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Pacific Forum agency says Australia committed to helping small island states

By
Philip Cass
-

Australia’s Foreign Policy White Paper shows the South Pacific’s largest economy is committed to helping small island states like Tonga, according to Pacific Trade Invest.

PTI is an agency of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

PTI said the Pacer Plus agreement, which was signed in Tonga earlier this year, would be the key body for promoting stronger trade and investment in the region.

Pacer Plus was signed by Australia, New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

The Pacific’s two largest Island economies, Papua New Guinea and Fiji, pulled out before the signing.

Australia would also look at creating more opportunities for islanders to work across the region.

The PTI report said the Australian Government would focus on economic growth, security, fisheries and building more resilient communities in the Pacific nations.

“The white paper recognises the growth restraints faced by the Pacific region, including remoteness from markets, limited land and resource bases, the dispersal of people over many islands and environmental fragility,” the PTI said.

It said Australia’s policy on the Pacific had three priorities.

These were greater integration with the Australian and New Zealand economies, tackling security challenges with a focus on maritime issues and strengthening personal links, skills and leadership.

Australia has budgeted Aus$1097.8 million for the Pacific, of which Aus$15.4 million has been earmarked for infrastructure and trade.

The main points

  • Australia’s Foreign Policy White Paper shows the South Pacific’s largest economy is committed to helping small island states like Tonga, according to Pacific Trade Invest.
  • PTI said the Pacer Plus agreement, which was signed in Tonga earlier this year, would be the key body for promoting stronger trade and investment in the region.
  • The PTI report said the Australian Government would focus on economic growth, security, fisheries and building more resilient communities in the Pacific nations.

For more information 

Australia’s Foreign Policy White Paper: What does it mean for the Pacific Islands?

Care during her mother’s last days changed bride’s heart

By
Kalino Latu
-

A young Tongan man showed his love for his future bride by supporting her mother during the last days of her illness.

That love was rewarded with a wedding last weekend in Tonga and a chance to start a new life in Australia.

Siaosi Lopeti, who  was working in Australia, met high school teacher ‘Ana Maka when they sang together in a choir.

At the time Maka’s mother was bedridden with cancer. Siaosi regularly visited her mother when she was moved to hospital and comforted her while she was struggling with the pain.

Her mother died while Siaosi was still in Australia.

He returned to Tonga at the beginning of this year and stayed until August when he was granted a fiancee visa to travel back to Australia.

The couple were married in Pea Catholic church with a reception at Liku’alofa resort on Saturday.

The couple will return to Australia next week. Siaosi now has permanent residency after Maka applied for it on his behalf.

During the celebrations, Siaosi’s eldest sister Sesilia Ika Palusa praised Maka for her love for Siaosi.

Muddle in Parliament as MPs move to elect deputy Speaker

By
Kalino Latu
-

Parliament was briefly deadlocked this evening as the House was told to elect the Deputy Speaker.

New Deputy Speaker Lord Tu’ilakepa challenged the Democrats after they did not support a motion for him to be the Deputy.

“What happened “kau fakafofonga” (Democrats representatives)?” Lord Tu’ilakepa asked in the House.

The Member for Ha’apai 12 asked the Interim Speaker if it was possible to allow the Democratic Party members to see the king about the nobles’ refusal to accept their motion about who they wanted to become Deputy speaker.

He appeared to stand by the fact that the Democrats had reclaimed power and held the majority in the House after Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva was re-elected Prime Minister, therefore they have the right to decide who should be the Deputy.

At one stage outgoing Finance Minister Tevita Lavemaau scolded one of the MPs for interrupting while he was speaking in support of the nobility.

Hon. Lavemaau told the MP he did not want to be interrupted while he was speaking.

Hon. Lavemaau urged the Democrats to agree with the nobility and elect Lord Tu’ilakepa to become the Deputy.

Motions

The Democrats began moving motions for the Deputy position after Education Minister Penisimani Fifita moved for Lord Fakafanua to become the Speaker.

His motion for the Speaker was seconded and all MPs unanimously agreed.

He then moved for Lord Vaha’i to become the Deputy, but the noble turned down his proposal,  saying he did not have the experience to take the post.

Lord Nuku moved for Lord Tu’ilakepa to be the Deputy and was seconded.

The Democrats pushed further and moved for Lord Tui Ha’angana, Lord Tu’i’afitu and Lord Nuku, but the trio rejected it saying they respected the motion for Lord Tu’ilakepa.

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva finally spoke on behalf of his Party and told the Interim Speaker they supported Lord Tu’ilakepa to become the Deputy Speaker.

Because no other candidates were seconded for the post, Lord Tu’ilakepa then, according to the constitution, became the Deputy Speaker.

Lord Tu’ilakepa

On December 17, 2011, the Sydney Morning Herald, citing Australian Federal Police, reported that a Colombian drug syndicate allegedly bribed the then Speaker of the Tongan Legislative Assembly, Lord Tu’ilakepa, to sponsor a Colombian drug boss to come to the Pacific island.

“The drug boss, Obeil Antonio Zuluaga Gomez, wanted to direct an alleged operating hub from Tonga and oversee cocaine shipments,” the Herald reported.

“Despite having never met Gomez, Lord Tu’ilakepa wrote that he would ”guarantee that I will be providing the necessary housing and financial support to this person [Gomez] and take full responsibility for him during the duration of his stay.”

“I can also vouch that the aforementioned is an honest, trustworthy and law abiding person.”

Gomez has been previously imprisoned for drug trafficking.

As a result of raids prompted by the Australian investigation, Lord Tu’ilakepa was charged with drugs and weapons offences.

The charges were dropped in 2013. The then Solicitor General, ‘Aminiasi Kefu, said this was because the case was complex and because key evidence gathered from telephone interceptions was done outside of Tongan law.

Earlier this year Lord Tuʻilakepa claimed in Parliament that his application for a visa to the United States had been declined because Hon. Pohiva  had reported on him adversely to the US embassy.

Elections

Today’s elections took about nine hour, starting at 10am to about 7pm.

The media were allowed to sit in the House, but were told to leave before the secret ballots for the Prime Minister, the Speaker and their Deputy.

The whole programme however was broadcast live on radio.

Before closing the House, Interim Speaker Lord Tangi ‘o e Vaonukonuka thanked for the MPs for the excellent work they did today to make complete the election process.

For more information

‘Akilisi Pohiva is Prime Minister of Tonga until 2021

Lord Tuʻilakepa accuses Prime Minister of bad mouthing him to US embassy

‘Akilisi Pōhiva is Prime Minister of Tonga until 2021

By
Kalino Latu
-

‘Akilisi Pōhiva, 76, has been elected by a majority of Members of Parliament to become Tonga’s Prime Minister for the next four years.

A total of 14 members out of the 26 Members of Parliament voted for Hon. Pōhiva, while 12
MPs voted for the rival candidate, Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni.

Meanwhile, Lord Fakafanua has been elected as new Speaker of Parliament.

Hon. Pōhiva, who has led the PTOA or Democratic Party since its establishment in the last
decade told the House this morning before the election he was grateful to the people of
Tongatapu for electing him to Parliament from 1987 to 2010 when the old electoral system allowed the whole of the mainland to elect three candidates to the House.

He also thanked the constituents of Tongatapu 1 for voting him into Parliament since 2010
after the electoral system was changed to give Tongatapu 10 candidates to be elected to Parliament.

After it was announced at about 6.30pm that he was elected as Prime Minister Hon. Pōhiva thanked the king and the people for putting their trust in him again.

In his speech in support of Hon. Pōhiva, Hon. Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa, Tonga’s Minister of
Finance, said the results of the snap election showed that the majority of people trusted
Hon. Pōhiva and his ambition to have a government which supported good governance and
justice.

He described the results in Tongan with a Biblical saying ( Luke 6:43-45) “a tree is known by its own fruits.”

He said he supported Hon. Pōhiva to be Tonga’s next Prime Minister after his 30 years experiences as Tonga’s former Auditor General.

Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said one of his roles was to watch on government leaders to make sure they were accountable to their responsibility for people.

He then referred in his speech to some Tongan vocabularies such as “‘ikai toka’one” and “fōfō’anga” to describe previous government leaders saying they could not beat Hon. Pōhiva when it comes to principles such as justice and good governance.

Another Party member, MP Mo’ale Fīnau, said he believed previous governments upheld
justice and good government, but they did not maintain a constant level of support.

Hon. Finau believed Hon. Pōhiva stood firm in his desire to bring justice and good
governance to Tonga more than any previous Tongan government leader.

Hon. Fīnau said that in 2010 and 2014 the Democratic Party failed in its attempt to elect its
17 candidates or the majority of PTOA to Parliament. However, in the snap election they had won a majority of seats for the first time.

MP ‘Akosita Lavulavu for the Party told the House this morning that according to the snap
election results the majority of voters in the Vava’u islands, Tonga’s second largest island
group, wanted Hon. Pōhiva to become Tonga’s Prime Minister.

She said God wanted Hon. Pōhiva to become Prime Minister and that was embodied in majority of the voters who went to polls in the snap election.

She said he had promised her the government would help Vava’u in special way in the next
four years.

Niua MP Vātau Hui said the nation had been praying for an answer to the snap election and
the results had been given that Hon. Pōhiva should lead the nation.

However, MP Sāmiu Kiuta Vaipulu who nominated Hon. Sovaleni said MPs needed to work
together to build the nation.

He said prices for consumer goods were high because of a levy imposed by the government.

Democrats hold retreat in Hihifo as nation waits for election results tomorrow

By
Kalino Latu
-

PTOA members showed strong unity this weekend ahead of tomorrow’s election day for Tonga’s next Prime Minister.

All Party members attended a retreat for the party at Liku’alofa resort in Hihifo except for the Minister of Justice, who had another commitment.

The Minister of Police, Mateni Tapueluelu, told Kaniva News last night they just needed time away from the public.

The retreat was also attended by the Party’s unsuccessful candidates, Katalina Tohi and Tomifa Paea.

Lobby

Kaniva News has asked Niua MP Vatau Hui about allegations that he joined the nobility in voting for a Prime Minister designate who was nominated by MP Samiu Vaipulu.

Hon. Hui laughed and said that even while he was at the Party retreat, which began on Friday, he was still being contacted by one of the nobility and some of their supporters who made him various promises and asked him to join them.

He said he told his constituents he was running as a candidate for the Party and he had to honour and respect the response from all the Niuans who voted him to Parliament because of the PTOA.

Godly intervention

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva said he believed God has intervened and give him and his Party another four years to run the government.

He said their parliamentary term was supposed to end in November next year, but after the king dissolved Parliament because he was not satisfied with the government, the people made  the opposite happen.

“They voted us back to the House,” he said.

Hon. Pohiva said he trusted his Party members would  stand together and vote for him tomorrow (Monday, Nolvember 18) to become Tonga’s next Prime Minister.

As Kaniva News reported earlier this week, MPs will also elect the new Speaker of Parliament and their deputies.

The main points

  • PTOA members showed strong unity this weekend ahead of tomorrow’s election day for Tonga’s next Prime Minister.
  • All Party members attended a retreat for the party at Lifu’alofa resort in Hihifo except for the Minister of Justice, who had another commitment.
  • The Minister of Police, Mateni Tapueluelu, told Kaniva News last night they just needed time away from the public.

For more information 

Pōhiva calls Lord Tu‘ivakanō’s advice for king to dissolve House worthless

Pōhiva calls Lord Tu‘ivakanō’s advice for king to dissolve House worthless

By
Kalino Latu
-

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva said former Speaker Lord Tu’ivakanō’s advice for the king to
dissolve Parliament had proved to be worth nothing (“Tatau mo e fo‘i noa”).

He said people understood what he was talking about and that was why they returned him
and the Democrats to Parliament with an increased majority to Parliament in the snap
election.

“I am wondering what Tu’ivakanō would think of after the elections,” Hon Pōhiva said.

The Prime Minister said Parliament should replace Lord Tu’ivakanō on Monday.

His Majesty King Tupou VI dissolved Parliament after he received advice from the Speaker of Parliament Lord Tu’ivakanō.

At the time, Acting Attorney General ‘Aminiasi Kefu said the king had the prerogative to not explain why he had dissolved the House.

Lord Tu‘ivakanō later released a statement outlining the reasons why he advised the king to
dismiss the House.

He said he was concerned Hon. Pōhiva and his Party were trying to remove some of the
king’s power.

Hon. Pōhiva said the king still held the power of veto to reject any laws the Parliament has
passed.

He said the proposal they had been about to submit to Parliament would have to have been
signed by the king to become law.

“If the king did not like those amendments he would not sign them and we would have to
abide by his decision,” Hon. Pōhiva told Kaniva News.

He said the constitution allowed any Tongan to submit any laws and the process was clear.

They had to be submitted to the House to be discussed and if they were passed they had to
be taken to the king to sign. If the king did not want that law to come into effect he would
not sign it.

“That’s why I said Lord Tu’ivakanō has given wrong advice to the king to dissolve
Parliament,” Hon. Pōhiva said.

New Speaker

Next Monday (December 18), all MPs will elect Tonga’s next Prime Minister, the new
Speaker of Parliament and their deputies.

The new Speaker must be one of the king’s noble MPs, according to the constitution.
Hon. Pōhiva implied that if his Party won the premiership, they would vote for a new
Speaker.

He said he no longer trusted Lord Tu’ivakanō after he had “badly advised” the king.

“I and the PTOA have the numbers to decide who is our next Speaker,” Hon Pōhiva said.

Hon. Pōhiva has praised Lord Fakafanua as a “brillant” well educated young noble who had
shown himself to be bright and clever when he became Speaker of the House in 2010.

The main points

  • Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva said former Speaker Lord Tu’ivakanō’s advice for the
    king to dissolve Parliament last year had proved to be worth nothing (“Tatau mo e
    fo‘i noa”).
  • He said that was why the people returned him and the Democrats to Parliament with
    an increased majority to Parliament in the snap election.
  • The Prime Minister said Parliament should replace Lord Tu’ivakanō on Monday.
  • He said he no longer trusted Lord Tu’ivakanō after he had “badly advised” the king.

For more information
Non Party MPs should support PTOA and refrain from nominating a PM designate, says
Pōhiva

Speaker confirms date of election for Prime Ministership for Monday 18

By
Kalino Latu and Philip Cass
-

The Interim Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Lord Tangi ’o e Vaonukonuka, has confirmed the date of the vote for the Prime Ministership will be Monday 18.

Lord Tangi will hold a meeting with the Elected Representatives to the Legislative Assembly of Tonga on Monday, at the Legislative Assembly of Tonga.

The Interim Speaker will chair and lead this meeting where the Elected Representatives will elect the Prime Minister Designate from the two nominated Candidates.

Read more: Election date for Tonga next Prime Minister confirmed

The names of the Candidates and those who moved and seconded their respective nominations will be revealed at the meeting, the Interim Speaker said in a statement this morning.

MPs will also elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

Two nominations have been received for the post of Prime Minister.

The first nomination was lodged by MP for Tongatapu 10, Hon. Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa, on
December 5.

A second nomination was received from former Deputy Prime Minister and Vava’u 15 MP
Hon. Sāmiu Kuita Vaipulu.

While details of the nominations are yet to be revealed, one of them is expected to be Hon.
‘Akilisi Pōhiva, whose Democratic Party was returned to power in the snap election called
after the king dismissed parliament.

Kaniva News reported earlier this week that Hon. Pōhiva had called on nobles and non-
Democratic Party Members of Parliament to support his Party and refrain from nominating
any more Prime Minister designates.

Hon. Pōhiva said he understood the nine Noble members had been split on the idea.

Hon. Vaipulu challenged Hon. Pōhiva for the premiership after the 2014 election.

Hon. Pōhiva won with the support of 15 of 17 People’s Representatives, including all 10 MPs from his party, and five of the seven independent members.

All nine Nobles’ Representatives voted for Vaipulu.

Teufaiva stadium ready for business

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Tongan authorities said Teufaiva stadium is now ready for national and international events.

The New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga, Sarah Walsh, has officially marked the
completion of the Teufaiva playing field on Wednesday.

In 2014, the New Zealand Government announced that it would contribute NZ$2 million
towards upgrading Tonga’s national stadium in Nuku’alofa.

The aims of New Zealand’s contribution were to upgrade the Teufaiva Stadium playing field to encourage tourism, provide a quality venue for international, national and community events, and promote sports and active lifestyles for all ages.

The New Zealand High Commissioner praised the work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
and the New Zealand company, Field Drainage Specialists, who installed irrigation and
drainage systems, and the new playing surface, ahead of schedule.

The major construction works have been built to World Rugby standards, and earlier this year provided the opportunity for international test rugby matches to return to the Kingdom after nine years.

“New Zealand’s investment in the Teufaiva playing field is not only an investment in the
future of sports in Tonga today, but one which will continue to serve Tonga and its
people long into the future”, said Ms Walsh.

Methamphetamine seized in drug operation in South Auckland

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Six people have been arrested and an estimated 30kg of methamphetamine has been seized following a second wave of terminations in relation to Operation Sweden.

Those arrested yesterday were in Manukau, Lower Hutt and Masterton.

 These arrests follow the arrest of 11 people last week in Masterton on drugs charges as part of the same operation.

“Police are committed to protecting the community from the harm of illegal drugs and the arrests over the last week will go a long way to disrupting the supply chain for methamphetamine in the Wairarapa and the wider Wellington region,” said Detective Senor Sergeant Tim Leitch of the Wellington Drugs and Organised Crime Unit.

Five men and one woman were arrested yesterday with two facing charges in relation to the possession of methamphetamine and the other four facing conspiracy to supply methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine charges.

“Methamphetamine is a destructive drug that has no place in our communities.

While this drug is destroying the lives of users it is also harming the friends, family and community surrounding each user,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Leitch.

Operation Sweden has been a collaborative effort from Police staff across Wairarapa, Wellington and Counties Manukau.

 In addition to the arrests and seizure of methamphetamine a significant sum of cash has also been recovered.

Those arrested yesterday have appeared in court today with four remanded in custody and two released on bail.

Decision by Pacific Sport Council to sue Tonga “a waste of time”, says Justice Minister

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga’s Minister of Justice says a decision by the Pacific Sport Council to sue Tonga after it
cancelled hosting the Pacific Games in 2019 was a waste of time.

The Tonga Association of Sport and National Olympic Committee confirmed yesterday that
the Pacific Games Council (PGC) General Assembly fully supported taking Legal action
against the Tongan Government.

“All the members of the PGC General Assembly supported the legal action against the
Government of Tonga because of its cancellation of the hosting of the 2019 Pacific Games,”
the TASANOC statement said.

“The steps taken by the General Assembly of the Pacific Games Council to sue the
Government of Tonga was given full support by the membership of the Council – the 22
countries and territories of the Pacific – at its meeting held in Port Vila last Sunday, 10th
December, at the half-way point of the 2017 Vanuatu Pacific Games.”

It said the Council’s legal counsel in Tonga, lawyer William Edwards Jnr, has been instructed
to proceed on its behalf.

The damages sought by the Council were reported to be in the millions, it said.

However, the Minister of Justice, Hon. Vuna Fā’otusia, has questioned the grounds for action and the jurisdiction of the legal action taken by the Pacific body.

“What is the damage?” he asked.

“We told them we cannot afford hosting the Games and we do not have money for the upkeep and maintenance of the facilities after the Games.”

“Which court are they going to take the government to? The international Court?”

As Kaniva News reported in May, the Tongan government cancelled the Games because it decided it could not afford the expenses.

In June Parliament voted 12-9 to defeat a motion to keep the Games in Tonga.

Meanwhile, the Council has suspended Tahiti’s Pacific Games Association PGC membership
from the Games after a boycott organized by the French Polynesian Government – which
requested its local sporting federations not attend the 2017 Mini Games.

The French territory boycotted the event because the PGC continued to recognise a local
boxing federation that had been dismissed by the Government in favour of a rival boxing
federation.

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