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North Korea makes ‘rapid’ improvements to rocket sites despite vow to destroy nukes

By
Kaniva Staff
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North Korea has made ‘rapid’ improvements to a major nuclear site despite Kim Jong-un vowing to dismantle his regime’s arsenal when he met Donald Trump at the landmark Singapore summit.

“Satellite images from last week show that North Korea is making numerous improvements to the infrastructure at a nuclear research facility,” The Hill reports.

“The images, obtained by North Korea analysis outlet 38 North, come just weeks after President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed an agreement that called for a denuclearized Korean peninsula.

The images from 21 June showed several new buildings, including an engineering office and a driveway to a building which houses a nuclear reactor.

But they added: “Continued work at the Yongbyon facility should not be seen as having any relationship to North Korea’s pledge to denuclearise.

“The North’s nuclear cadre can be expected to proceed with business as usual until specific orders are issued from Pyongyang.”

Captions for the satellite images noted that there was no vapour seen from the cooling tower and no visible steam plumes.

What exactly did Trump and Kim sign up for at the summit?

Earlier in June, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Donald Trump in Singapore and promised to “work toward” the goal of denuclearisation

The president hailed the agreement as “total denuclearisation, which is already taking place” but a timeline for the process had not been clearly defined.

In May, North Korea blew up its only nuclear test site at Punggye-ri, where it had staged six atomic tests.

Critics, however, said the site had been mostly unusable anyway.

The satellite images were published as US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe met to discuss how to get North Korea to fulfil the promise it made in Singapore.

While neither mentioned specific issues, it is expected North Korea is top of their agenda.

NZ yacht crew arrested in Fiji after large ammunition stash seized  

By
Kaniva Staff
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Fiji customs and police have taken the captain and two crew-members of a New Zealand based yacht into custody after a search near Savusavu.

The search by Customs Officers led to the seizure of a large quantity of a mix of different ammunition types.

“Customs is the first point of contact for all travel and transit at our borders and we take this responsibility seriously,” Revenue and Customs Chief Executive officer, Mr. Visvanath Das said.

Yet again our intelligence and profiling processes are determining high risk vessels and collaborative efforts with our partners the Fiji Police and Navy has led to this successful seizure”.

“Just last weekend we discovered a massive drug find on an Australian based yacht and once again our officers dutifully exposed another smuggling attempt,” Mr. Das said.

“I commend the collaboration of the relevant Border Enforcement Agencies for their efforts in ensuring that our borders are safe,” he said.

“We will continue to work with local Border Agencies and Customs partners in New Zealand and Australia to ensure we continue to develop best practice processes and procedures to combat illegal trade,” he added.

The Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho said Fiji continues to quash the notion that a small Pacific Island nation will not be able to effectively police its borders.

“The latest joint operation is again bringing to the forefront the effectiveness of the interagency collaboration between law enforcement agencies both here in Fiji and with international law enforcement partners”.

“The latest seizures and interceptions made at our points of entry shows the increased level of collaboration between all agencies involved, and we continue to look at ways to improve the status quo so that those involved in these illegal trades will know that our borders are being monitored”.

Police investigations continue.

For more information, call Revenue and Customs Manager Marketing, Irene Miller on 9926170 and Police Media, Ana Naisoro on 9905999.

Supreme court finds man not guilty on four charges of carnal knowledge

By
Kaniva Staff
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The Supreme Court has freed a man charged with four counts of carnal knowledge of a girl under 15.

Lord Chief Justice Paulsen found Sione Tautu’a’a afu not guilty on the grounds that he honestly believed the girl to be 18.

The offences were alleged to have occurred on August 7-8, 2017.

The court was told that the girl, referred to in the proceedings as K, and her sister, had run away from home and met the accused in the bush.

They stayed with him and another man and during this period K and Tautu’a’a afu had sex four times.

K said she initiated the sexual contact.

Tautu’a’a afu, who represented himself in court, put it to K that she had told him she was 18.

Evidence was given that at the time she was 13 years and 11 months old.

At the time Tautu’a’a afu was 17.

In an interview with police he said the girls had lived with him for about a month and that they had not told him they had run away.

Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said he was satisfied that Tautu’a’a afu honestly  believed  on  reasonable grounds that K was over the age of 14.

“She could certainly be mistaken for someone older than her years,” the judge said.

He said Tautu’a’a afu had asked K three times how old she was.

The judge found Tautu’a’a afu not guilty on all four counts.

Rugby coach banned for life; $4000 fine after attack on referee in Tongatapu

By
Kalino Latu
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Vainī rugby coach, Venili Vailea, who allegedly punched a referee three times during a rugby match has been banned from the sport for life by the Tonga Rugby Sub-Union committee.

Vailea will never step foot on the field again after his attack left referee Tokomea ‘Ofahulu with minor injuries.

Vaha’i Nau, one of the Vainī rugby players, has been banned for the rest of this year’s rugby union tournament games after he allegedly touched the referee’s hand in an attempt to look at his wristwatch to find out about the time during the controversial game.

The committee has also imposed on Vainī Rugby Union club a fine of TP$4,000 for contravening the rules that govern the Tonga Rugby Union clubs.

The committee made its decisions in a meeting yesterday Tuesday 26 and demanded the fine must be paid in full before this Saturday 30, according to a letter from the Committee seen by Kaniva News.

The letter was addressed to the Vainī rugby club manager Hon Tēvita ‘Unga.

The Vainī rugby team could be banned from the rest of this year’s Tongatapu seasonal rugby tournament games if it failed to pay the fine, the letter said.

The Vainī rugby union team could also be demoted next year to play at level two grade if they could not pay the fine.

A spokesperson for the Vainī team told Kaniva News they will appeal the Committee’s decisions.

He claimed they had filed a formal complaint with the Committee against referee ‘Ofahulu and how he officiated the game. He said the complaint was submitted before the Committee’s meeting yesterday.

The decisions came after ‘Ofahulu who officiated a rugby match between the Vainī team and the Toa Ko Ma’afu rugby team was allegedly attacked.

It is understood the Vainī team and their supporters were unhappy with how ‘Ofahulu controlled the game on Saturday 16.

It appeared the incident occurred after ‘Ofahulu blew the final whistle and ended the game while the Vainī team was attacking. The match ended in a draw.

An eyewitness alleged there was still time after the final whistle was blown and the timekeeper did not indicate to the referee to end the second half.

King’s first cousin dies in Auckland

By
Kaniva Staff
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A first cousin of King Tupou VI, Princess Lavinia Mata ‘o Tāone Ma’afu, died in Auckland on Friday.

The Royal Palace Office has confirmed her death, local news media reported.

The cause of her death has not been formally announced.

Kaniva News has learnt through a number of sources very close to the royals that the Princess’ body is planned to be returned to Tonga this Friday.

Princess Tāone married to Lord Ma’afu Tukui’aulahi and they had two children.

A son by the name of  Hon Tēvita ‘Unga Lausi’i, and a daughter by the name of Hon Fangaake Veikune.

Princess Tāone’s father late Prince Fatafehi Tu’ipelehake was the young brother of King Tupou VI’s late father King Tupou IV.

Her eldest sisters were Princess Mele Siu’ilikutapu, Princess ‘Ofeina ‘E he Langi Fakafanua and late Princess ‘Elisiva Vaha’i.

Her two brothers were late Prince Mailefihi and late Prince Tu’ipelehake.

Gov’t denies Talaki newspaper article claiming Deputy PM owes TP$1million taxes

By
Kalino Latu
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The Ministry of Revenue and Customs has denied an article by Talaki newspaper printed on 8 May 2018 claiming the Deputy Prime Minister Sēmisi Sika owed the government millions of pa’anga in taxes.

The Ministry’s Acting CEO said in a statement that the article was “false.”

Kaniva News was unable to obtain a copy of the Talaki article.

However, we have seen a similar article published in Tongan by the Nepituno webpage on April 27, 2018 about a week before the Talaki.

The Ministry was contacted about the Nepituno article.

Nepituno claimed Hon Sika owed more than TP$1 million in taxes to government.

The headline of the article alleged the Prime Minister and the Minister of Revenue and Customs attempted to conceal Hon Sika’s unpaid taxes.

The article claimed it obtained its information from a highly placed source.

Nepituno also alleged the former CEO of the Ministry of Revenue and Customs arranged Hon Sika’s debts to be recovered, but the arrangement was withheld after he learned the Prime Minister and his son in law, who is the current Minister of Revenue and Customs, were not happy about it.

This morning the Ministry’s Acting CEO said the  “rumour” was false.

“The Ministry of Revenue and Customs would like to clarify that the contents of the article published on the Talaki Newspaper, issue of the 8th May 2018, page 3, claiming that the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Semisi Sika owes tax to Government in the millions, is false,” the Acting CEO said.

“Talaki in the same article also reports rumours exchanged on social media that there was directions from high officials in Government for the Ministry not to initiate court recovery of the “millions of tax owed”.

“The Ministry would like to remind the public that there are processes followed by the Ministry in recovering outstanding tax and these processes apply to all taxpayers regardless of social and political status.

“It is disappointing that these false and misleading information are being shared on social media and published in local newspapers without confirmation or authority of the Ministry.

“The Ministry would also like to emphasize to the public that tax information of taxpayers are confidential and would only be disclosed in circumstance specified in the law.

“This protects the interest and confidence of taxpayers that their personal income information are securely kept by the Ministry.

“It is then the duty of the Ministry to ensure that the correct tax is assessed and paid according to the tax information provided by the taxpayer or collected by the Ministry.”

King appoints Lawyer Laki Niu as Supreme Court judge

By
Kalino Latu
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King Tupou VI has appointed Lawyer Laki Niu as a Supreme and Land Courts judge on June 21.

Niu will start working at the Courts on July 2.

As Kaniva News reported this morning, the New Zealand government has granted funding to pay for the first Tongan Supreme court judge.

The funding was part of three agreements worth NZ$8 million which were signed in Nuku’alofa today between New Zealand and Tonga.

The two countries agreed to strengthen Tonga’s education and justice systems, and public sector management through policy reform.

The appointment of Lawyer Niu came after the Minister of Justice Sione Vuna Fā’otusia told us in a previous report the government was working on a scheme to have an all-Tongan Supreme Court bench by 2020.

“This is a wonderful thing for our Judiciary and for us Tongans to have faith in the integrity and capability of our very own people,” Hon. Fā’otusia said.

The Minister told Kaniva News the scheme also included the government being able to pay the Supreme Court Judges.

Lawyer Niu was a former Member of Parliament and  former President of the Tonga Law Society.

For further information:

Gov’t wants all-Tongan Supreme Court bench and government control of salaries by 2020

NZ funds first Tongan Supreme Court judge and Youth Diversion Scheme

By
Kalino Latu
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The New Zealand government has granted funding to pay for the first Tongan Supreme court judge and a diversion scheme for the youth.

This has been part of the NZ$8 million dollar support signed in Nuku’alofa today by the New Zealand High Commissioner Her Excellency Tiffany Babington and the Minister of Finance and National Planning Hon Dr Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa.

The authorities signed three agreements for the grant to support Tonga’s education and justice systems, and public sector management through policy reform.

“These are key priorities identified for New Zealand’s development support to Tonga,” a statement said.

Under the NZ$3 million 2-year Tonga Education Support activity, New Zealand will partner with the Tonga Ministry of Education and Training to raise the professional capability of teachers and principals.

The NZ$3 million 3-year Tonga Justice Sector Support Programme will improve Tonga access to a fair and effective justice system and strengthen rule of law.

The Programme will support short-term funding for a Tongan Supreme Court Judge, workforce planning, capability building and information management for the Supreme and Magistrates’ Courts, and the establishment of the Youth Diversion Scheme.

HE Tiffany Babington also handed over a Grant Contribution to Minister Tu’i’onetoa, of NZ$2 million in general budget support to assist the Government of Tonga progress policy reform measures through strengthened public finance management, public service delivery, and fiscal resilience.

Measures include a new performance management system linking pay to performance, and new salary bands to improve consistency between jobs and across government.

Additionally, World Bank technical assistance is provided to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to track significant procurements and performance.

New Zealand’s total contribution since 2015 is NZ$4 million.

The High Commissioner said as a close friend to Tonga, New Zealand will continue to contribute to Tonga’s economic and social well-being and support its stability, resilience and good governance.

“New Zealand recognises that quality education remains a top priority for Tonga, and that Tonga is committed to championing good governance and access to justice including for youth.”

Hon Dr Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa thanked New Zealand for continuing to partner with Tonga to achieve its priorities.

For further information:

Gov’t wants all-Tongan Supreme Court bench and government control of salaries by 2020

Police seize $30 million cocaine in Ha‘apai

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Fifty-eight kilograms of cocaine, with a street value of up to TOP$30 million, has been uncovered by police in Ha’apai.

Two local men, aged 26 and 28, have been arrested and are in police custody in relation to the seizure of the illicit drugs

The bust came as an ongoing Police operation which began in June 8 and was assisted by His Majesty’s Armed Forces.

“We will protect our borders and people with everything that it takes,” said Commissioner Caldwell.

“This is a highly significant seizure, which sends a clear message that Police, along with partner agencies will continue to work together to disrupt the supply of illicit drugs.

Commissioner Caldwell emphasizes that the fight against drugs is a challenge for the country and not just the Police. “We need to protect our youth from these criminals who are destroying their future by addicting them to drugs.”

Police wish to thank the public for their support as well as the assistance from His Majesty’s Navy during this Operation. Commissioner Caldwell also commended the outstanding work of his police officers during this Operation.

Those with any information on drug-related offending or suspicious activities are encouraged to speak in confidence to an officer at their local Police station, or contact 23417 or 25147.

As the case is before the Courts no further information will be released.

King officially appoints MP Ma’asi as Minister, Dr Puloka as Ha’apai governor

By
Kaniva Staff
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His Majesty King Tupou VI has officially appointed MP Losaline Ma’asi as Minister of Internal Affairs and Sports.

He also appointed Reverend Dr Mohenoa Puloka as the Governor of Ha’apai.

The appointments were effective from June 21, according to the Prime Minister’s spokesperson Lōpeti Senituli.

“Yes. The Prime Minister’s Office has received advice from the Lord Privy Seal, Viliami Malolo, that His Majesty has appointed Rev Dr Tēvita Mohenoa Puloka as Governor of Ha’apai.

“In addition the Lord Privy Seal had also advised that His Majesty has appointed Hon Losaline Ma’asi as Minister for Internal Affairs effective from 21 June 2018,” Senituli told Kaniva News this morning.

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva nominated Rev Dr Mohenoa Puloka to become the Ha’apai governor in April.

About a month later Hon Pōhiva also nominated MP Mā’asi as a Cabinet minister.

MP Ma’asi replaced MP ‘Akosita Lavulavu who was forced to resign after she and her husband ‘Etuate Lavulavu were charged with three counts each of knowingly dealing with forged documents and three counts of obtaining credit by false pretences.

They appeared in court last month.

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