealand complained to the Human
Rights Commission after broadcaster Heather du Plessis-Allan called Pacific
islands “leeches.”
Commenting
on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s announcement that she would visit Nauru
during the Pacific Island forum leaders’ meeting, Du Plessis-Allan told her
listeners: “The Pacific Islands don’t matter. They are nothing but leeches on
us.”
She also
referred to Nauru as a “hell hole”, and said it was not worth attending
the Forum anyway because the Pacific Islands “don’t matter.”
Dr Malaki
Koloamatangi of Massey University described du Plessis-Allan’s comments as
discriminatory, degrading, disdainful and racist.
April – 2018 Round-up (You can read January round-up here)
Commonwealth Games
Tongan
athletes were highly visible in the first week of the Commonwealth Games in
Australia, regardless of which flag they are completing under.
Tongan born
David Liti won gold in the weightlifting, competing for New Zealand.
Liti, whose
family moved to New Zealand when he was six, set a Commonwealth Games record
when he won the gold medal in the 105kg+
division with a combined total of 403kg.
Dame Valerie
Adams, who is proud of her Tongan heritage, defended her gold medal in the
women’s shot put.
Elsewhere at
the Games, members of Tonga’s own team competed steadily with one first, a
number of placings and several losses.
In the lawn
bowls Women’s Pairs Caroline Dubois and Malia Kioa faced off against Canada,
Fiji and New Zealand.
Sateki Langi
came 10th in the men’s 150kg weightlifting.
In the first
heat of the women’s 50 metre backstroke Charissa Panuve placed fifth with a
time of 36:37.
Finau Ohuafi
came first in heat one of the men’s 50m freestyle with a time of 26:07.
In the
men’s 110m Hurdles Talatala Pooi came
eighth with a time of 15:02 in round pone of heat two.
In the men’s
boxing 60kg Round of 16 Tuihalangingie Vea took on Jean John Colin of
Mauritius.
Midwives
Three Tongan
women have become Registered Midwives after completing the Bachelor of Health
Science (Midwifery) degree at Auckland University of Technology.
Valentina
Tu’itavuki Kulitapa, Elani Mafi Latu’ila and Helen Schaaf Tameifuna will begin
working in South Auckland as self employed lead maternity carer (LMC) midwives.
They will
initially work in Counties Manukau Health care area which has the largest
number of Pasifika women giving birth.
Hymns
An
Australian man said he had solved the mystery of a set of initials that appear
in the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga hymn book.
Nigel
Statham, who worked as a translator for the church from 1970-82, said he had
long been intrigued by the initials CPWB that appeared what he
called “eight of the most lovely and popular hymns in the book.”
Statham said
the mystery was solved when he found the name C.P. Walkden-Brown in the Tupou
College 150th Anniversary book and realised he was the author of those hymns.
Isa Lei
It seems the
argument over the origins of the Pacific’s most famous tune won’t go away, but
in March the Fiji Times quoted a
Fijian chief as saying the music did indeed come from Tonga.
However, it
quoted Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba as saying he wrote Fijian words for the song.
Tongans
believe the song Viola Losehina was composed by the late Tongan chief
Tu’ivakano Polutele. The chief and other sources claimed Polutele composed the
song while he was one of the late Tungi Mailefihi’s singing group while the
Prince Consort was governor of Vava’u in 1915.
The song was
composed after the Prince asked each member of his group to compose a song for
his wife-to-be, the late Queen Salote Tupou III. The Fiji Times reported that in 1962 the newspaper interviewed the
Tongan Crown Prince and Premier, Prince Tungi who supported claims by Lord
Tuivakano that the song originated in Tonga.
The paper
said that when Prince Tungi’s father became engaged to Queen Salote, Tuivakano
wrote a song of love in honour of the occasion.
It was some
time after this that Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba heard the song sung by the Tongan
visitors.
The Fiji
Times quoted Prince Tungi saying in 1962: “The story as I have heard it,
is that Ratu Tevita asked Inoke Sateki, then a forestry assistant, to write
Fijian words to the same tune in honour of a young woman of rank who was living
in Fiji.”
May
Naval base
In May,
claims that China wanted to establish a naval base in Vanuatu revived memories
of Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s warning that the Asian super-power might
demand similar facilities in Tonga.
In 2013,
when he was leader of the Opposition, Hon. Pohiva warned that China might demand
Tonga let it open a naval base if the government tried to have its massive debt
written off.
Vanuatu owes
China a large amount of money and there have been allegations that government
may hope to strike a deal with China on the naval base in return for forgiveness
of debt; the same threat Hon. Pohiva warned of five years ago.
In April,
the Reserve Bank said Tonga would start repaying the principal of its loan from
China this year, but did not release any other details.
Tonga and
China have had diplomatic relations since 1998.
Pacific rugby
In May we reported that Tongan rugby players could be
playing alongside traditional rivals Samoa and Fiji if a proposal for a
combined Pacific Islands team went ahead.
The proposed team would would compete in the Super Rugby competition.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign affairs and Trade
paid $80,000 for a feasibility study into the proposal.
Sceptics have argued that the Pacific could not
suppport a combined team in a Super Rugby Franchise.
However, more than a million people live in Tonga,
Samoa and Fiji, more than New Zealand’s South Island, which supports two Super
Rugby franchises.
Supporters of the idea of a combined Pacific team
suggested that the number of supporters could reach many millions if Papua New Guinea was
included.
Environmental
journalists
The secretariat of the newly launched Pacific
Environment Journalists’ Network will be
based in Tonga.
The announcement was made in Nuku’alofa during the
recent Pacific Islands News Association Pacific Media Summit.
Tonga-based media consultant and Former Fiji
journalist and now Iliesa Tora was elected PEJN president.
The Pacific Islands will face the worst effects of
global warming, with sea rises threatening many countries.
However, many journalists and academics are worried
about the amount of local coverage of the issue.
They are also worried that in some countries the
message about global warming and other environmental problems have still not
reached ordinary people.
PINA election
Viola Ulaki of the Tonga Broadcasting Commission, who
was suspended at the behest of the Prime Minister, has been elected as the new
Pacific Islands News Association, representing television.
She was elected at the conclusion of PINA’s Fifth
Pacific Media Summit in Tonga.
In 2016 Ulaki was suspended from her position as Radio
and Television Tonga programmes manager by Minister of Public Enterprises,
Poasi Tei.
Her suspension by the TBC board came after Prime
Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva alleged she had falsely claimed that a request for a
press conference was made on behalf of the Tongan Media Council.
Hon. Pohiva said he suspected her of acting as a
mouthpiece for his political opponents.
He was reported to have described the state
broadcaster as “an enemy of government.”
Press freedom
Tonga dropped two places in this year’s international
press freedom rankings from Reporters Sans frontiers.
It is now listed as 51st out of 180 countries.
This placed it ahead of the two other Pacific nations
listed by the RSF: Papua New Guinea, which dropped two places to 53rd and Fiji,
which has risen by 10 places to 57th.
The RSF report said the re-election of Prime Minister
‘Akilisi Pōhiva’s party in November 2017 was accompanied by growing tension
between the government and journalists.
Hon. Pohiva has had a tempestuous relationship with
the kingdom’s media and his constant clashes with the Tongan Broadcasting
Commission have particularly drawn attention
The RSF said some politicians have sued media outlets,
exposing them to the risk of heavy damages awards. Some journalists reported
they were forced to censor themselves because of the threat of being
bankrupted.
In other international rankings, the US-based Freedom
House listed the Tongan media as free in 2017. On a scale of one (most free) to
7 (least free) it ranked the kingdom as
2/7 for political rights and civil liberties.
June
Petition
Public Service Association General Secretary Mele
‘Amanaki submitted a petition to the Speaker of Parliament alleging breaches of
the constityion by seven Cabinet ministers.
A copy of the petition was also presented to the
Acting Deputy Secretary, Suka ‘Otukolo, at the Palace Office.
In the wake of the submission the editor of Kele’a newpaper, Siaosi Pōhiva, attcked
‘Amanaki in print.
Siaosi Pōhiva is the eldest son of the Prime Minister
who operates their family newspaper.
‘Amanaki was an unsuccessful candidate for the
Tongatapu 3 electorate.
The petition accused seven ministers of breaching the
constitution.
Clive Edwards
Kele’a was also in the news in June when the Supreme
Court overturned a 2012 ruling by a magistrate’s court that found the newspaper
had not defamed prominent lawyer and former government minister Clive Edwards.
The ruling by Lord Chief Justice Paulsen opened the
way for Edwards to apply for a hearing regarding damages against the newspaper
and the three defendants – one of whom is Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.
Edwards brought an action in the Magistrate’s Court in
2012 for damages alleging that he had been defamed by the respondents in an
article published in Kele’a in
January that year.
“The sting of
the article was that Mr. Edwards was unfit to hold office as a Minister because he sheltered criminals and was a law breaker himself,’ Mr Justice Paulsen said..
In his action Edwards named Kele’a’s publisher, Laucala Pohiva Tapueluelu, the newspaper’s
editor, Matemita Tapueluielu, and the newspaper’s founder and author of the
article, ‘Akilisi Pohiva.
King’s
concern
A Parliamentary letter of response to concerns raised
by the king pledged to review legislation to combat Tonga’s drug crisis.
It said the House would make sure those involved in
drug related crimes were punished with the toughest penalties available.
The concerns were raised in the king’s speech to mark
the opening of Parliament.
The Parliamentarians also thanked His Majesty for his
concerns over the tropical Cyclone Gita recovery process and his call to speed
it up, the letter said.
Philanthropist
A Tongan philanthropist who gave away more than TP$1
million and was honoured by the World Health Organisation, has been praised for
his humility and prudence.
Former Minister of Health Dr. Sione Tapa, who served
the government of Tonga for about 41 years, died in May.
Tongan correspondent and former newspaper editor
Faka’osi Maama, who often reported on Dr Tapa, described him as a person who
lived a humble, prudent and financially restrained life style.
He said the former Minister had donated TP$160,000 to
the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga in memory of his first wife, Tangikina Tapa.
Dr Tapa donated more than TP$1 million to the Tonga
Health Promotion Foundation in 2012 to set up a scholarship award for students
who wanted to study health.
Airports
Tree
branches growing beside the runway at
‘Eua domestic airport caused Real Tonga to cancel flights.
The
airline’s CEO, Tevita Palu, said he decided to cancel the services because he
feared the trees could cause an accident to aircraft when they landed.
He said he
had met with the Minister of Civil Aviation, Hon. Sēmisi Sika, and was told the
Ministry would cut down the branches, but nothing had been done yet.
‘Eua is not the only airport where Real Tonga
faces problems.
At Ha’apai
airport, rolling stones on the runway have caused a lot of damage to the
airlines’ aircraft over the past six years.
Palu said he
had repeatedly met with the airport’s authorities and had been told they
would work on it, but until now nothing
had been done.
The year began with outrage on social media after Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva
and his caretaker cabinet ministers were reportedly not invited to the king’s
2018 New Year reception.
Kaniva News was reliably informed the proposed
Deputy Prime Minister, Semisi Sika, was turned away from the palace by the
royal guards.
It is understood Hon. Pōhiva and his ministers have been invited to the King’s party every new year since they took power in 2014 until the January’s incidents.
Relations between the
king and Hon. Pōhiva remained tense after he returned to power in a crisis
fuelled election at the end of 2017 after he and the cabinet were dismissed and
Parliament dissolved.
The events pitted Hon. Pōhiva and his reformers against the
nobility and entrenched power interests in the kingdom, but the people put the
democratic reformers back into power.
The Prime Minister had been expected to announce the new
cabinet before Christmas, but said he had to delay naming Ministers until he
had been officially appointed by the king.
The new government of Hon. Pōhiva became official on January
5, the day the king appointed Hon Pōhiva’s cabinet ministers.
The Prime Minister’s health was a central point of interest
during January, with one newspaper claiming he had cancer.
The Ministry of Health denied the reports and said the Prime
Minister had been cleared of prostrate cancer.
He had been in the Intensive Care Unit at Vaiola Hospital for
observation and monitoring.
Controversial judge
retires
A British judge who gained notoriety for sentencing two
Tongans to be flogged retired.
Judge Robert Shuster gained international notoriety when he
sentenced two teenage boys in Tonga to be whipped.
In 2010 MPs ‘Akilisi Pohiva and ‘Isileli Pulu, moved in
Parliament to have Judge Shuster impeached on the grounds that he was incompetent.
Many of his judgements in Tonga were overturned by the Court
of Appeal.
Shuster was also the presiding judge at the Royal Commission
of Enquiry into the sinking of the MV Princess
Ashika.
Shuster has been a judge in the Turks and Caicos Islands
since March 2015 when he retired from the bench.
February
For Tonga the chief story of February was the assault on the
island kingdom by Cyclone Gita.
Two people died during the category four cyclone, including
an elderly woman who was in her house when it was blown away.
Police also confirmed three major injuries and 30 minor
injuries on Tongatapu as a result of Gita.
Gita flattened Parliament House, brought down power lines and
caused widespread destruction in the kingdom.
Electricity lines were downed, roofs were torn off houses by
the high winds and crops were destroyed.
Roads were blocked by debris and downed power lines.
The lack of power also affected water supplies and
communication.
The town of Houma in Tongatapu lost its water supply after
the their two-tank water supplier was destroyed by the Gita.
The government declared a state of emergency as the cyclone
bore down on the kingdom, bringing high seas and destructive winds.
Cyclone Gita had already caused major flooding in Samoa and
American Samoa, where there are fears about the spread of dengue.
The storm centre also brought heavy rain to southern Fiji.
Corruption
The Prime Minister launching a stinging attack on government
officials he accused of corruption and not liking him.
He told Kaniva News
there was no use in the government having good policies while those who were
required to implement those policies in the ministries were corrupt.
He said it was clear that in the past two years the only
successful projects his government had launched were handled by senior
officials who were not corrupt and did not have a political vendetta against
him.
Dengue
A dengue outbreak claimed the life of 10 year old Toafei
Telefoni from New Zealand, who died in Vaiola hospital.
Medical authorities confirmed there were 19 other cases of
the disease.
CEO of Tonga’s Ministry of Health, Dr Siale Akau’ola, told Kaniva
News the influx of returning students and visitors to Tonga during the
Christmas Holidays had brought in a large pool of dengue viruses which caused
the outbreak.
Dengue is being closely monitored in several Pacific states.
An outbreak of dengue in 2017 killed five people in Samoa and
infected 2500 others.
China
Tonga’s often controversial relationship with China came into
focus after a report in the Australian
newspaper attacked Chinese investment in the Pacific.
The report followed claims the previous month by Australian
International Development Minister Concetta Fierravanti-Wells that China was
funding “roads to nowhere” and “useless buildings.”
In response, the Tongan government said it was “exceedingly
grateful” for all Chinese loans and grants.
“The Kingdom of Tonga continues to value deeply and mutually
its friendly and strong ties and cordial relations with both the Government of
Australia and the Government of the People’s Republic of China,” the government
said.
Fashion
A design by a Tonga fashion designer was displayed at
Buckingham Palace as part of the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange.
The event was hosted by The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate
Middleton.
Bou Fonua Tanginoa, who designed the work, said the
experience was priceless. She said she met some great designers from around the
world and had more potential to participate in further events.
She said her design represented the cultural wealth of Tonga.
March
Adern visits Tonga
In March Tonga welcomed New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda
Adern.
While in the kingdom Adern said New Zealand would provide an
extra NZ$10 million for post cyclone reconstruction.
The New Zealand Prime Minister visited the Fasi moe Afi primary
school and saw children learning in the tents they have been using since the
cyclone destroyed several classrooms.
Girls and rugby
Prime Minister Adern was caught up in a sporting controversy
in Tonga when the Ministry of Education and Training told the principal of
Tonga High School, a government sponsored institute, that the Director of
Education had decided to to ban its girls from participating in rugby and
boxing.
The ban did not affect the majority of school girls in Tonga,
especially the church and private schools which are attended by 90 percent of all students in the kingdom.
Ardern, expressed her disapproval of the ban. She said that
while New Zealand’s aid support for sports in Tonga would not be threatened,
she disagreed with the directive.
“As a school student I played touch rugby and I would
encourage all young women to engage in whatever sporting code they are
interested in,” she said.
Seasonal workers
Tongans employed in Australia’s Seasonal Workers’ Programme
should have access to three year visas.
This was one of the recommendations from an official visit to
Australia to investigate the programme led
by Minister for Internal Affairs by Akosita Lavulavu.
A three year visa has been piloted for workers from Kiribati
and Nauru.
The Ministry report said a three-year multiple visa would
reduce the cost and time of having to do health and police checks every year.
The Ministry’s official report on the visit also recommended changes in the way
Tongans are recruited. It said workers were often ripped off by labour agents.
They should avoid using middlemen, contractors or labour hiring agents.
Caldwell
Police Commissioner Steve Caldwell came under sustained
attack by the government in March.
Caldwell, who has run an anti-corruption campaign and
suspended a number of officers, was criticised by Hon. Māteni Tapueluelu, who openly
sided with a number of suspended officers protesting about their treatment.
The Police Commissioner’s position is largely funded by New
Zealand.
A Police spokesman said officers had been suspended for “very
good reasons.”
“The Commissioner is confined by what he can say publicly on
individual criminal and disciplinary cases currently under investigation,” the
spokesperson said.
Tonga’s police force has a troubled history of corruption and
abuse.
It also has a history of New Zealand police officers working
in Tonga being faced with entrenched opposition from police opposed to attempts
to clean up the force.
Commuters could soon travel between Sydney and Melbourne in as little as 40 minutes in a new ultra-high speed tube.
The ‘capsule’ in the tube-based system would run
from Adelaide to Brisbane at
around 1,1223 km/h and pass through major cities along the way, The Herald Sunreported.
Travelling
from Adelaide to Melbourne or Sydney to Brisbane would take just over 30
minutes.
A
trip from Melbourne to Canberra is expected to take 23 minutes, and passengers
could travel from Canberra to Sydney in only 14 minutes.
The proposal for the ‘ultra-high speed, tube-based
inter and intra-city’ transportation system was presented to the Federal
Government.
Big
shot Elon Musk first pitched the land-based technology known as the ‘Hyperloop’
back in 2012.
This
time around, Los Angeles-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (Hyperloop
TT) submitted the plan in response to a government inquiry into automation and
land-based mass transit in October this year.
‘A Hyperloop
serving Australia’s Eastern seaboard and connecting Sydney, Melbourne and
Brisbane addresses a population of over 10 million people,’ the submission
read.
‘Adding
Adelaide, Canberra, the Southern Highlands and extending the route to the Gold
Coast increases the number to well over half of the Australian population, in a
2000km stretch of relatively flat, seismically stable terrain and creating new
business, passenger and freight transport opportunities to millions of
Australians each year.’
According
to the submission, the tube will be optimised to transport freight and better
connection regional towns.
‘When
offered in combination with the HyperloopTT passenger system, freight and cargo
operations supplement the needs of regional freight systems.
‘Moving
people and goods at ultra high-speed enables people to be more mobile between
population centers.’
The
futuristic transport system comprises of capsules magnetically levitating in a
tube on pylons, the ground or underground.
Air
pressure is lowered to reduce friction and allow the capsule to move at high
speed.4
The
entire system would also run on solar power.
As
far as the submission goes, Hyperloop TT did not predict how long the tube
would take to construct or how much it would cost.
Though
the company seems certain in its ability to deliver the out-of-this-world
system.
They
plan to have a full-scale prototype operating in France in 2019.
According
to its website, the company already has 11 global government agreements.
However,
just last year the Queensland government rejected a proposal from Virgin
Hyperloop One.
Hyperloop
TT’s rival company proposed a route from Sydney to Tamworth to Toowoomba to
Brisbane and even the Gold Coast.
Their
proposal was dismissed as it had no ‘business case’.
A protein which allows aggressive breast cancers to grow and spread has been discovered by scientists.
Experts hope finding out more about the protein will lead the way to new therapies for hard-to-treat cancers.
Triple negative breast cancer, which affects around one in seven breast cancer patients and is resistant to hormonal drugs, was the focus of the study.
Researchers found too much of a protein named LYN could help cancer cells grow and multiply, and reducing levels of LYN could slow breast cancer down.
+2
A protein named LYN by scientists could be the key to slowing down aggressive triple negative types of breast cancer which occur in around one in seven people with the disease
The Cardiff University scientists said the findings could be used to develop treatments to control levels of the protein and suppress cancers.
Professor Matt Smalley, from Cardiff University’s European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, said: ‘There are 150 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in the UK every day.
‘To achieve better outcomes for people facing this disease, we need to better understand how it develops so we can improve therapies.
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‘We wanted to understand what drives an aggressive type of breast cancer called triple negative, which is resistant to hormone therapy and occurs in around 15 per cent of breast cancer cases.
‘We looked at a protein called LYN, which is involved in keeping cells alive and allowing them to divide.
‘And [we] found it was no longer properly controlled in aggressive breast cancer cells and could drive the cancer cell growth, spread and invasion.’
Around 55,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year in the UK, with more than 260,000 in the US. The 10-year survival rate is around 78 per cent.
Professor Smalley and his colleagues also discovered a link between LYN and the BRCA1 gene mutation.
The BRCA1 gene mutation, which accounts for a majority of hereditary breast cancer cases, can leave women with an up to 90 per cent chance of getting cancer.
BRCA1 genes are tumour suppressors which keep cancer cells under wraps – if the gene is faulty or missing women are at higher risk of dangerous tumours.
The Cardiff researchers found in some cases of triple negative breast cancer in women with a BRCA1 mutation, the gene could increase LYN activity.
In this way the gene mutation could directly improve the cancer cells’ ability to survive and keep spreading.
Interfering with LYN function in lab experiments killed these BRCA1-mutant cells.
Professor Smalley added: ‘Now that we understand the role LYN has in aggressive forms of cancer, we can start to think about developing targeted therapies.
‘In the future, we could potentially identify patients with increased levels of LYN or a BRCA1 gene mutation and design their breast cancer therapy to suit their type of cancer.
‘We could target LYN to improve therapy options for aggressive breast cancer.’
The research was published in the journal Cell Reports.
WHAT IS BREAST CANCER, HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES IT STRIKE AND WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Each year in the UK there are more than 55,000 new cases, and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the US, it strikes 266,000 each year and kills 40,000. But what causes it and how can it be treated?
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer develops from a cancerous cell which develops in the lining of a duct or lobule in one of the breasts.
When the breast cancer has spread into surrounding breast tissue it is called an ‘invasive’ breast cancer. Some people are diagnosed with ‘carcinoma in situ’, where no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobule.
Most cases develop in women over the age of 50 but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men though this is rare.
The cancerous cells are graded from stage one, which means a slow growth, up to stage four, which is the most aggressive.
What causes breast cancer?
A cancerous tumour starts from one abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is thought that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and multiply ‘out of control’.
Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the chance of developing breast cancer, such as genetics.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most breast lumps are not cancerous and are fluid filled cysts, which are benign.
The first place that breast cancer usually spreads to is the lymph nodes in the armpit. If this occurs you will develop a swelling or lump in an armpit.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
Initial assessment: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may do tests such as a mammography, a special x-ray of the breast tissue which can indicate the possibility of tumours.
Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under the microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.
If you are confirmed to have breast cancer, further tests may be needed to assess if it has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the liver or a chest x-ray.
+2
How is breast cancer treated?
Treatment options which may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments are used.
Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or the removal of the affected breast depending on the size of the tumour.
Radiotherapy: A treatment which uses high energy beams of radiation focussed on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells, or stops cancer cells from multiplying. It is mainly used in addition to surgery.
Chemotherapy: A treatment of cancer by using anti-cancer drugs which kill cancer cells, or stop them from multiplying
Hormone treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the ‘female’ hormone oestrogen, which can stimulate the cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments which reduce the level of these hormones, or prevent them from working, are commonly used in people with breast cancer.
How successful is treatment?
The outlook is best in those who are diagnosed when the cancer is still small, and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumour in an early stage may then give a good chance of cure.
The routine mammography offered to women between the ages of 50 and 70 mean more breast cancers are being diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
For more information visit breastcancercare.org.uk or www.cancerhelp.org.uk
The
wife of renowned Tongan singer and composer Feleti Kaufusi has died after about
two weeks following his death on December 10.
A funeral service will be held for her in Tongatapu
on January 7.
Losaline Lupe Kaufusi
was a public health officer at Tonga’s Ministry of Health.
She died last Sunday,
December 23. The cause of her death has yet to be officially released.
She is survived by two
children she bore with Feleti.
It is understood
Feleti had a total of 10 children, including the offspring of a previous
marriage.
Call for help
The double tragedy has
left local musicians and business community reeling.
Business man Faka’osi
Maama was devastated.
He quoted on Facebook
a lament by the couple’s son Semisi which said: “…mo li’aki pehe’i mai pe ‘e kimoua
mautolu….”.
This translates into
English as: “You abandoned us like that.”
Maama has asked his 5000 friends on Facebook to help him create a trust fund to raise funds to help Kaufusi’s children.
Maama’s
post received 1400 reactions, 166 comments and 157 shares.
In response,
the Director of Fly Niu Airline, ‘Atu Finau, told Maama to let him know when
the Trust was set up.
Musical talent
Feleti’s musical talent
has kept his followers’ interests in his music and songs alive and kicking even
after his death.
Many shared some of
the numerous video clips in which he was featured singing either with his
electric band or in acoustic performances during kava social sessions.
The emergence of his musical talents can be traced back to early 1980s when he played bass guitar for the ‘Iongi Brothers.
Feleti, 55, later
established his own electric band with his four young brothers in the late
1980s. They performed as the Kaufusi Brothers.
They released more than a dozen albums. His songs included ‘Tangitangi.’
All his compositions
were in Tongan and he either originated some of his music or rearranged popular western tunes with his own lyrics.
He played a key role
in supporting national entertainment and fundraising activities which required
music to be played. His band toured New Zealand, Australia and Hawai’i
regularly.
Feleti’s cause of
death was not known, but his wife reportedly said he appeared exhausted after
being getting ready for a performance the day before he died.
The
main points
The wife of renowned Tongan singer and
composer Feleti Kaufusi has died after about two weeks following his death on
December 10.
A funeral service will be held for her
in Tongatapu on January 7.
Losaline Lupe Kaufusi was a public
health officer at Tonga’s Ministry of Health.
