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It’s never too late to study says MIT graduate who left school 23 years ago

By
Kalino Latu
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Studying does not stop when you get older says Melenau Lino, who was awarded a Certificate in Cross Cultural Supervision last week.

The award came after she obtained her Bachelor of Applied Social Work last year.

Lino, who obtained her qualifications from Manukau Institute of Technology, said she was now looking for a Master of Arts programme.

“I am working full time as a Social Worker in Schools after my degree and still pursuing further studies,” she told Kaniva News.

“It is never too late. I am hoping our young people do not give up.

“Studying does not stop when you get older,” said Lino, who left school 23 years ago.

“It continues into adulthood and a little life experience goes a long way in tertiary study.”

Lino said the work her father did for the community influenced her.

“My influence came from the work that he did and also from older brother Unaloto who graduated with a Social Work in Bi-Culturalism degree from Te Wananga o Aotearoa in 2014.

“That influenced me to study and this field is my passion, working with young people.”

She said she struggled, but her musical talent helped her a lot while studying.

Lino, a notable singer in the Tongan and Samoan communities in New Zealand, said her musical talents helped her financially.

“It also kept me focussed and with my self belief that I could achieve my goals.

“My father worked in the Tongan community in the Maungakiekie area till he passed away in 2009.

“My children have watched me struggle and overcame so many barriers.  That will build their resilience to hopefully push them to one day pursue tertiary studies in their field of choice.”

Last week staff at MIT held a 2018 MIT Pasifika Graduation Thanksgiving Celebration to mark the Pacific student’s achievements.

The event was held at the Sir Noel Robinson Conference Centre at the Vodafone Event at Great South Road in Manukau city.

Successful students came from a variety of Island backgrounds, including Niueans, Fijians, Tuvalauans, Cook Islanders, Tongans and Samoans.

Speaking in their own languages, community leaders praised their achievements and encouraged them to never give up.

The event was accompanied by islands entertainments performed by each ethnicity.

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Royal tipped to become Minister in PM Pōhiva’s cabinet

By
Kalino Latu
-

A member of the royal family could become Tonga’s new Minister of His Majesty’s Armed Forces and Lands and Survey.

The Minister of Police, Hon. Māteni Tapueluelu told Kaniva News: “Me’a pee ko u ‘ilo ‘oku ‘iai e feinga ki he fale’alo ke kau mai ke ‘afio’i ‘e he Tu’i me’a kotoa he Kapineti pea ke confident ai. Kohai pau, I don’t know and we all leave it to PM to do that.”

This translates into English as: “What I only know is that there is an attempt to get one of the royal children so that the king would know everything that is being discussed in cabinet and that he could be “confident” as he would know about it. But who in the royal children, I don’t know and we all leave it to PM to do that,” Hon. Tapueluelu said.

The king has three children, of whom Princess Lātūfipeka Mata’aho Jr Tuku’aho, 34, is the eldest. The second is Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukālala, 32, and the youngest is Prince Ata, 30.

The Princess is currently Tonga’s High Commissioner to Australia.

She recently visited Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva in hospital. The Prime Minister told Kaniva News he felt very humble to have Her Royal Highness visiting him.

The ministerial posts became vacant after Lord Ma’afu resigned last month, citing lack of co-operation with Hon. Pōhiva.

Hon. Pōhiva, who is a blood relation of Lord Ma’afu, said he selected the noble to help him in steering the government after the electons in 2014 and again in 2017.

“Sadly, it is obvious that we disagree on a number of things.”

The two ministerial posts were of special importance to Hon. Pōhiva because of their link  to the king and the nobles.

He said the nobles owned a great deal of land while the king was the Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s Armed Forces.

Hon. Pōhiva said he did not want the king and the nobles to be worried if one of his party members became Ministers and controlled these ministeries.

The attempt to make one of the royal children a Minister could be interpreted to mean that Hon. Pōhiva no longer trusts members of the nobility after Lord Ma’afu’s resignation.

This would also mean there was no chance for his party members, MP Vātau Hui for Niua 17 and Tongatapu 5 MP Losaline Mā’asi to be given a ministerial post.

Meanwhile, the governor for Ha’apai, Party Member Mo’ale Fīnau has announced on Facebook yesterday that his tenure has ended.

He said the government was looking for a new governor for Ha’apai.

Transparency

The move to show that cabinet has nothing to hide from His Majesty was echoed in a statement by the Minister of Justice Vuna Fa’otusia last year.

Hon. Fā’otusia said the government proposed to amend the constitution so that Cabinet members became members of the Privy Council.

He said this would allow the ministers to talk and discuss directly with the king any laws or any amendments to the constitution right from the beginning to the end before the king chose to sign it or not.

He said it was a good idea to get the king involved in the process right from the start so he could really understand why MPs wanted to make or amend those laws.

It is understood this was one of the proposals that concerned former Speaker of Parliament Lord Tu’ivakanō who advised the king to dissolve Parliament last year.

Vainī serious crash shocks churchgoers

By
Kalino Latu
-

A serious crash on Taufa’āhau main road today Sunday 11 has shocked churchgoers and passers-by.

An eyewitness told Kaniva News a van veered off the road and crashed into a power pole.

A man and a woman could be seen in a photo purported to show the incident lying motionless outside the van by the roadside.

Bystanders, mostly in church attires, gathered to watch and help.

Halatoa Tāufa, who returned from a church service, took the photo of the incident. He said the man and the woman were from the van.

Police have yet to release a report on the crash.

The crash came after a fatal road accident last Sunday in Fo’ui which claimed a 36-year-old man’s life.

Police suspected alcohol was a factor in that crash.

Uaine Fa extends his unbeaten boxing record to 14-0 after majority decision over Lewis

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Uaine Junior Fa has extended his professional boxing record to 14-0 following a majority decision victory over Craig Lewis.

The New Zealand born Tongan remained undefeated after Friday night’s boxing in the town of Deadwood in South Dakota, United States

The majority decision was announced according to judges Juan Carlos Pelayo 78-74 and Benoit Roussel 79-73 scored their fight for the favored Fa, while Rey Danseco scored the action even 76-76.

Seven of Fa’s wins were knockout.

Fa was aggressive to start the eighth round, but he wasn’t able to hurt an exhausted Lewis.

“Lewis seemed to get the better of an exchange late in the seventh round, during which Fa and Lewis landed right hands. Fa drilled Lewis with two left hooks with just under two minutes to go in the seventh round.

“Lewis had some success in the fifth round, when he hit Fa with a right hand when there was just over a minute to go in it. Just after the fourth round began, Fa landed a left-right combination that backed up Lewis.

Fa connected with an overhand right that moved Lewis toward the ropes with about 30 seconds to go in the third round. Fa knocked Lewis back into the ropes with an overhand right early in the second round.”

Donor money allocated to cyclone recovery, but rebuilding yet to be budgeted

By
Philip Cass
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All of the $TP52.6 million donated to Tonga by overseas donors would be spent on the recovery process, the National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) has announced.

It said nothing had been budgeted from these funds for rebuilding and reconstruction of damaged buildings and houses. That would be another process it said.

NEMO said TP$23.6 million in cash had been deposited in the government’s cyclone Gita’s bank account, with TP$2 million deposited into its normal account.

Cabinet had allocated TP$21.4 for the Cyclone sub-committee to help the recovery process.

It said the money would be spent on specific areas including shelter, education, food and security, and communication. The smallest allocation, TP$200,000, will go to communications with the largest outlay, TP$7.7 million, going to essential services, including electricity maintenance.

About TP$10,000 worth of  donations had arrived by military aircraft.

Donors had made offers of more aid, but these had not yet materialised.

In its latest report on the state of Tonga after Cyclone Gita, NEMO said 819 households had  been destroyed and 3889 households damaged.

An RNZAF Hercules had flown in 299 agriculture tool kits, 78 boxes of education resources and accessories for Tonga Power Limited.

Three operational evacuation centres were still operating in ‘Eua.

Water quality testing and monitoring showed water was safe for consumption

In Tongatapu 60% of power had been restored.

About 80% of priority schools and evacuation cenres in Tongatapu had been sprayed.

NEMO said crops that could be harvested within four to six months were needed.

Other needs included feed for pigs and other animals and portable saw mills needed for logging of fallen trees for reconstruction and rehabilitation such livestock fencing and house repairs.

Food supplies have been exempted from Customs duty for the next six months.

South Pacific Business Development donated water and food items to more than 300 families in ‘Eua.

Digicel Tonga distributed water and school stationery to Maamaloa Side School, Tonga Side School, St. Francis Catholic School, GPS Nuku’alofa and GPS in the central area of Tongatapu; as well as food items and water to 34 homes of children with special needs.

For more information

New Zealand increases cyclone funds after PM Ardern meets Hon. Pōhiva

Double tragedy for family after fire destroys house, sister dies, in two separate incidents

By
Kalino Latu
-

A family who lost everything when their house was destroyed by a fire this week also lost a sister in two separate incidents.

The Tāvō family in Ha’alalo were thankful no one was killed in the fire but their aunt ‘Elisapeta Sau Toetu’u died in Hawai’i, the week before the blaze.

Nāmoe Jr Tāvō, one of the Tāvō’s children and who was in Hawai’i to join her aunt’s funeral services said the family went to immigration office to process his mother Hekina’s visa to Hawai’i when the disaster struck.

The deceased was Hekina’s sister.

“Lucky no one was in the house when the fire hit,” she told Kaniva news.

Nāmoe said they lost almost everything in the fire.

The family’s house was partly damaged in tropical cyclone Gita after it struck the kingdom last month.

Fire Services attended the incident.

It is understood the cause of fire is still under investigation.

Land Court supports claim for TP$10,000 in dispute over transfer of land lease

By
Philip Cass
-

Land Court supports claim for TP$10,000 in dispute over transfer of land lease

The land court has found in favour of a plaintiff seeking TP$10,000 in a dispute over a block of land.

Fuka Kitekei’aho granted a registered lease  of  his town allotment at Ma’ufanga to Sosaia Moehau.

A dispute arose concerning the transfer of the lease by Mr Moehau to a third party and the use of the land  for  commercial purposes contrary to  Cabinet’s approval.

At the hearing the Court was asked to determine whether Mr Moehau owed Mr. Kitekei’aho   TP$10,000 he allegedly agreed to pay for the grant of the lease and whether Mr. Kitekei’aho’s action to recover that sum was time barred.

The court case began in August 2016. The statement of claim  alleged that  Mr.  Kitekei’aho had entered into an agreement to grant a 50 year lease of his town allotment toMr. Moehau and that the lease had been approved by Cabinet.

The statement of claim sought  to cancel the  lease  because  of alleged breaches of the  agreement  by  Mr. Moehau, specifically his refusal to pay a balance of TP$10,000  as  agreed  compensation for the lease and in transferring the lease to  a third party  rather  than  using  it  as a residential  property  for himself.

The judge, Mr Justice Paulsen, said the statement of claim did not seek judgment  for the TP$10,000 but all the elements of a cause of action for recovery of that sum were pleaded.

The statement of claim pleaded the agreement between the parties to grant the lease for payment  by  Mr. Moehau of the  sum of T$20,000, that the T$20,000 was payable in two installments, that the second installment was to be paid when Cabinet approved the lease, that Cabinet approved the lease and that in breach of the agreement the second instalment of T$10,000 was not paid.

On June 9, 2017, the Court granted Mr. Kitekei’aho leave to file  an  amended  statement  of  claim.  Mr. Kitekei’aho no longer sought cancellation  of  the  lease  but  an order  for  payment of the  T$10,000  and damages.

In 2006 Mr. Kitekei’aho and Mr. Moehau entered into a verbal agreement pursuant under which Mr. Kitekei’aho agreed to grant Mr. Moehau a 50 year  lease of his town allotment. Mr. Moehau was to pay Mr. Kitekei’aho a sum of money for the lease.The application for the lease was approval by Cabinet in August 2006 and registered in December that year.

Mr. Moehau then almost immediately made an application to transfer the lease to Ms. Noleen Blake. Cabinet gave its approval to  the  transfer of the lease in February 2007. Mr. Kitekei’aho was living in Fiji and did not know that the lease had been registered until 2008.

Mr. Kitekei’aho then demanded Mr. Moehau pay the balance he said was owing for the lease. In January 2012  Mr.  Kitekei’aho wrote to the Minister of Lands asking him to cancel the lease.   In December that year the judge said he found Mr.  Kitekei’aho’s to  be an honest  and credible witness.

He said much of the evidence put forward on Mr. Moehau’s behalf was implausible. He rejected claims that the money owed to Mr. Kitekei’aho had been paid in three instalments, including a lump sum in US dollars.

Mr Justice Paulsen found in favour of Mr. Kitekei’aho against Mr . Moehau for TP$10,000.

The judge said Mr Kitekei’aho was also entitled to costs.

The main points

  • The land court has found in favour of a plaintiff seeking TP$10,000 in a dispute over a block of land.
  • Fuka Kitekei’aho granted a registered lease  of  his town allotment at Ma’ufanga to Sosaia Moehau.
  • A disputes arose concerning the transfer  of the lease by Mr Moehau to a third party and the use of the land  for  commercial purposes contrary to  Cabinet’s
  • At the hearing the Court  was asked  to  determine  whether Mr  Moehau   owed Mr.  Kit ekei’aho   TP$10,000 he allegedly agreed to pay for the grant of the lease

Allegation against Police commissioner by Tapueluelu untrue, says AG

By
Kalino Latu
-

Acting Attorney General and Director of Public Prosecutions ‘Aminiasi Kefu said an allegation by the Minster of Police aired on Radio FM 87.5 against the Police Commissioner was absolutely incorrect and untruthful.

The Acting Attorney General was responding after Police Minister Māteni Tapueluelu reportedly said the arrests of the political leaders was an attempt by the Commissioner to extend his contract which will end in April.

“I do not believe that this is clear from him trying to be seen favourably by the Government and to justify that he should continue,” a statement from the Attorney General’s office quoted Hon. Tapueuelu as saying.

“And we do not want work to be pushed when the contract is nearly completed and then we make moves to do something,” the statement said of the Minister.

As Kaniva News reported last week, Police have arrested and charged former Prime Minister, Lord Tu’ivakanō with passport offences, money laundering and bribery.

About one day later Police arrested and charged the Minister of Internal Affairs and her husband with various fraud related charges.

Tapueluelu, who returned to his office this week after his resignation was rejected by the Prime Minister, told Kaniva News he was concerned over “lack of supervision” by the Ministry of Police under the control of Mr Caldwell.

He tendered his resignation on February 27 after Cabinet did not support his submission to recommend the Privy Council’s Judicial Appointment and Discipline Panel to sack Mr. Caldwell.

Kefu said Hon. Tapueluelu’s allegation implied that these arrests and laying of criminal charges was conducted with improper motives and methods.

“The Attorney General’s Office wishes to state that this allegation is absolutely incorrect and untruthful.”

“The allegation has been made without the full knowledge and appreciation of the process or the contents of the Tonga Police investigation, and the support provided to the Tonga Police investigation by the Attorney General’s Office.

“The Attorney General’s Office regrets that is has been forced once again to make a media release regarding criminal matters before the Courts, especially to counter an allegation made by a Cabinet Minister.

However this media release has to be made because of the allegation made, and in the interests of protecting the course of justice, the integrity of the criminal investigation and criminal prosecution that has commenced arising from these investigations, and also to protect the reputations of the Police investigators and Crown prosecutors who have worked loyally, tirelessly and professionally behind the scenes to bring these matters before the Courts for final determination, so that justice may prevail.”

The Minister of Police was contacted for comment.

You can follow this link to read the full statement by the Attorney General’s office.

Kiliki ‘i he halangaope ko ‘eni ke ke lau kakato ‘a e fakamatala faka-Tonga mei he ‘Ofisi ‘Ateni Seniale.

Further information

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva submits his cabinet lineup to the king

Armed Forces threatens action over weapon import claims, but Police Minister describes threat as is ‘imprudent’

By
Kalino Latu
-

Police Minister Māteni Tapueluelu has clashed with Commander Taniela Tuita of His Majesty’s Armed Forces.

The two have exchanged a barrage of words after Hon. Tapueluelu claimed the importations by the Forces after the king dissolved Parliament last year of ammunition was unlawful.

In a statement in Tongan released to Kaniva News and other news media Commander Tuita threatened that the Armed Forces would respond according to the law to anybody who did anything unlawful.

Commander Tuita said the accusation against the Forces has degraded its reputation. He said the Armed Forces was ready if the Minister of Police took legal action against them.

Commander Tuita said claims that the “purchase” (fakatau mai) was unlawful were untrue.

In response, Hon. Tapueluelu told Kaniva New, the Armed Forces “was lying” in its statement.

Hon. Tapueluelu said he did not say the purchase was unlawful.

“What I have said, and I am saying, and I will be standing by it, was that the ‘importation’ was unlawful,” the Minister said.

The Minister said he did not take the Forces threat lightly.

“It has threatened the public,” Hon. Tapueluelu said.

“These are people who suffered after tropical cyclone Gita.”

“They are trying to rebuild their homes and help each other in this time of difficulties.”

He said it was imprudent of the Armed Forces to make such threats to people who are living at peace.

Hon. Tapueluelu warned that making warnings for the purpose of keeping the peace in the country was his responsibility and that of his Ministry, not the Armed Forces.

Hon. Tapueluelu told Kaniva News the only reason the Armed Forces agreed for the Police and Customs to seize the shipments was because the importation was unlawful.

He claimed the Forces Brigadier came to his office and apologised for what had happened.

Armed Forces denial

Commander Tuita said : “His Majesty’s Armed Forces has vehemently denied the claim which had been released saying the Forces unlawfully purchased ammunition which arrived in Tonga between August and December 2017.”

“This accusation has no legal basis or truth,” Tuita said.

Tuita claimed that after a meeting with the Police Minister to clarify the issue, the ammunition and weapons were returned to the control of the Police.

He said the purpose of returning the shipments was to give the Police Minister the opportunity to confirm the legal basis of the importation.

Tuita claimed the Forces talked to the government’s procurement department in 2016 in an attempt to import the ammunition. The purchase was budgeted in the 2016 – 17 financial year. A total of 80 per cent the payment was processed in January 11, 2017 and the remaining 20 per cent was paid in June 2017.

He said the Forces applied for a permit to import the ammunition on October 2. 2017, The permit was approved on October 6, 2017.

As Kaniva News reported on March 3, the approval was signed by Police Deputy Commissioner ‘Unga Fa’aoa. Hon. Tapueluelu said Fa’aoa had no power to do this.

Tuita said the VOEA Neiafu arrived in Tonga with the first shipment from Australia on October 6, 2017. He claimed Cabinet approved the request on October 13, 2017 and after it was cleared by Custom it was delivered to Taliai camp. The second shipment arrived from New Zealand on December 6 2017.

He admitted, the Forces returned the first shipment to Police and the second shipment to the Ministry of Customs. He said the amount of ammunition and weapon imported were far too small for the training and preparation of the army for the next five years.

Cabinet approval

Hon. Tapueluelu said the decision of Cabinet to waive duty to which Tuita referred to, was meant for a request from the king through his Lord Chamberlain to the Minister of Police to allow an importation of firearms and 600 ammunition for His Majesty.

Lord Ma’afu, the then Minister of His Majesty’s Armed Forces, submitted the request to Cabinet. Hon. Tapueluelu said because he was unaware of the controversial importation Fa’ao had approved, he supported Cabinets decision to allow the king’s request.

He said when he returned home for the day his ministerial driver passed him a letter seeking his signature on an application to import ammunition.

It was a letter from the Armed Forces to approve the importation of ammunition. He said he immediately became aware there was something wrong as Cabinet had just approved a request about a shipment of ammunition. He returned to his office the following day and after tracing back documents, it became clear this was not the king’s request.

He said the request related to the importation of 400,000 rounds which had been approved by Deputy Commissioner ‘Unga Fa’aoa. He said he did not know why they sought his signature after it was first approved by Fa’aoa.

The law

Hon. Tapueluelu said according to section 15 of the Arms and Ammunition Act, Chapter 20 Laws of Tonga, Revised Edition 2016, all applications for the importation of ammunition could only be approved by the Minister of Police.

The relevant section says:

(1) No person shall import any arm or ammunition or parts of arms and ammunition into the Kingdom from a place without the Kingdom unless he holds a licence in that behalf:

(2) Such licence may be obtained on application to the Minister of Police on payment of the prescribed fee and shall be in the prescribed form.

(3) Every holder of such licence shall endorse thereon descriptive particulars of all arms and ammunition or parts of arms and ammunition imported thereunder, and shall return such licence to the Minister of Police or to the nearest police station within 3 days from the expiration of the terms allowed thereby.

Reloading machines were unlawful

As Kaniva News reported, three reloading machines were imported by the Forces which were seized by Police.

These machines were made to assemble ammunition  by re-using cases or shells that had previously been fired.

Hon. Tapueluelu claimed the machines were prohibited under the law which banned the manufacturing of arms in Tonga.

The law says:

  • Any person who manufactures any arm or ammunition shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to both such imprisonment and fine.

For more information

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva submits his cabinet lineup to the king

Tapueluelu returns to office as relationship with Police commissioner loom large

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga’s Minister of Police has returned to his office after Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva rejected his shock resignation.

Hon. Tapueluelu confirmed he has returned to work.

The Prime Minister said Tapueluelu resigned after he felt his cabinet colleagues were not keen to support a cabinet submission he initiated to sack Police Commissioner Steve Caldwell.

In his email to Kaniva News yesterday it appeared the Minister’s working relationship with Mr. Caldwell was still in trouble.

Hon. Tapueluelu  told us he was concerned at “lack of supervision” by the Ministry of Police under the control of Mr Caldwell.

Hon. Tapueluelu referred to recent criminal activities including a jailbreak last month which saw five prisoners fleeing a prison in Nukunuku and disappeared into the community.

Hon. Tapueluelu said two of these prisoners were later arrested and charged in relation to the death of a Chinese couple Police found their bodies in a bush allotment in Matafonua on February 25.

The Minister said he was concerned that this had happened while the king was in China.

He said the alleged killing of the Chinese couple came after an American citizen, Dean Jay Fletcher, who was accused of killing his wife in Vava’u, escaped a prison in Neiafu in 2016 and managed to flee the kingdom and arrived in Samoa.

Fletcher was then escorted to Hawai’i where the US authorities eventually freed him.

Hon. Tapueluelu claimed no one in the Vava’u Police had been held accountable after the Fletcher case.

Caldwell told Kaniva News in an email that he is confined by what he can say publicly on individual criminal and disciplinary cases currently under investigation.

As we reported, concerns at whether or not any disciplinary actions were made against Vava’u Police officers in regard to Fletcher’s case had been raised in a petition to the Police Minister by three suspended Officers last month.

Mr Caldwell said the complaints were not new to him and claimed those cases had been relitigated on previous occasions.

For further information

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva submits his cabinet lineup to the king

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