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26 Tongan Students receive New Zealand Government Scholarships for 2018

By
Kaniva Staff
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The New Zealand Government has awarded 26 Tongan students with tertiary
scholarships to study in New Zealand or Fiji commencing in 2018.

Twenty-one scholars have been accepted into New Zealand universities and six scholars will study at the University of the South Pacific or the Fiji National University.

The New Zealand Pacific Scholarships and New Zealand Regional Development Scholarships are funded through the New Zealand Aid programme.

Acting New Zealand High Commissioner, Nick Hurley, hosted a reception on Wednesday
evening to celebrate the students’ achievement and to welcome home returning alumni.

In his speech he congratulated the scholarship winners and encouraged them to “seize
this opportunity.

Be bold. Be brave. Challenge yourself. Remember always that you are ambassadors for your family, for your village, for Tonga.”

The 2018 King Tupou VI Coronation Scholarship recipient was also announced as
Maletino Taumu’alelei ‘I Loyala Mafi, of Houmakelikao, Ma’ufanga.

This Coronation Scholarship is offered annually to the Dux of Tonga High School. Maletino is the second recipient of this prestigious scholarship.

The Guest Speaker, the Hon. Penisimani Fifita, Minister of Education congratulated the
scholars on their achievements and encouraged them to aim for excellence in their
studies, not simply a pass grade.

He reminded them that the funding they received was a privilege and urged the students to study hard to respect the honour of their selection.

King Tupou VI Coronation Scholarship recipient, Maletino Mafi, gave an inspirational
speech, reminding the other scholars going to study in New Zealand and Fiji that hard
work and determination are needed to successfully meet their goals.

That theme was underlined in the remarks by one of the returning alumni, Annelise Halafihi, who offered advice on perseverance in the face of challenges in an unfamiliar environment, drawing on her own personal experience.

The 26 New Zealand scholarship recipients will be studying qualifications from bachelor
levels through to master degrees and PhDs across a broad range of subjects from health
sciences, information technology, accounting, business, energy, medicine, environmental
management, engineering, aviation, commerce, economics and maritime law.

Scholarships are awarded with the intention that the knowledge and skills of an individual
will enrich Tonga and their communities following their completion of study and return to
Tonga.

The New Zealand Government invests over NZ$3 million in tertiary scholarships
annually for Tongan citizens to study in New Zealand or in the Pacific Region.

Fatal bus crash driver sentenced to home detention

By
Kalino Latu
-

The driver of a  bus that crashed near Gisborne, killing three members of a Tongan school group, was sentenced to five-and-a-half-months home detention.

Talakai ‘Aholelei, 66, appeared for sentencing in the Waitakere District Court on Wednesday 24. He was also disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to pay $36,000 in emotional harm reparations.

‘Aholelei pleaded guilty in the Auckland District Court in October 2017.

He admitted to 27 counts of careless driving causing injury and three counts of careless driving causing death.

‘Aholelei was charged in April and initially pleaded not guilty in the Manukau District Court on June 9.

The bus was carrying the Mailefihi Siu’ilikutapu College brass band, which was on a tour of New Zealand to raise funds for the school’s 70th anniversary.

It was on its way to a concert at Gisborne’s Wesleyan Methodist Church when it crashed down a steep embankment on State Highway 2, 30km south of the town.

Student Sione Taumololo, 11, and Talita Fifita, 33, died in the crash.

School teacher Leotisia Malakai, 55, died later in Waikato Hospital.

There were 53 students, teachers and supporters on the bus.

Dengue confirmed as cause of death of 12 year old girl, Ministry confirms 19 more cases

By
Philip Cass
-

Dengue has been confirmed as the cause of death of a 12 year old Tongan-Auckland girl last week.

Medical authorities have confirmed that there have been 19 other cases of the disease,
which is also known as break-bone fever.

Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola, CEO of Tonga’s Ministry of Health, told Kaniva News today the influx of
returning students and visitors to Tonga during the Christmas Holidays had brought in a
large pool of dengue viruses which caused the outbreak.

Toafei Telefoni from New Zealand died in Vaiola hospital on last Tuesday, January 24.

She had been due to return home tomorrow Tuesday, January 30.

Dr ‘Akau’ola said the girl had presented with what he described as “an acute febrile illness.”

Hospital staff initially thought it was a form of flu, but her condition deteriorated rapidly and showed signs of what he called “dengue shock syndrome.”

Blood tests pointed to dengue and a sample had been sent to New Zealand for further
testing and serotyping.

Dr ‘Akau’ola offered his condolences to Telefoni‘s family.

The CEO said most of the other dengue cases had recovered and others were in a stable
condition and expected to recover fully.

He said people were being urged to use insect repellents and mosquito nets to keep the
mosquito away.

The Ministry had also told people how to destroy breeding sites of mosquitoes near homes
to stop them spreading the disease.

Indications of the disease included fever associated with vomiting, abdominal pain,
bleeding and inability to take in oral fluid. If these symptoms were present patients needed
to be supplied with plenty of fluid to stop them going into shock.

“There were a few cases of dengue in Tonga in December 2017, but they were clearly
imported cases so the focus then was to contain any outbreak from them,” Dr Akau’ola said.

“We thought we were successful since we had taken similar action throughout 2017 when
sporadic import cases of dengue came into the country from other Pacific Island countries.”

Tonga suffered a major dengue outbreak in 2015 when, Kaniva News reported, there were
33 confirmed cases.

Dengue workshop

Meanwhile, Tonga has been represented at a workshop in Auckland which looked at new
technology that can be used to track mosquito borne diseases.

The workshop, organised by the US consulate, featured a number of items which have been
successfully been used in the Caribbean.

The CEO of the Zika Foundation, Dr Michael Callaghan, who spoke at the workshop, said
dengue was more terrifying than malaria.

It’s a terrible disease that really hits communities at several levels more than just any
terrible painful disease,” he said.

Dengue is being closely monitored in several Pacific states.

An outbreak of dengue late last year killed five people in Samoa and infected 2500 others.

Former hotel employee convicted of theft and accounting fraud

By
Kalino Latu
-

A Tongatapu woman who stole $21, 299.00  pa’anga from her former employer was convicted of her offences.

Selemana Fonua was guilty of false accounting and theft after the Supreme Court found she falsified documents namely spreadsheets with false names contrary to section 159 (a) of Criminal Offence Acts.

Judge Charles Cato convicted Fonua on January 19 on both charges and will be sentenced for those indictments later.

Mr. Cato said Fonua altered or falsified the Tanoa Hotels (Tonga) Limited’s payroll spreadsheet without its authorization.

Seventeen occasions found to have taken place between 22 May and 11 December 2015, a court document said.

Mr Cato said: “I consider also that, during this period, beyond any reasonable doubt she entered into this pattern of deceit so as to steal the proceeds of the inflated cheques for wages that were drawn by Tanoa during this period.”

The judge said each of the spreadsheets contained false names.

“The inference, I draw beyond reasonable doubt, was that the accused pursued this pattern of conduct so as to obtain the cash represented by the inclusion of the “ghost names”,” it said.

“Accordingly, I find beyond any reasonable doubt that, being employed as an administration officer for Tanoa Hotels (Tonga) Limited, she knowingly took the sum of $21, 299.00 ….. which was the proceeds of cheques drawn by Tanoa to meet wages and  fraudulently or dishonestly and without colour of right applied this to the use of another namely for her own use and enjoyment without the permission of her employer Tanoa.”

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

By
Kalino Latu
-

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
-

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
-

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
-

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
-

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

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