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Youth support group holds fund raising dinner

By
Philip Cass
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Tonga Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship will hold a corporate fund raising dinner on September 27.

The dinner will be held at Ancient Tonga Fangaloto from 6.30pm.

Not-for-profit organisation TYEE was founded by Lusia Latu-Jones in 2014.

Latu-Jones said the organisation trained Tongan youth to be work-force ready and offered support for those who wanted to go into business.

She said Tonga  suffered from a high rate of youth unemployment in Tonga and an increasing number of school-leavers who were unable to find a job.

“Our youth comprise a large portion of the nation’s population,” she told the Pacific Cooperation Foundation.

“However, the simple fact is there are not enough jobs in Tonga to cater for our growing population and not everyone who completes their education will get a job.”

She described TYEE as a safe space that provided a range of free services.

It advocated for policies to support youth employment and raised awareness about youth employment challenges in Tonga

For more in formation 

Unlocking Tongan youth potential

Tonga Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship

Australian police say needle found in banana as strawberry sabotage spreads

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Queensland police are still unsure if the sabotage devastating the nation’s strawberry industry is the work of a single person or several people acting independently.

The crisis is spreading after metal needles were found in strawberries in Queensland, and as far away as Perth, Tasmania and New Zealand.

The Queensland police commissioner, Ian Stewart, said the investigation was complicated by the vast web of supply chains.

“There is a range of really complex scenarios which could play out here, and we’re looking at all of them, and that’s what’s taking the time,” he said on Monday.

The investigation was complicated further when a woman was caught putting a needle into a banana in central Queensland, in an apparent copycat act.

However, it is understood the woman, who was caught sabotaging a banana at a shop in Mackay, has mental health issues.

Stewart did not give details but confirmed police were also investigating a banana contamination.

The Queensland agriculture minister, Mark Furner, met with strawberry growers nervous about their future as the number of needle contamination cases grew to 10 and New Zealand food distributors removed Australian strawberries from their shelves.

The vice-president of the Queensland Strawberry Growers Association, Adrian Schultz, said what started with a single “act of commercial terrorism” had brought a multimillion-dollar industry to its knees, with jobs beyond the growers now likely to be lost.

“I’m angry for all the associated people, it’s the farmers, the people who supply them, the packaging people, the truckies with families to support, who suddenly lose their jobs … it’s far-reaching,” he told ABC radio on Monday.

Growers met with Furner on Sunday to discuss the commercial effects of the contamination that began at a south-east Queensland farm eight days ago.

Furner said industry specific assistance packages were being considered but no plan would be made until an understanding of the “complete effect” of the sabotage was understood.

“We won’t be coming up with any half-baked outcomes … we need to listen to what is required,” he said.

There are about 150 commercial strawberry growers in Queensland.

Furner said a variety of generic government assistance packages were available and these would be offered to growers.

He said many growers were already experiencing economic stresses before the contamination began due to an oversupply of fruit, which had led to retail prices for a punnet falling to around $1.50.

-The guardian

Teen arrested after stealing police car despite being handcuffed

By
Kalino Latu
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AUCKLAND,NZ – A person is in custody following an incident this morning where a male allegedly stole a Police vehicle.

Police were assisting Oranga Tamariki in the transport of a 16-year-old male on a flight from Auckland bound for Wellington.

The incident occurred at around 10.22am, when the teenager was handcuffed in the back of a marked police vehicle at Auckland Airport Police station.

As Police staff were briefly out of the parked vehicle, the youth allegedly managed to get into the driver’s seat and took off in the patrol car, driving through a closed roller door and fleeing the scene.

The vehicle was observed overhead by Eagle helicopter, and was located by ground staff abandoned outside an address in Randwick Park.

Police surrounded the address and at around 11am a male was apprehended and taken into custody.

He will be appearing in the Youth Court this afternoon on charges of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, dangerous driving and escaping custody.

Police cannot rule out further charges.

Counties Manukau District Commander Superintendent Jill Rogers, says this was a serious incident and we will be carrying out a review to establish the full circumstances around how this occurred.

“Thankfully no one was injured during this incident.

An internal review will be carried out to ensure the officers followed best practice and to see what, if any learnings we can take from this incident.”

The matter will be referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority.

Hansen says loss to Springboks will improve All Blacks

By
Kaniva Staff
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WELLINGTON, New Zealand, AP / PACNEWS  — Head coach Steve Hansen says the All Blacks will learn from Saturday’s shock Rugby Championship loss to South Africa and will become a better team because of it.

While many hailed the Springboks’ victory as positive result for world rugby, denting the All Blacks’ aura of invincibility ahead of next year’s World Cup, Hansen said the loss could make his team harder to beat in future.

South Africa entered the match as underdogs, having lost their last two matches in the Rugby Championships and their last six tests against New Zealand. The 36-34 win was their first in New Zealand in nine years.

The Springboks flustered the All Blacks with an aggressive defensive performance, causing their usually accurate attacking game to break down. They led 31-17 early in the second half, then weathered a strong rally by the All Blacks, defending their goalline before the final whistle sounded after four minutes of tense injury time.

The All Blacks had led 12-0 after only 16 minutes but seemed to relax, allowing South Africa back into the game. They conceded two tries in five minutes to surrender the lead and weren’t able to reclaim it, despite attacking for much of the last quarter.

Hansen said the All Blacks would learn from their performance at both ends of the match — from resting on their lead and from their inability to capture a win from behind. New Zealand could have snatched victory with a dropped goal in the last minute but chose not to take it, a decision Hansen regretted.

“Sometimes in sporting events you can get things too easy and you mentally switch off a bit and when you play quality opposition they come back at you and it bites you,” Hansen told reporters on Sunday. “But, as I said last night, there will be a lot of learnings for us and this team hasn’t had much adversity.

“Should we have drop-kicked a goal? Yep, of course we should have. And we had plenty of opportunity to and we didn’t organize ourselves.”

Hansen said the All Blacks had sufficient possession to overturn the Springboks lead, but lacked precision in the crucial final moments of the match.

“With 10 minutes to go we could’ve won it twice over,” he said. “We had plenty of opportunities, we just didn’t close it out and there’s the biggest learning: what have we got to do when the clock’s running down (and) the scoreboard’s against us?

“We’ve just got to take a big breath and do things right and be clinical and, if we’d done that last night, we would’ve won the game. But we didn’t.”

New Zealand had a chance to clinch the Rugby Championship with a bonus point win on Saturday but the title remains up for grabs. Its next two matches are away to Argentina and South Africa which it will face without flanker Liam Squire who has been ruled out of the remainder of the Championship with a broken hand.

Kaniva news has a republication arrangement with PACNEWS

Cemetery vandalism: Family scared to talk to Kaniva because of their suspect’s criminal background

By
Kalino Latu
-

A Tongan family in Auckland who has been devastated after their mother’s grave was vandalised was scared to talk to us after they learnt their suspect had been allegedly jailed in the past.

The deceased’s daughter told Kaniva news they did not want to talk in fear the suspect might retaliate.

Lineni Kioa Hafoka alleged another grave belonged to relatives was also damaged as part of the vandalism.

Hafoka said a cousin has seen on internet about the damage made to her mother’s grave.

The cousin then checked her parent’s grave and found out it was also damaged.

Hafoka said they were shocked after they found out the suspect was a close relative.

She said they were satisfied with the information they got about the suspect and they thought it was better “to leave everything to God.”

As Kaniva news reported last month Hafoka’s family found two large holes at both ends of the grave.

They also found what appeared to be a mixture of garlic and salt left on the mouths of the holes spread on the grave at Manukau Memorial Garden cemetery.

Hafoka said the vandalism was a result of person who was sick and her family believed the spirit of their dead mother was harming the patient.

Tongatapu mother pleads not guilty to helping husband rape her 14-year-old daughter

By
Kalino Latu
-

The husband and his wife charged with raping and sexually abusing two daughters in Tongatapu have pleaded not guilty.

The victims were 14 and 16 years’ old when the alleged crimes were committed against them.

The husband was on trial in a lower court last week on 15 charges including raping, sexual violations and indecent assaults.

His wife, the victims’ mother, also appeared in court after prosecutors said she assisted her husband while he was raping her daughter in their home.

The mother’s two children were from a previous marriage.

In 2017, the mother’s husband allegedly held the 14-year-old girl’s hands and he asked her mother to take off her daughter’s clothing, the court heard. None of the parties can be named for legal reasons.

The man allegedly raped the victim while her mother was holding her hands.

Although her daughter was pleading with her mother telling her it was painful, the mother kept on holding and telling her it would be fine and over shortly, according to reports by Kakalu ‘O Tonga newspaper.

The court heard that in 2017 the husband allegedly exposed his genital and made obscene remarks to his wife’s 16-year-old daughter

The abuse stopped following the couple’s arrest in 2017, after the 14-year-old was allegedly beaten by their mother, and was intervened by her sibling.

They sought help from members of the public before a complaint was lodged with Police.

The girls were later taken to the Women and Children Crisis Centre.

Three escape serious injury after car crashed into a power pole in Vava‘u

By
Kalino Latu
-

Three men in Neiafu have had a lucky escape after their car crashed into a power pole near Mataika this afternoon.

Neiafu town officer Vava Lapota alleged alcohol and speed were suspected to have contributed to the crash.

Despite the power pole being cut into half by the impact, the three men inside all managed to escape without any serious injuries, Lapota said.

Lapota said the car was heading northbound when the crash occurred.

Only one car was involved in the crash.

Police arrived at the scene.

Police name man who collapsed and died on his way home in Ha‘apai

By
Kalino Latu
-

Police can now release the name of the man who died in Ha’afeva, Ha’apai on September 11.

He was 30-year-old Tevita L. Faiva, a Halaleva, Tongatapu resident.

Faiva was walking home on the side of a road in Ha’afeva before he collapsed.

An inquest into his death has revealed he died of a heart attack.

Man growing cannabis in Tongatapu spared jails because his wife is sick

By
Kalino Latu
-

A 38-year-old Tongatapu man who grew cannabis plants in his garden has escaped a jail sentence because his wife was seriously ill.

Mikaele Tukia’s offending came to light after police broke into his Nualei home on August 12, 2017 after receiving tip off from the public.

Police discovered cannabis plants being secretly grown in 84 tin containers.

Further searches around the property found a basket inside Tukia’s house which contained marijuana leaves.

Justice Cato told Tukia that his offending carries a maximum of 25 years or TOP$750,000 or both, Taimi ‘O Tonga newspaper has reported.

Mr Cato sentenced Tukia to three years and ordered to pay a fine of $1,000.

Mr Cato has suspended Tukia’s jail terms after he heard his wife was really sick and no one was available to take care of her, the paper said.

Tukia must not commit any crimes during his three year’s jail suspension.

The paper said Tukia previously appeared before a magistrate on a separate drug deal case.

Lupepau‘u $181 million investment project not yet approved, Labour & Commerce CEO says

By
Kalino Latu
-

A multimillion project known as Lupepau’u Village Investment Project has not been approved, Labour and Commerce CEO Edgar Cocker told Kaniva News.

Cocker said the project, which was owned by Hon Lupepau’u Tuita Taione would benefit the kingdom’s economy and local people, but he had not approved it.

Asked about a copy of a Cabinet decision on June 7, 2018  seen by Kaniva News which showed the authority had approved the project, Cocker said he was unaware of it.

He said if Cabinet had approved anything regarding the project it was part of an effort by Princess Pilolevu’s daughter to fulfill the requirements needed before they applied for a license for the business.

We sent the Cabinet decision to the Prime Minister’s office and asked the Acting Chief Secretary to confirm the information,  but have not received a response.

The Cabinet decision, which appears to feature the Acting Chief Secretary to Cabinet ‘Olita Ha’ina Mo’uta Tupou’s signature, showed the Cabinet ministers had approved the project.

The document appears to show the Cabinet Ministers had noted that the project would involve TP$181 million  which was broken down as follows:

$11 million of foreign investment to ‘Lupepau’u Village’ working account BSB Bank.

$20 million to building a seawall of reclaimed material.

$150 million to reclaim 3000 acres at the Greater Hihifo area.

A 99 year lease of the reclaimed land of 3000 acres at the Greater Hihifo area in the name of Lupepau’u Tuita Taione.

When asked about the credibility of the project Cocker said as far as he knew investors from Hong Kong involved.

As Kaniva News reported last year, the Tongan government denied that an American group, the Red Warrior Group LLC, had been granted an exclusive gaming licence to build a casino facility in Tonga.

It was later revealed the Casino project was under a Tongan company known as Tavake Tamafua Tourism Investment Project.

The chief shareholders and directors were Havea Luigi Gatti and ‘Epeli Taione, who is married to the king’s eldest niece, Hon Lupepau’u Tuita Taione.

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