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Jonah Lomu finally gets a headstone on his grave

By
Kaniva Staff
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The global rugby superstar Jonah Lomu finally got a headstone on his grave.

The All Black legend’s headstone was officially unveiled on Monday in Auckland.

It features the quote: “Families can be together forever.”

According to NewtalkZB  the event has caused a fresh family stoush.

The rugby legend’s family, including his mother, said they have not been involved in the planning by Lomu’s widow Nadine, it said.

“His mum will not be at the unveiling tomorrow, as she is in Fiji and only found out about the ceremony two days ago.”

Nadene the wife of Lomu told One News everyone had been invited including all of Jonah’s family.

She said the short notice about the ceremony was due to uncertainty over the headstone being completed.

Lomu’s brother John and an aunt who has travelled from Australia were among members of the Lomu family attending.

Guests include former All Blacks Eric Rush and Josh Kronfeld and Lomu’s former manager Phil Kingsley-Jones.

A musical tribute featured Chicago’s You’re the Inspiration.

A prayer was said before John Lomu gave a brief speech.

He paused, seemingly gathering himself, before saying: “It’s time to be together as a family.

“Thank you everyone for being here.”

Lomu was born on 12 May 1975 and died on November 18 2015. He played 63 Tests for the All Blacks.

NZ police lay charge one year after Tongan man’s death

By
Kaniva Staff
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The New Zealand Police have charged a charter boat company over the death of a Tongan man who fell overboard on a cruise ship in June 2017.

The body of Tēvita Kava, 29, was found in Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour 10 days after falling overboard from a Red Boats charter during a friend’s birthday party on June 3.

Maritime New Zealand filed a charge against The Red Boats Limited under the Health and Safety at Work Act, New Zealand Herald reports.

It says the company is charged with “failing to comply with duty that exposes individuals to risk of death or serious injury or serious illness”.

Kava’s cousin Ngaire Speedy told Herald the family are relieved a charge has been laid over the death of her cousin.

It has been revealed Kava had a daughter but the family had initially kept it quiet to protect her, Herald reports.

But they now wanted people to know the little girl was among those affected by the tragedy.

“She’s doing all right. She lives in [Kava’s native] Tonga and she’s finally accepted it but I think we won’t tell her about the court [charge] … until the end.”

Kava was standing at the back of the charter boat during an evening cruise when he fell backwards into the water.

At the time, friends on board said Kava fell when a ramp gave way.

Red Boats owner Andrew Somers said at the time the ramp wasn’t broken and staff had later tested it.

He didn’t know how the ramp, usually locked and tied in place, became unlocked and untied, Somers said last June.

The matter is before the coroner, and an inquest will take place at a later date.

Somers said this week he did not yet know enough about the charge to comment.

The company will make its first appearance on June 20 in the Waitākere District Court.

Old made new as PM to open Ha‘apai courthouse

By
Kaniva Staff
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The old Ha’apai courthouse has been made new and Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva will open it this Friday 15.

The new building also housed the sub-registry office which registers and maintains the Ha‘apaian birth, death, marriage and name change information, and issues certificates and printouts.

The ADB funded project was initiated after it was revealed the “more than 100 years old” courthouse could not be renovated after it was extensively damaged by tropical cyclone Ian in 2014.

The new courthouse has new furniture as well as an extension for the judge’s bench.

The government said the old building appeared to have been built between the years 1880 and 1900.

The construction was carried out by Five Star Construction Ltd since October 2017 before it was completed on 16 February 2018.

Tonga wants to host secretariat for PACER Plus

By
Kaniva Staff
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Tonga will present a proposal in a bid to have the PACER Plus office established in Tonga.

The proposal will be discussed during the Pacific Trade ministers’ meeting in Samoa in August.

Tonga and Vanuatu are vying to get the opportunity to become a permanent home for the secretariat.

The Ministry of Labour and Commerce’s CEO Edgar Cocker told Kaniva News this was too early to be publicly released.

“We are interested to host the Pacer Plus Secretariat. Tonga and Vanuatu are both interested, however, that matter is yet to be discussed in greater details during the up-coming Trade minister’s meeting in Samoa early August .”

The region-wide free trade agreement was signed in Tonga in 2017.

It has been hailed by proponents as a new kind of agreement that links development to trade to boost island economies.

Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, Niue, Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Cook Islands had signed the deal agreement.

Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu refused to join.

However, three months later Vanuatu signed up to PACER Plus trade deal in Samoa.

Big royal events heading to Ha‘apai

By
Kaniva Staff
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A line-up of royal and church events are heading to Ha’apai after next week.

The royal palace office has announced His Majesty King Tupou VI’s 59th birthday will be celebrated in Ha’apai on July 4. The king was born on July 12.

The king will open the Royal Agriculture, Fisheries and Tonga-Made Show in Lifuka, Ha’apai on June 23.

His Majesty will also open the 95th Free Wesleyan Church Annual Conference in Pangai on June 27.

A tentative programme for the conference showed the church event will start with a welcoming reception hosted by Koulo church members.

The eight-day church event will include an achievement award to students of the Sia’atoutai Theologian College on July 3.

The king is expected to visit some coastal zones in the island groups which the Ministry of Fisheries has labelled as Special Management Areas where some fish and other marine organisms are being preserved and protected.

The Royal Show will be also held in Vava’u on July 13, Niuatoputapu on July 18, Niuafo’ou on July 19, ‘Eua in July 25 and in Tongatapu on July 28.

Police officer accused in deadly Kolofo’ou crash appears in court

By
Kaniva Staff
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The Police officer accused of crashing a UT Ford van into a car killing a Fangaloto man appeared before a Magistrate judge today June 11.

Vilison Fīnau, 51, was arrested in connection to the death of 37-year-old Tou’anga Kamea.

He was charged with reckless driving causing death, driving under the influence of alcohol and driving a vehicle with no number plate.

He had his case adjourned to July 30 after prosecutor asked for amble time to provide documents.

As Kaniva News reported, Finau was off duty at the time of the accident when he allegedly failed to give way at the roundabout in Kolofo’ou crashing into Kamea’s car. Kamea died in hospital two hours later.

Fears for Meghan Markle after Dengue virus outbreak in Tonga – destination of first royal tour

By
Kalino Latu
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s are being urged to rethink their Tonga travel plans amid a flood of cases of a deadly tropical disease.

As Kaniva news reported the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have planned a high-profile trip to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga in October.  Those plans have now been confirmed. 

However, the plans for the legs of the trip which take in Fiji and Tonga have caused concerns – as there has been a shock Zika virus and dengue fever outbreak on the islands.

According to UK Media, there are fears the tour could affect the royal couple’s plans to have a child.

Dengue fever could cause risks in the unborn child including low birth weight, preterm birth, abortion and death.

In March Tonga’s Ministry of Health said there were at least 70 confirmed dengue fever cases in the kingdom. This came after the Ministry announced there was an outbreak in January.

There had been one fatality, Toafei Telefoni, who died while visiting Tonga from New Zealand.

Pregnant women are advised to avoid areas where mosquito-borne Zika is present, as the disease can cause microcephaly, a condition where babies are born with abnormally small heads.

A source told UK media: “The Duke and Duchess will have taken advice at the highest level before deciding that they were happy to go ahead and plan the trip.”

The Foreign Office advises: “Couples should follow guidance on prevention of sexual transmission of Zika and avoid conception while travelling and for up to six months on return.”

The Foreign Office also warns about recent outbreaks of dengue fever in Fiji, stating “some cases have been the potentially fatal haemorrhagic fever strain”.

Our source said: “Every precaution will be taken. The royal couple’s health is naturally of the utmost importance.”

Georgia hold on to beat Tonga

By
Kaniva Staff
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REUTERS: Fullback Ioseb Matiashvili scored all of his side’s points as Georgia held on to beat a strong-finishing Tonga 16-15 in the first match of the Pacific Nations Cup tournament in Fiji on Saturday.

The 25-year-old Matiashvili converted his own try and slotted three penalties as the Lelos scrumhalf Vasil Lobzhanidze controlled much of Georgia’s conservative play with his tactical kicking and keeping the ball close to his big forwards.

Tonga failed to develop any momentum for much of the game as they committed too many elementary errors in the face of strong Georgian defence around the fringes of the ruck and in the midfield.

The introduction of Racing 92 prop Ben Tameifuna, however, added stability to Tonga’s scrum and provided them with a superb attacking platform in the final 20 minutes.

Wingers Viliami Lolohea and David Halaifonua both crossed for tries in the final 10 minutes to give Tonga hope of snatching a late win, but a sweeping long-range attack ended on halfway with yet another handling error and the Georgians hacked the ball into touch to seal the win.

Samoa and Fiji face each other later on Saturday in the tournament which is being used as preparation for next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Georgia face Fiji next week, while Tonga play Samoa, who still have to qualify for the World Cup.

Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington; Editing by Ian Ransom

Man searched for alleged drug smuggling said his business was not affected

By
Kalino Latu
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A Tongan businessman who was detained and searched by police who suspected he was carrying illicit drugs in his luggage from the United States said his business and family were never affected after the incident.

Despite a three hour search Police failed to find any drugs in ‘Efitoni Ikahihifo’s luggage.

Ikahihifo of Kolomotu’a operated several businesses in Tonga including a retail shop and a stall at fair market where he sold a number of items including cologne.

Ikahihifo told Kaniva News when he, a sister and their mother arrived at the Custom and Quarantine booth at the Fua’amotu airport a Police officer met him and asked whether he was ‘Efitoni Ikahihifo. After he agreed, he was asked to follow the officer.

They went into a room where a female Police officer was waiting.

Ikahihifo said he was told he was being arrested because of a report from the United States that he was smuggling marijuana into the country.

The officers then searched his luggage and a sniffer dog was brought in as part of the search, but they did not find any marijuana.

After the search was completed the Police asked Ikahihifo if there was anything he wanted to say.

Ikahihifo said he asked the officers to tell him who made the complaint but he was told they were not allowed to release that information.

He described the way how he and his family were searched as “protracted and unprofessional.”

Police had been contacted for comment.

The Ikahihifos left San Francisco international airport on May 16 before arriving in New Zealand on May 18. They spent about a three-hour layover at the Auckland International airport before leaving for Tonga the same day.

Ikahihifo said they were travelling to spend the Tongan Father’s Day with their father.

Ikahihifo’s arrest came a week after Police arrested a 59-year-old man with 1.9 kg of methamphetamine at Fua’amotu Airport on May 8.

The meth had a street value of about $2 million pa’anga.

Charity boss says he will be back in Tonga regardless of claims against him

By
Philip Cass
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A charity leader who has been accused of  bullying volunteers says he is still going to Tonga this year.

Craig Koning was in charge of an expedition by charity Floating Foundation in 2016. His behaviour was described by some crew members as “malevolent.”

They said he shamed charity workers, repeatedly lost his temper and drove them to the point of mutiny.

He injured one worker when he threw her overboard.

The crew on the 2016 expedition lodged complaints with the charity’s board, but nothing was done for nearly a year. In the end the charity’s board  simply suggested he stay off the boat for this year’s expedition.

All of the volunteers on the 2016 expedition have severed their ties with the Foundation.

But despite the public exposure of his behaviour and the complaints against him, Koning has insisted to local media that he will be back on board in August this year.

He is recruiting crew and volunteers for the Floating Foundation’s 2018 expedition to Fiji and Tonga on a new ship, the Southern Progress.

Volunteers pay $840 a week to work on the boat.

According to local media reports, the Floating Foundation delivers medical aid to remote island villages and operates a scientific research programme.

The Foundation describes itself to potential recruits as being “. . . on the frontlines of a battle for the planet. The Floating Foundation provides a platform for doctors, nurses, and marine scientists to help the environment and the peoples of this incredible ocean.”

Last night the Floating Foundation’s websites were off-line.

For more information

Charity boss who has sex with young women on ship reprimanded for bullying

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