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New programme aims to help keep students at school and improve vocational training

By
Philip Cass
-

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 most serious barriers to students completing 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.

It is intended to provide alternative vocational and learning pathways to help make students more employable in Tonga and give them a better chance of qualifying Australian or New Zealand employment programme.

The SET programme is based on similar successful projects in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

World Bank spokesperson Natalie Latu said it would benefit Tonga economically.

Remittances from Tongans working overseas make up 34.2 percent of Tonga’s Gross Domestic Product.

The SET programme is being funded by a US$18.5 million (TP$42 million) grant from the International Development Association and a US$2.4 million (TP$5.4 million) grant from the Australia-Pacific Islands Partnership Trust Fund.

Australian High Commissioner to Tonga Andrew said Australia was committed to helping Tongan workers develop their skills.

The main points

  • 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 most serious barriers to students completing high school.

For more information

Skills and Employment for Tongans

‘Ikale Tahi captain Siale Piutau to miss Georgia test

By
Kalino Latu
-

‘Ikale Tahi captain Siale Piutau will miss the test against Georgia in Tibilisi this weekend.

The 33-year-old has been allowed to return to his club.

Sonatane Takulua has been selected to lead the national rugby union team.

The replacement came after Wales beat Tonga by 74 – 24 last Saturday.

Wales had 10 tries, including a penalty try.

Tonga has yet to beat Wales in 10 matches since an uncapped encounter in Cardiff in October 1974.

‘Ikale Tahi Squad:

Forwards:

Siegfried Fisi’ihoi, Sefo Sakalia, Ma’afu Fia, Leva Fifita, Sitiveni Mafi, Dan Faleafa, Fotu Lokotui, Zane Kapeli, Sonatane Takulua

Backs:

Kurt Morath, Daniel Kilioni, Alaska Taufa, Latu Vaeno, Viliami Lolohea, Vungakoto Lilo Sione Anga’aelangi, ‘Otutolu Fahamokioa, Ben Tameifuna,

Reserves:

Sam Ulufonua, Mike Faleafa, Sione Vailanu, Leon Fukofuka and ‘Atieli Pakalani

Nuku‘alofa Film Festival launches with documentary dedicated to leiti struggle

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By Blessen Tom in Nuku’alofa

(Pacific Media Centre) Leitis in Waiting, a feature documentary, launched the fourth Nuku’alofa International Film Festival 2018 at the Digicel Square in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, last night.

The film is about the struggles of transgender people living in Tonga – known locally as ‘leitis’.

Tonga Leitis is an intrepid group of indigenous transgender women and Joey “Joleen” Mataele an activist campaiging for transgender women and the co-founder of the Tonga Leitis Association.

READ MORE: Talent on show at Nuku’alofa

The film tells a story of the transgender struggle against a rising tide of religious fundamentalism and intolerance against the transgender community in the South Pacific kingdom.

Encouraging the people“It is an honour to be able to bring this film to its rightful home,” says Hinaleimona Wong-Kalu,  creator, producer and one of three directors along with Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson.

“We would like to encourage people to tell their stories… we like to bring movies from around the world so that Tongans can connect to other parts of the world,” says Sisi’uno Helu, director of the Nuku’alofa International Film Festival, who is also one of the producers of the film.

Leitis in Waiting closely follows Mataele, a devout Catholic of a noble descent who organises an exuberant beauty pageant presided over by Princess Salote Mafileʻo Pilolevu Tuita.

Mataele also provides shelter and training for a young leiti contestant who has been rejected by the family.

She spars with American-financed evangelicals who are threatening to resurrect colonial-era laws that would criminalise the leitis’ lives.

Eva Tanya Mafi, one of the lead characters of the documentary, was also present for the screening.

  • The two-day film festival will host 11 international films, including Banabans of Rabi by Blessen Tom and Hele Ikimotu, postgraduate students of New Zealand’s Auckland University of Technology.

Kaniva news has a content sharing arrangement with the Pacific Media Centre. 

Supreme Court says mother failed to protect daughters from rapist stepfather

By
Philip Cass
-

The Supreme Court has sentenced a mother and stepfather for sexually abusing the woman’s daughters.

The couple appeared before Hon. Justice Cato.

The two girls were 14 and 16 when the assaults occurred. The sexual abuse began in early 2017.

The judge found that on several occasions, including an incident of rape, the girls’ mother had helped the man.

The man was found guilty of one count of rape, six counts of serious indecent assault, two charges of indecent exposure and five charges of domestic violence.

The woman was found guilty of one charge of aiding rape, four counts of aiding serious indecent assault, one count of domestic violence and one of common assault.

The prisoners were convicted of several counts of sexual offending against the daughters of the mother and their stepdaughters.

The stepfather was aged 56 at the time of the offending and his wife aged 42. At the time of the offending between January 2017 and March 2017, the victims A and B had lived with them for short periods. The victims were aged 16 (A) and B was about 14.

In handing down the sentences, Judge Cato said the stepfather’s offending constituted  a grave breach of trust.

“His offending objectively speaking is worse because it follows only a few years after his release for serious sexual offending against another step daughter,” the judge said.

“As a mother, his wife failed completely to protect  her daughters and in participating in this offending exhibited a wanton and callous disregard of her role as a parent and mother.”

Judge Cato said that in recent years the Supremes Court had sent out a strong message that sexual abuse would not be tolerated.

“Denunciation  or condemnation  and deterrence to the prisoners  and to others is also required of   this kind of sexual expense,” the judge said.

The older daughter said the prisoners should be held to account and is happy that no others will be the subject of offending of this kind.

“She is plainly aggrieved that her mother played a role in this offending,” Judge Cato said.

“This has had an understandably adverse effect on her and it is likely she will carry this forward throughout her life.”

The judge said he was concerned about the youngest daughter who was the victim of much more serious abuse.

“Plainly she is likely to carry scars for many years to come if not forever,” he said.

“I recommend that this matter be placed before the Solicitor- General for him to evaluate whether proceedings should be commenced  to  make her a ward of  court.”

The judge said the oldest daughter should be greatly commended for her actions in trying to protect her younger sister.

She acted very sensibly and courageously in defence of her younger sister, in taking her away from the residence and in bringing this offending to light. This Court’s acknowledgement should be conveyed to her by the Crown, the judge said.

The stepfather was sentenced to a total of 12 and-a-half years imprisonment, backdated to the date of his remand in custody for this offending.

The mother was sentenced to a total of seven years and three months for aiding and abetting sexual assault and rape.

Judge Cato said the mother was a willing party in her husband’s seduction of her daughters which ended with the rape of B. She acted in serious breach of trust.

“Her actions, which apparently given willingly were appalling and exhibited a fundamental dereliction of her relationship as a mother to her daughters,” the judge said.

The main points

  • The Supreme Court has sentenced a mother and stepfather for sexually abusing the woman’s daughters.
  • The couple appeared before Hon. Justice Cato.
  • In handing down the sentences, Judge Cato said the stepfather’s offending constituted a grave breach of trust.

For more information

Supreme Court hands down multiple verdicts in “difficult and sad” sexual assault case

Newspaper report paints grim picture of life for Pacific Island families in Auckland

By
Philip Cass
-

Pacific Islanders are facing an uphill battle to make it in Auckland, with dreams of financial independence fading as pay packets stay below the Auckland average according to a new report in the Guardian.

The report, by Eleanor Ainge Roy, which appeared in the prestigious UK publication yesterday, paints a grim picture.

It describes ‘the New Zealand dream’ pursued by many Pacific migrants as ‘illusory.’

“Pacific parents used to bring up their children to be doctors and nurses,” the Guardian reported.

“Now migrant parents just aim for them to get a job.”

It said Auckland was struggling to provide adequate housing, transport and social services for Pacific families, who make up 15 percent of Auckland’s population.

The median age of Islanders in Auckland is just 22.6 years. They show up in disproportionately often in statistics in unemployment, low income and health indicators.

Although older Islanders are beginning to “boomerang” home with their New Zealand pensions, the same is not true for younger migrants, who frequently describe their island homes as “boring” and “slow”.

The report said overcrowding was a deeply rooted problem, as new arrivals stayed with relatives.

This was happening against a background of increasing costs of living and families have been found living in garages, tents and shipping containers.

For older Islanders, Auckland is very much home.

Meleane Mafi, 85, told the Guardian: “My family is here, so my life is here.”

“There’s no more life left in Tonga. Just plant, eat and repeat.”

According to the 2013 census, Tongans make up the second largest part of the 200,000 Pacific Islanders live in Auckland.

Many older Islanders return to the Islands  with their New Zealand pensions.

However, according to the Guardian younger migrants are less likely to return and were reported as describing  their island homes as “boring” and “slow.”

Wesley Talaimanu, the executive director of Fonua Ola, a social support agency told the Guardian younger Island migrants faced problems because of a lack of skills, easy credit, alcohol and drugs.

“Migrants come and they see they can get a car, free credit, state housing, and that is really attractive. But it’s so easy to fall into a cycle of poverty, and after that crisis is never far away,” Talaimanu said.

The main points

  • Pacific Islanders are facing an uphill battle to make it in Auckland, with dreams of financial independence fading as pay packets stay below the Auckland average according to a new report in the Guardian.
  • The report, by Eleanor Ainge Roy, which appeared in the prestigious UK publication yesterday, paints a grim picture.
  • It describes ‘the New Zealand dream’ pursued by many Pacific migrants as ‘illusory.’

For more information

Has the ‘New Zealand dream’ turned sour for Auckland’s Pacific Islanders?

Supreme Court stays action by sports bodies seeking damages from government

By
Philip Cass
-

The Supreme Court has upheld an application by the government to stay a legal action by the Pacific Games Council and the Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic  Committee.

The Council and TASANOC sued the government for damages over breach of a written agreement of a contract (the Host Contract) dating to 2012 under which the Government agreed to host the Pacific  Games  in  Tonga  in  2019.

The plaintiffs argued that as a result of what they claimed was a breach of the Host  Contract  the  plaintiffs had suffered loss and damage, including losses associated with obtaining Samoa to host the Games.

In the case of PGC this amounted to TP$4,581,901.49 and in the case of TASANOC, to TP$2,612,256.59.

The government sought to strike out or stay the plaintiffs’ claims.

It argued that the plaintiffs’ statement of claim did not disclose a reasonable cause  of action against the Kingdom as the Host Contract, and specifically the fiscal and financial provisions of it requiring the Government to effectively underwrite the 2019 Pacific Games (the Games), were never binding upon the Government and/or became a ‘dead letter’ on  5 September  2017 upon the repeal of the legislation enacted to provide for the organization of the Games, the Pacific Games Organization Act 2013 (the Act);

It argued that the plaintiffs were not parties to the Host Contract and had no standing to sue upon it.

It also argued that the plaintiffs’ claims of damages are misconceived and the  damages  claims should be stayed until  any actual losses could be determined following the holding of the Games, which would now take place in Samoa.

Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said the statement of claim submitted by the council and TASANOC was defective.

He said it failed to identify the plaintiffs (or misdescribed them) and failed also to provide a basis upon which they had standing to sue upon the Host Contract and failed  to adequately plead the basis and particulars of the damages claims.

“While I accept the damages claims can be reformulated in an amended pleading it  is not at all clear to me that the matters are capable of repair, justifying me striking out the pleading and dismissing the action,” the judge said.

Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said the council and TASANOC could apply no later than  January next year to lift the stay subject to them providing a draft amended statement  of claim for the Court’s approval.

The main points

  • The Supreme Court has upheld an application by the government to stay an legal action by the Pacific Games Council and the Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic
  • The Council and TASANOC sued the government for damages over breach of a written agreement of a contract (the Host Contract) dating to 2012 under which the Government agreed to host the Pacific Games  in  Tonga  in

Eleven people, including senior Head Hunters member, arrested in Auckland meth bust

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Police have arrested 11 people, including a senior head Hunters gang member, following Operation Oceanuster – an investigation into the manufacture and supply of methamphetamine and other illicit drugs.

Earlier today Police officers from the National Organised Crime Group with the assistance of staff across Tamaki Makaurau, executed search warrants at 18 properties in Auckland.

As a result 10 men and one woman, aged between 34 and 57, have been arrested.

Most of those arrested will be facing a range of serious drugs charges including the manufacture and dealing of Class A drugs.

One of those arrested, a 50-year-old male, is a senior Head Hunters West Chapter gang member who has been charged with supplying methamphetamine x 5, offering to supply methamphetamine, conspiring to manufacture methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine for supply, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition.

During the search warrants Police seized eight firearms, a clan lab and other equipment used to manufacture methamphetamine.

Those arrested are all appearing in the Auckland and Waitemata District Courts either today or tomorrow.

Detective Inspector Greg Cramer says these arrests once again demonstrate our commitment to preventing the social harm caused by methamphetamine and other illicit drugs in our community.

“Our investigations are continuing and our message to those involved in the manufacture or distribution of methamphetamine is that you will be held to account.

“We want to hear from anyone who has information on illegal drug activity.

Anyone with information can contact us anonymously by phoning Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

China defers Tonga’s loan payments as Pacific nation signs up to Belt and Road

By
Kaniva Staff
-

(REUTERS) – Tonga has signed up to China’s Belt and Road initiative and has received a reprieve from Beijing on the timing of debt payments shortly before an onerous schedule to repay loans was due to start.

Lopeti Senituli, political advisor to Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva, told Reuters by email on Sunday that Tonga had signed a Belt and Road memorandum of understanding, and that the concessional loan had been deferred for five years.

Tonga is one of eight island nations in the South Pacific that owe significant debt to China. The deferment came just as Tonga was set to commence principal repayments on the debt, which is expected to put severe strain on its finances.

China’s ministry of foreign affairs did not immediately respond to request for comment on Sunday.

Tonga’s financial reliance on China dates back just over a decade after deadly riots in the capital of Tonga, Nuku’alofa, destroyed much of the small Pacific nation’s central business and government districts.

The government rebuilt the city with Chinese financing, and the roughly US$65 million in China’s initial loans to the island now exceeds US$115 million, due to interest and additional borrowings.

This represents almost one-third of Tonga’s annual gross domestic product, budget papers show

The issue of Chinese-issued debt has been at the forefront of the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation summit, held in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

On Saturday, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence criticised President Xi Jinping’s flagship
programme, saying countries should not accept debt that compromised their sovereignty.

While most Pacific island nations are not APEC members, their representatives were invited to attend events, and have been engaged in talks with larger regional neighbors such as China and Australia.

China’s official Belt and Road website reported last week that Fiji had made a commitment to Belt and Road, joining the likes of Samoa and PNG.

This story appears on PACNEWS. Kaniva news and PACNEWS have a content sharing arrangement.

Auditors elaborate on special report: Why it didn’t say anybody had broken the law

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga’s Auditor-General Sēfita Tangi and ex-Auditor General Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa have given a clearer picture of the special report in response to Public Service Association head Mele ‘Amanaki‘s petition to Parliament.

The 12-page report by Tangi has only been made available in Tongan.

Tongan has a smaller vocabulary than English and so there have been problems with technical terms.

This has been apparent in how the Auditor’s special report was interpreted by many after it was released to the public.

The Auditor General used the words “’Ikai faipau ki he lao ngāue fakapule’anga 2002” or “did not exactly follow the Public Service Act 2002.”

This has been rephrased by some on social media as “maumau’i ‘a e lao” or breached of the law.

Kaniva news contacted the Auditor General to ask for his definition in English so our readers can have a clear understanding of the response.

The Auditor did not recommend any penalties or holding the Ministers or those who did not follow the law legally responsible.

Instead, the report only recommended that the process of employing some employees for the government, which was raised in the petition, be returned to the PSC for the process to be completed.

The petition alleged that seven cabinet Ministers, including the Prime Minister, had breached the constitution or the law and some had abused public funds.

The report did not report any breach or misappropriation of public fund.

Not comply

Tangi told Kaniva news the English translation of “faipau” as used in his report was “compliance/comply” and “‘ikai faipau” for not comply.

In his report he also used the Tongan phrase “Makatu’unga ‘i he ngaahi tu’unga fakalao” or “were based on legal matters.” He said he was referring to some of the cases that should have been dealt with by laws and they did not pretty much relate to public funds.

He did not respond after we asked him why he did not use the phrase “maumau’i ‘o e lao” “breach of the law” if the law was broken and why he did not use normal Tongan word such as “ta’efakalao” (illegal or unlawful) in his report.

Procedural mistakes

Hon. Tu’i’onetoa responded to the same questions by saying that what Tangi was talking about were “procedural mistakes or errors or failing to observe or failing to follow procedural matters.”

Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said the report talked about “civil law, not criminal law.”

They were not mistakes that had caused government great loss, he said.

These mistakes can be fixed by completing paper works according to the required process and it would be fine, he said.

The auditor found that the process and employment of workers at the Popua Park did not comply with the law. However, he found that this was done to save public funds.

Hon. Tu’ionetoa said this included the Prime Minister hiring workers who were paid at low rates and agreeing with Ministry of Infrastructure to use its machinery and only pay for their petrol.

The special report said that for various reasons, three of these workers, including former MP ‘Etuate Lavulavu, ‘Automalo Tupou and Sione Kava, were not paid for the work they did

As Kaniva news reported recently, an independent report by PECG said there was evident saving was made in the Popua project.

Breach and Illegality

Tu’i’onetoa said the phrase breach of the law (maumau’i e lao)  and illegality (ta’efakalao) were different in meaning from procedural mistakes or errors and this was why the Auditor’s report did not use them.

He said breach in civil law was an act of breaking or failing to observe a law, agreements or code of conducts.

He said such breaches usually arose in civil law and involved contract law, for which compensation was by way of damages only if there was loss suffered.

He said the word illegality meant that the case had a criminal element in it or there was an intention to commit an offense. Penalties could include damages and imprisonment.

He said criminal activity involved “ill intention,” such as in theft.

An act contrary to or forbidden by law, especially in criminal law. This would be the same whether somebody was selling drugs or stealing to satisfy their hunger, he said.

Example

Procedural mistakes or omissions were quite different, Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said.

“Let’s say the government procedure required a process go through five steps,” he said.

“I could tell that two steps in the process could be inefficient to complete the work so I choose to complete only three of the five steps and ignore the two.

“After doing that the whole process ended up successfully and saved costs, despite the fact it did not follow the whole steps required  by the law.

“My question is: Are we going to penalise that person because he did not exactly follow the law when what he did was to make the process effective and efficient and he did it better than a person who followed the letter of the law?

“We should understand what we normally have from keeping to the law.

“Keeping the law does not mean its purpose is always achieved, effective or efficient or prevent wastage.

“We should have laws to uphold order, but at the same time the law is not perfect because it is man made.”

The main points

  • Tonga’s Auditor-General Sefita Tangi and ex-Auditor General Pohhiva Tu’i’onetoa have given a clearer picture of the special report in response to Public Service Association head Mele ‘Amanaki‘s petition to Parliament.
  • The report by Hon. Tangi has only been made available in Tongan.
  • Tongan has a smaller vocabulary than English and so there have been problems with technical terms.

For more information

PM slams Privilege Committee  for  blocking cabinet responses to ‘Amanaki petition 

Tukutonga: from hazardous landfill to new recreational park

FijiFirst wins Fiji election after tightly contested race – awarded 27 seats

By
Kaniva Staff
-
By Wansolwara Staff

It’s official. FijiFirst has narrowly won the 2018 general election in Fiji, raking in 227,241 votes (50.02 percent) from 2173 stations counted and securing a second four-year term in office.

FijiFirst dominated the polls in the later counting ahead of the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) in an earlier tight contest. SODELPA finished in second place with 181,072 votes (39.85 percent).

The National Federation Party (NFP) finished in third place with 33,515 (7.38 percent) followed by Unity Fiji with 6,896, Humanity Opportunity Prosperity Equality with 2,811 votes and Fiji Labour Party (FLP) with 2,800 votes.

EARLIER REPORT: FijiFirst wins second four-year term

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, FijiFirst leader, finished off on a strong footing, raking in 167,732 votes in the results by candidate tally.

“I’m proud to become your prime minister once again,” Bainimarama told FBC News from Auckland where he has been attending his brother’s funeral.

Ratu Sevanaia Laua Bainimarama, a jazz musician living in the Bay of Islands, died in the early hours of Tuesday morning – the day before the general election. He was aged 61.

SODELPA’s Sitiveni Rabuka came in second with 77,040 votes followed by Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum with 17,271 votes.

National Federation Party leader Biman Prasad finished off with 12,137 votes, followed by the leading woman candidate Lynda Tabuya with 8,795 votes.

Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem announced the results at the National Results Centre this afternoon after the final results were released on the FEO elections app.

The new Fiji parliamentary lineup. Graphic: FBC News

Official results handover
The official elections results were then handed over to Electoral Commission Chairman Suresh Chandra.

“After receiving the results of the 2018 general election, the Electoral Commission will now retire and calculate the seat allocation for the 51 seats for the next term of Parliament,” Chandra said.

Wansolwara News reports the Electoral Commission later announced the allocation of the 51 seats in Parliament.

As anticipated, 27 seats will be taken up by the ruling FijiFirst Party, 21 seats to the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) and three seats to the National Federation Party (NFP).

Below are the elected members of Parliament:

FijiFirst Party:
1. Voreqe Bainimarama
2. Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum
3. Alipate Nagata
4. Parveen Bala
5. Mahendra Reddy
6. Vijay Nath
7. Premila Kuma
8. Joseph Nand
9. Viam Pillay
10. Inia Seruiratu
11. Mereseini Vuniwaqa
12. Osea Naiqumu
13. Sanjay Kirpal
14. Alvick Maharaj
15. George Vegnathan
16. Semi Koroilavesau
17. Jone Usamate
18. Ashneel Sudhakar
19. Rohit Sharma
20. Selai Adimaitoga
21. Jale Sigarara
22. Ifereimi Waqainabete
23. Rosy Akbar
24. Alexander O’Connor
25. Vijendra Prakash
26. Veena Bhatnagar
27. Salik Govindra

SODELPA:
1. Sitiveni Rabuka
2. Lynda Tabua
3. Ro Temumu Kepa
4. Niko Nawaikula
5. Atonio Naiqama
6. Mosese Bulitavo
7. Anare Jale
8. Peceli Vosanibola
9. Viliame Gavoka
10. Jese Saukuru
11. Ratu Suliano Matanitobu
12. Simione Rasova
13. Mitieli Bulanauca
14. Ro Filipe Tuisawau
15. Inosi Kuridrani
16. Aseri Radrodro
17. Mikaele Leawere
18. Adi Litia Qionibaravi
19. Salote Radrodro
20. Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu
21. Tevita Navurelevu

NFP:
1. Biman Prasad
2. Pio Tikoduadua
3. Lenora Qereqeretabua

This article appears on AUT’s Pacific Media Centre website. Kaniva has republished it under the content sharing arrangement between Kaniva and Pacific Media Centre. 

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