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People ready to build nation, but corruption has made government dysfunctional, says PM

By
Kalino Latu
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Some senior government officials have abused foreign-funded projects, Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva  told Kaniva News.

The Prime Minister said  some of them did not work to the best of their ability because they did not like him politically.

This kind of abuse had to be stopped immediately.

“It has caused the government to be dysfunctional,” Hon. Pōhiva said.

Hon. Pōhiva said people were ready to build the nation.

“Unfortunately we find it very difficult to move forward unless we have to do something about these problems,” he said.

There was no use in the government having good policies while those who were required to implement those policies in the ministries were corrupt.

There was a political, social and business network outside government which “strongly influenced” the government’s decision making, Hon. Pōhiva said.

He said it was clear that in the past two years the only successful projects his government had launched were handled by senior officials who were not corrupt and did not have a political vendetta against him.

“We have to clean these up as soon as possible so that the government’s policies could be put into effects,” Hon. Pōhiva said in a December interview.

Abuse

Hon. Pōhiva said it had been reported to him that some senior officials had applied for funding of some projects for the ministries.

It had been claimed most of those projects were either unsuccessful or contributed less advantages to the community because of the way how they were implemented.

“What I now know is that when those projects were launched the people who benefitted most were the consultants and those who monitored the project because they were paid from it,” the Prime Minister said.

Network

The Prime Minister said he had proved in the past two years that corrupt senior officials inside the government had connections with an outside network.

He said this network included some members of the business circles and the nobility.

“If we cannot remove or do something to these senior officials inside the government we cannot move forward,” Hon. Pōhiva said.

He said last year he noticed some of the projects went well and smoothly while others were not.

“For example there were projects in Vava’u including one that was required for the preparation for the king’s 65 birthday,” Hon. Pōhiva said.

“That project met the timeline and there were no deterrent after it was launched.”

Coronation scholarship winner will study at Auckland University

By
Philip Cass
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This year’s prestigious King Tupou VI Coronation Scholarship has been awarded to Maletino Taumu’alelei ‘I Loyala Mafi.

Maletino comes from Houmakelikao, Ma’ufanga.

The Coronation Scholarship was instituted by former New Zealand Governor General Jerry Mateparae, on the occasion of the coronation of King Tupou VI.

The scholarship is offered annually to the Dux of Tonga High School, provided all the standard scholarship criteria are met.

This is the second time the award has been made.

The award was announced by Acting New Zealand High Commissioner, Nick Hurley.

At a ceremony on Wednesday night Hurley congratulated Maletino on his achievements.

The New Zealand High Commissioner asked the Lord Chamberlain to formally convey this nomination to His Majesty.

Maletino plans to study a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Auckland in New Zealand.

The Coronation scholarship is one of the 31 scholarships offered to Tongan citizens each year to allow them to study in New Zealand and the Pacific.

Fakapotopoto: An effective leadership and management model for today

By
Kaniva Staff
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Discourse on Nation Building (Part 4)

By Sione Tu’itahi
(Educator, writer and Executive Director of the Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand)

The Tongan concept fakapotopoto is a Tongan leadership and management model which is still relevant today.

The word fakapotopoto is the combination of the reduplication of poto (wise, clever) and the causative prefix faka, which means to cause something to be. The use of faka is extensive in Tongan, and reduplication is used also in other Polynesian languages, usually to convey the sense of continuous action, intensity or diminution.

Rabone (1845) translates fakapotopoto as “to act wisely or prudently”. Churchward (1959) defines poto as “to be clever, skillful; to understand what to do and be able to do it”. Schneider (1977) defines fakapotopoto as “prudence; wisdom; economy”. The concept of poto manifests itself in diverse forms although the essential meaning remains the same. For instance, the Tongan term for the circle is fuopotopoto (the shape of poto). This use of poto means that the shape of the circle represents napangapangamalie (balance), whole and complete. In other words, fuopotopoto is the shape of wisdom because it represents being inclusive, equal and fair to all parties.

As a second example, the usual seating arrangement of the cultural practice of drinking kava (a Tongan social drink) is usually circular. This format suggests universal participation and being inclusive.

Also, in the Tongan horticultural system of ‘ufi (yam) cultivation, a tuber ready for harvest is referred to as “kuo potopoto e fo‘i ‘ufi” (“the yam tuber has become wise”). This means the tuber is mature, with all its essential qualities fully developed: that particular yam is the best and most suitable for consumption or to use as a seedling for the next planting season.

Drawn from different Tongan activities and contexts, these examples of the use of poto suggest the concept is not only central in Tongan thinking but is widely applied.
The word fakapotopoto is often used when discussing Tongan leadership and management. For instance, when a Tongan uses his wisdom, knowledge and skills to manage his life successfully and help others, he is referred to as a tokotaha fakapotopoto, a wise and prudent person.

An intelligent but inexperienced person who embarks on a project and makes mistakes along the way is referred to as ko e potopoto- ‘a- niu- mui (clever but inexperienced person).

A person who is not fakapotopoto is called tokotaha fakavalevale (an unwise, not prudent, and extravagant person). Like many Tongan concepts, fakapotopoto encapsulates a body of accumulated knowledge, principles and skills based on time- tested practice and experiential research.

In the largely oral Tongan culture, pithy sayings and other literary devices, such as ta‘anga (poetical and/or musical compositions), fananga (folk tales) and talatupu‘a (creation myths and legends), are used to capture the essence of the wealth of knowledge, skills and qualities learnt, and therefore to help ease the transfer of this intellectual property to succeeding generations.

Scholarly research and analysis, combined with an in-depth understanding of Tongan culture, can unravel this accumulated knowledge, skills and experience that are clothed with brevity and symbolism in concepts such as fakapotopoto.

When looked at even more closely, fakapotopoto seems to have four major dimensions; taki fakapotopoto (strategic or wise and prudent leadership), pule fakapotopoto (effective/wise and prudent management), ngaue fakapotopoto (right/wise and prudent application of knowledge, skills and experience), and anga fakapotopoto (wise application of ethical or spiritual principles).

These dimensions are analysed separately for the purpose of learning and understanding, although they are all aspects of one tool. Consequently, the effectiveness of the term is best realized when its four dimensions are integrated, with latitude for overlapping.

The first dimension, taki fakapotopoto, refers to the ability of a person to see beyond the current, collective boundary and limits of the group, and to navigate unknown waters to reach new horizons that bring more opportunities for all.

The second dimension, pule fakapotopoto, is the ability of a leader to move beyond vision and strategy, to empower other members to own the vision and participate in implementing the strategy. It also refers to the capability of the leader to manage the implementation phase successfully, to make sure the desired goals are achieved to the standard and within the time- frame expected.

The third dimension of fakapotopoto is ngaue fakapotopoto, the use of knowledge and skills with wisdom and tact. Such actions ensure the steady progress of the group and offer learning opportunities.

The final dimension of anga fakapotopoto refers to the decision- making, planning and implementation processes, in which the leader adheres to spiritual and ethical principles to guide his or her anga (behaviour and action). Furthermore, the holistic wellbeing of the group is enhanced by the exemplary action and words of the leader, embodied in such principles as love and unity, reciprocity, respect, work for the collective good, justice, honesty and equity.

Fakapotopoto is one of many tools in the Tongan knowledge system of tala- e- fonua (wisdom and knowledge of the land or indigenous knowledge system). Tongan indigenous tools such as the fakapotopoto leadership model are not only valuable for understanding the past but, more importantly, can be useful in navigating the present and future.

A voice in the dark and no regrets, even if people thought he was mad

By
Philip Cass
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Brussells, 1978.

It was 2am when he heard the deep voice calling his name.

The 13 year-old sat up in bed. He thought it was his father calling, so he made his way down the passage to his parent’s bedroom, only to hear his father snoring, sound asleep.

The voice called his name three times that night and, scared, he went out on to the balcony of their apartment and prayed.

For Fr Johnathan Hurrell, who recently stepped down from two terms as head of the US province of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, that night in 1978 was the first time he thought he had a vocation.

“It really jolted me,” he said.

And then, he said, he kissed a girl and everything changed, but somehow that sense of something or somebody calling him kept coming back.

After several years in the Belgian capital, where his father represented Tonga at the Lome Convention trade talks, the family returned to the southern hemisphere.

He spent 15 years in Tonga, rising early to go to mass. He found peace in the quiet church and often accompanied his grandmother, a woman of deep faith.

Eventually he returned to Auckland, where he was born, to study for a Bachelor of Communications degree at Auckland University.

After two years he left and worked in a variety of jobs, including Sorrento’s and Telecom before going to teach in Tonga where he reconnected with his grass roots.

He lived the life of a fairly normal young single man.

“I wasn’t a saint by any means,” he said.

“But I grateful for those experiences.

“It makes it more real, especially when I’m counselling.”

Shocked

When he finally decided to investigate whether he truly had a vocation, he went to Fiji to talk to the Marists, but they told him he should be a Jesuit and sent him away.

Then he went to Hawai’i on the advice of a family member and spoke to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, who welcomed him.

“My friends were a bit shocked and my siblings thought I’d gone mad,” Fr Hurrell said.

“I summoned up the courage to tell my father, who reminded me that I’d told him in Belgium I was going to be a priest and he had told me to come back in 10 years and tell him again if I was serious.”

Years of study followed, culminating in a Masters in Divinity in Washington, followed by two years as a deacon in Hawai’i.

He took his perpetual vows in 2002 and was ordained in 2005, becoming Fr Jonathan Hurrell, SSCC. After five years he was voted in as head of his order’s US province, which includes Hawai’i.

Fiji

Having stepped down from two terms as provincial, he is now heading for Fiji, where he will be Director of the SSCC  House of Formation where our students attend the Pacific Regional Seminary in Suva.

The move to Fiji has been on the cards since 2014 as a practical response to the enormous cost of training priests. Fr Hurrell said Fiji offered a sense of simplicity, a strong sense of prayer, mission and community life.

“We will be trying to form young men to work in the Pacific and worldwide,” Fr Hurrell said.

There will be 13 seminarians from five different nationalities

Part of the task would also be to identify those who had true vocations and those for whom it was just an opportunity to do something else, he said.

Challenges

The seminary’s young priests will face a range of challenges and would need to continue their development and education throughout their working lives.

“It doesn’t stop once they become a priest,” he said.

The clergy needed to be much more driven.

“There are too many priests in the Pacific sitting around drinking kava” he said.

The growing prominence of Islam and the Mormon church would require priests to be kept  informed and to understand what was happening and why.

“We must recognise the divine inspiration that is incorporated in all religions,” Fr Hurrell said.

“But being informed is absolutely crucial.”

He said even when overall numbers of a religious group were not large, they could have a big impact on small communities, especially when people might be tempted  by material benefits rather than spiritual ones.

“Conversions are often shallow,” he said.

Priests would also have to navigate carefully among issues of politics, social and cultural pressures, treading a line between engaging with others honestly, acknowledging differences and showing a healthy respect through dialogue.

“Being ordained doesn’t make you super smart,” Fr Hurrell said.

“It gives you the responsibility to learn how to carry out your ministry better.”

One person injured as cause of Kolomotu’a fire undetermined

By
Kalino Latu
-

The cause of a fire that engulfed a Chinese retail shop Thursday morning 18 has been deemed undetermined.

One person was injured, authority said.

The fire emergency services suspected the fire started from the cooking area located at the southeast part of the building.

“On Thursday, 18th January 2018 at approximately 0026Hrs Nuku’alofa fire station responded to a call for assistance at Kapetā, Kolomotu’a at a corner of Vaha’akolo road and Matealona road opposite Queen Sālote College,” a Fire service spokesperson told Kaniva News.

“Upon arrival, the fire crew discovered fire from the Chinese Store.”

He said about 70 percent of the store including merchandise goods was affected by the fire.

“Approximately 30 percent of properties was saved including cash amount of TOP$5,558.40.”

“There was huge difficulty in trying to determine the exact cause of fire. It was not able to gain any evidence that would help indicate the heat source. Therefore, the exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined, as we are still conducting investigations into its exact cause.”

“The estimated loss is valuated to TOP$200,000.00.”

Tonga to play in Hong Kong qualifier ahead of rugby sevens world cup in San Francisco

By
Philip Cass
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Tonga has secured the final Oceania qualifying spot for the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018.

The Tongan team will compete in the Hong Kong qualifier in April.

It won the place after winning bronze in rugby sevens at the Pacific Mini Games in Vanuatu last month.

Tonga beat the Solomon Islands 24-19 to join the 21 other qualified men’s teams heading to San Francisco on 20-22 July, 2018.

Tonga’s first appearance was at the 1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens held in Scotland.

Tonga held its inaugural rugby sevens tournament last October.

A total of 20 teams competed in Nuku’alofa.

Tonga sevens head coach Taholo Anitoni and his officials took the opportunity to look at players before the Oceania Championships in Fiji.

Samoa won the tournament, beating Fiji 14-17 in the final.

There will be 24 men’s teams in total at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018.

A total of 13 teams qualified either by their placings at Moscow 2013 or via the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and 11 through regional qualifiers.

To date, nine of the 11 regional qualified teams are known, with Tonga joining Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Two other South American teams will be known this month to complete the 10 regional qualified sides.

The 10 sides will contest the Hong Kong Sevens qualifier in April to determine who takes seedings 15-24.

The top 14 seeds will be allocated to series qualified teams, with the points from their 2016-17 series being added to the first seven rounds of the 2018 world series.

The main points

  • Tonga has secured the final Oceania qualifying spot for the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018.
  • The Tongan team will compete in the Hong Kong qualifier in April.
  • Tonga’s first appearance was at the 1993 Rugby World Cup Sevens held in Scotland.
  • Tonga held its inaugural rugby sevens tournament last October

For more information

Tonga book ticket to San Francisco

Inaugural Kingdom 7s kicks off in Tonga

Superyacht sails from Tonga to compete in Bay of Islands regatta

By
Philip Cass
-

Superyacht Ammonite has sailed from Tonga to take part in this week’s New Zealand Millennium Cup.

Ammonite is a member of the Royal Nomuka Yacht Club in Tonga.

Racing gets underway in the Bay of Islands this morning, Wednesday 24.

Ammonite owner Marcus Blackmore said the yacht would compete with a crack crew.

“We are still learning about the yacht after only three regattas and we are keen to do well and really look forward to being in the Bay of Islands,” he said.

This is the 10th time the Cup has been run.

The Cup is raced under the auspices of Russell Boating Club, Matauwhi Bay.

The Club has been organizing a Tall Ships Regatta in January each year for 42 years.

The Royal Nomuka Yacht Club is seeking sponsors to help funds its project to re-introduce traditional sailing skills to Tonga.

Club founder Don McIntyre said he wanted to work with local youth, teaching them to swim and use dinghies and to form a Tongan Sailing Federation.

Plans also include building five 6.5 metre twin hulled traditional canoes and to hold a formal sailing school in using using vakas for 15-25 year olds.

The Kaniva Tonga Band has been invited to perform  during the regatta to help promote the Tongan Nomuka Royal Club.

The  main points

  • Superyacht Ammonite has sailed from Tonga to take part in is week’s New Zealand Millennium Cup.
  • Ammonite is a member of the Royal Namuka Yacht Club in Tonga.
  • The Royal Nomuka Yacht Club is seeking sponsors to help funds its project to re-introduce traditional sailing skills to Tonga.

For more information 

New Zealand Millennium Cup

Prime Minister cleared of prostate cancer, gov’t denies newspaper report

By
Philip Cass
-

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva has been cleared of prostrate cancer.

A report from the Ministry of Health released to Kaniva News said a tissue sample removed from Hon. Pōhiva’s prostate was benign and showed no sign of cancer.

“Various reports in the media, stating that the Honourable Prime Minister is suffering from cancer, are untrue,” a government press release said.

“The Prime Minister and his family would like to thank all who have visited and offered prayers during this very difficult time.”

The release said Hon. Pohiva had been discharged from hospital over the weekend.

He had been in the Intensive Care Unit at Vaiola Hospital for observation and monitoring.

On Saturday his daughter Lautala posted a photograph online showing him and his wife Neomai and a friend spending time at a park in Popua.

His eldest son Siaosi said his father went to the Popua park after he arrived home.

As we reported yesterday, the Ministry of Health denied a report by Kakalu ‘o Tonga newspaper last week claiming Prime Minster ‘Akilisi Pōhiva has prostate cancer.

“The news is absolutely wrong and I do not know where they got their information from,” Dr. Sione Lātū from Vaiola hospital told Kaniva News last night.

Kakalu ‘o Tonga editor ‘Ulu’alofa Po’uhila told Kaniva News he had been subject to personal attacks on social media after he published the story last week.

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva left last week’s swearing-in ceremony in Parliament early to return to hospital.

It is understood his doctor accompanied him to Parliament.

Hon. Pohiva missed the first sitting of Parliament because he was in intensive care.

The main points

  • Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva has been cleared of prostrate cancer.
  • A report from the Ministry of Health released to Kaniva News said a tissue sample removed from Hon. Pohiva’s prostate was benign and showed no sign of cancer.
  • “Various reports in the media, stating that the Honourable Prime Minister is suffering from cancer, are untrue,” a government press release said.
  • “The Prime Minister and his family would like to thank all who have visited and offered prayers during this very difficult time.”

For more information

MOH denies report PM has cancer as family threatens to sue Kakalu newspaper

MOH denies report PM has “prostate cancer” as family threatens to sue Kakalu newspaper

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Ministry of Health has denied a report by Kakalu ‘o Tonga newspaper claiming Prime Minster ‘Akilisi Pōhiva has prostate cancer.

“‘Oku kanisā ‘a e Palēmia” (The Prime Minister has cancer), was the front page headline in Kakalu ‘o Tonga on Thursday, January 18.

“The news is absolutely wrong and I do not know where they got their information from,” Dr. Sione Lātū from Vaiola hospital told Kaniva News last night.

Dr. Lātū, a physician specialist and the Vaiola hospital medical ward superintendent, looked after the Prime Minister when he was admitted to hospital on Friday, January 12.

No details about his illness have been released.

Dr. Lātū said the Prime Minster was discharged from hospital on Saturday morning and was in good health.

The paper reported in Tongan:

“Ka ‘oku ma’u ‘e he nusipepa ni ‘a e fakamatala falala’anga ‘aupito ‘oku kanisa e Palemia´ pea na’e ‘osi ‘ilo pe ia ‘i he taha ‘ene ngaahi folau fakafaito’o mai ki Nu’usila ni he teemi na’e toki ‘osi´. Ko e kalasi ‘eni e kanisaa ko e Prostate Cancer ‘aia ko e kanisa pe ia he fakatangata e kakai tangata´ (Hufanga he fakatapu´).

This translates into English as:

“But this newspaper has learned from a very reliable source the Prime Minister suffered from cancer and this was revealed during one of his medical visits to New Zealand during his previous parliamentary term. His cancer was prostate, a cancer which develops on men’s private parts.”

Kakalu ‘o Tonga editor ‘Ulu’alofa Po’uhila told Kaniva News the issue was “pelepelengesi” (sensitive).

He was responding after we asked him to tell us if he obtained any medical reports confirming the Prime Minister had prostate cancer.

He said he did not want to make further comment on the issue.

Threats

Po’uhila said he had received a letter from one of Hon Pōhiva’s children denying the news and threatening to sue him and his paper.

He said he would publish the letter in his next issue.

Hon. Pōhiva’s eldest son, Siaosi Pōhiva, has also denied the paper’s report.

He said he was aware the Prime Minister’s office has considered filing legal action against Kakalu.

Siaosi said this was not the first time Kakalu had printed such allegations about  his father.

He said the problem was that the Prime Minister always preferred not to take legal actions against any defamatory publication against him.

Attacks

Po’uhila said he was a subject of personal attacks on social media after he published the story last week.

The editor said he sent his story to the Minister of Health, Hon. Saia Piukala, before it was published.

He said he also sought legal opinions from a legal counsel.

Hon Piukala said he told Kakalu ‘o Tonga the Prime Minister was recovering well, but the paper was insistent claiming Hon Pōhiva was in a serious condition because he was at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The Minister said patients who were admitted to Vaiola’s ICU were not all in serious conditions.

Internal Affairs 100-day plan looks good for communities as Ministry fights to improve reputation

By
Kalino Latu
-

Every town in Tonga is expected to hold its own community reunions, have sister cities and town and district officers must for the first time work according to a government handbook.

Minister of Internal Affairs ‘Akosita Lavulavu told Kaniva News her Ministry would help town reunions because the strong participation of members who lived overseas would help generate sources of income for their community development.

Annual sporting tournaments including football and netball were planned for each town and island.

Revealing details of the Ministry’s 100-day plan, Hon. Lavulavu said it included an effort to improve its reputation after it was the subject of the second highest number of public complaints to the Ombudsman.

Those complaints were lodged because the public were dissatisfied with the Ministry’s services, the Minister said.

Hon. Lavulavu, the only female Minister in Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva’s cabinet, said she undertook to hire and employ experts in areas where there were shortfalls in the Ministry in the past five years.

She said these shortfalls led to the Ministry’s failure to create an approved corporate plan, annual report, regulate laws, acts and policies that were necessary for it to function well.

Hon. Lavulavu said she expected laws regarding fono (community meeting) to make sure they could be fixed to suit current circumstances.

She said she planned to also create the Ministry of Internal Affairs Act,  Community Sports and Recreational  Acts, Social Welfare Services Act, Employment Empowerment and Creation Act and Local Government Act.

The Ministry of Sports is also under her control and the 100-day plan included trialling of high school athletes at the end of February.

She expected to visit all districts and meet with the Ministry’s partnerships and stakeholders in Tonga and overseas.

She said she would look for sister cities for Tongan towns in overseas countries including New Zealand, Australia and Korea.

Nuku’alofa is twinned with Whitby in the United Kingdom and Hazleton in the United States.

For more information:

Haʻapai and Dongguan become sister cities

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