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New skills helped apprentice give back to parents

By
Philip Cass
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A former Tongan courier driver who gave up his job to re-train as a builder said this week the risk had been worth the risk.

Robert Piutau, 34, told Tagata Pasifika he decided to re-train after helping to renovate his parents’ home.

“Me and my siblings have always talked about how we want to give back to mum and dad,” he said.

He said being able to change the family house allowed him to do that.

Piutau won second place in the New Zealand certified Building competition.

However, re-training has meant great sacrifice.

His wife Mele was studying – she is now a qualified nurse  – during the first three years of his apprenticeship.

“It was always at the back of our minds that when we qualified things will be easier,” Piutau said.

Speaking in Tongan his father,  Manako Piutau said he was happy his son had become a builder.

“That is why we came to New Zealand for better opportunities and to gain new skills,” Piutau Snr said.

The main points

  • A former courier driver who gave up his job to re-train as a builder said this week the risk had been worth the risk.
  • Robert Piutau, 34, told Tagata Pasifika he decided to re-train after helping to renovate his parents’ home.

For more information 

Tagata Pasifika

Energy company will become first regional Tongan host for NZ internships

By
Philip Cass
-

New Zealand Scholarship students from Tonga will be able to intern at the Pacific Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Nuku’alofa.

This will be the first time a Tongan regional organisation has hosted PCF interns.

The closing date for applications for the Pacific Co-operation Foundation scholarships has been extended to this Friday, September 28.

The Centre was established in 2017 and is hosted by the Pacific Community.

It is part of a global network of regional sustainable energy centres and helps Pacific countries promote sustainable energy.

Programme Development Manager Linda Kaua says that having regional host agencies would help Pacific NZ Scholar students feel at ease when they returned home.

“Having host agencies from the region participating in the Summer Internship Programme will be beneficial to the interns, as it will provide them with the opportunity to apply what they have learnt in a real-life situation,” she said.

The internships are open to current New Zealand Scholarship students studying at undergraduate level.

Internships will last from November 19, 2018 until February 15, 2019.

Although most internships are unpaid, MFAT will continue to pay standard scholarship stipends for the period of the internship.

Interns will still be entitled to take Reunion Travel during the summer period, but will be expected to do so at a time that does not interfere with their internship or study responsibilities.

If you are interested, fill out the application form on the link at the bottom of this story and send them by email to internships@pcf.org.nz by no later than 5pm – Friday, September 21, 2018.

The main points

  • New Zealand Scholarship students from Tonga will be able to intern at the Pacific Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Nuku’alofa.
  • This will be the first time a Tongan regional organisation has hosted PCF interns.
  • The closing date for applications for the Pacific Co-operation Foundation scholarships has been extended to this Friday, September 28.

For more information 

Summer internship

Family not giving up hope as search for missing fisherman continues

By
Kalino Latu
-

The search for Mikaele Moata’ane continued with an army of volunteers from Lapaha after he went missing at sea on Saturday, September 22.

The 34-year-old who was also known by the name Keuli Moata’ane was fishing with a group of friends who were all safe

Photos uploaded and shared on Facebook today showed locals have come together at Lapaha beach to provide support.

One photo showed Moata’ane’s mother appeared devastated by her son’s missing.

The search mission was being led by a Police rescue team but no sighting to date.

NZ Police continue to investigate needles in strawberries

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Police continue to make enquiries following a report yesterday of needles found inside strawberries imported from Australia.

“An investigation is underway and we are working in close partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries.

However, it is too early to comment in any detail about the investigation,” Detective Superintendent Tim Anderson says.

“Anyone who finds anything suspicious in their food is urged to contact local Police immediately.

“Reports of this nature will be taken very seriously and investigated thoroughly.   From the Police perspective, that means witnesses will be spoken to and any items of interest will be taken for forensic testing.

“For example, Whanganui Police received a report of a pin found in takeaway food over the weekend, and while this turned out to be an honest mistake, Police conducted interviews and a scene examination before determining there was no malicious intent.”

Questions specifically related to food safety should be directed to MPI.

10 arrested in Tongatapu drug bust

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tongatapu Police confiscated 96 packets of cannabis and cash after serving a search warrant.

Mu’a Superintendent District Commander  Sisi Toutai Tonga said three women and seven men were arrested.

Police made the arrests on Saturday 22 September 2018 at a bush allotment in Malapo.

“Tonga Police are committed to disrupt and detect the supply of drugs where thereby preventing the harm this illegal activity causes.

“It only takes one call to Police to stop crime and the availability of drugs in your community,” says Superintendent Sisi Toutai Tonga.

“As always, the Police rely on members of the public to pass on any information about drug cultivation, manufacture and/or dealing.”

All suspects are in Police custody while investigation continues.

Information about drug offending can be passed on to your local Police station or can be made anonymously by phoning 23417 or 25147.

Customs staff dies after processing Air NZ passengers in Tonga

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A Customs officer has died in hospital after he collapsed at the Fua’amotu international airport this afternoon.

A reliable source has claimed the officer, identified as Vitikami Paongo collapsed while he was processing a passenger from an Air New Zealand aircraft.

The passenger attempted CPR and Paongo was revived before he was rushed to hospital, the source claimed.

He was shortly pronounced dead.

Kerikeri man assaulted and his car stolen

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Police are continuing to investigate an incident where an elderly male was assaulted in Kerikeri on Friday 21st September.

The victim was attacked after he picked up two male hitchhikers around 1.30pm who subsequently pushed him out the vehicle near Kerikeri Airport and stole his car, which was seen heading in the direction of Okaihau.

Police are appealing for any sightings of a red Suzuki Swift – registration GNS33.

“This was a cowardly and unprovoked attack on a vulnerable member of our community and we urgently want to find the offenders responsible for this incident,” says Detective Senior Sergeant Rhys Johnston.

Anyone with information about this incident or sightings of the vehicle is urged to contact Kerikeri Police on 09 407 9211 or alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Tongan woman in Auckland wakes to find tyre, rim stolen from vehicle

By
Kalino Latu
-

A Tongan driver in Auckland, New Zealand woke up this morning to find a tyre and rim on her vehicle had been stolen overnight.

Tupou Vanisi of One Tree Hill said her van was parked on its parking last night but this morning it was left with only three tyres and rims.

Vanisi said she came outside ready to go to work and to drop her children off at school but the incident had changed everything.

The Alford avenue resident said the car was left propped up on a scissor jack.

She said the jack belonged to the alleged stealer.

She could not specify the model and make of her car or brand of tyres.

Vanisi has yet to lodge a complaint with Police.

She said she could offer us no suspects.

PM’s son praises Finland’s “excellent”  education system as example to learn from

By
Philip Cass
-

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s son Siaosi has praised the Finnish education system as a model that other countries can learn from.

Siaosi Pohiva was head of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s  Assessment Unit of the Education Quality and Assessment Programme.

He was instrumental in supporting Tonga’s move away from standardised marking.

As Kaniva reported last year, he stood by his father in his move to change the assessment system in Tonga from standardisation to raw marks.

He said Fiji and Samoa in the Pacific had already changed from standardisation system and used a modern raw marks system.

Siaosi urged people to read a report from the World Economic Forum on the Finnish system.

“Thanks that the Lord has given us a good example we could learn from,” he said.

He said the most important point about the Finnish system was there were no standardised tests.

He also praised the country’s late starting age for school.

“Students should start going to school when they are seven years old. How excellent! “

Finland stands at the top of many international education ranking systems and had been widely praised. Students do not start classes until they are seven years old, have no homework, fewer classes and are encouraged to play, learn to treat each other as equals and are supported  by highly qualified teachers in small classes.

According to the World Economic Forum report, Finland has no standardized tests.

“Their only exception is something called the National Matriculation Exam, which is a voluntary test for students at the end of an upper-secondary school.

“All children throughout Finland are graded on an individualized basis and grading system set by their teacher. Tracking overall progress is done by the Ministry of Education, which samples groups across different ranges of schools.”

According to a  British report, Finland routinely tops rankings of global education systems and all students, regardless of ability, are taught in the same classes.

The gap between the weakest and the strongest pupils is the smallest in the world. Finnish schools have only one mandatory test at age 16.

The main points

  • Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s son Siasosi has praised the Finnish education system as a model that other countries can learn from.
  • Siaosi Pohiva was instrumental in supporting Tonga’s move away from standardised marking.
  • Siaosi urged people to read a report from the World Economic Forum on the Finnish system.

For more information 

10 reasons why Finland’s education system is the best in the world

The 11 best school systems in the world

Finnish education

Man dies in Auckland after becoming trapped by vehicle

By
Kalino Latu
-

Police can now confirm a man trapped under a vehicle in Highland Park, Auckland has died.

Initial reports suggest the man was pushing a vehicle down a driveway about 12.15pm when he somehow became trapped underneath it.

His next-of-kin have been notified and the death will be referred to the Coroner.

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