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Arrest by Immigration NZ draws compassion from Tongan community

By
Kalino Latu
-

The arrest of a Tongan man in Katikati, New Zealand has drawn compassion among family and members of the community on social media.

It was claimed the man overstayed his visa when he appeared in court today.

A Tongan community leader in Katikati told Kaniva News if anyone in the community had any problems with living in New Zealand and needed help they could contact her on 07 5493134.

‘Ana Kava, who has sponsored many Tongans to come to New Zealand and worked in the orchards at Bay of Plenty said she understood Immigration New Zealand was raiding areas in Katikati and had made arrests yesterday.

She said she could not bear to visit those who had been detained.

Viliami Tu’akalau Moala of Tauranga posted photos on Facebook with a caption saying it was he and his older brother after he was arrested by Immigration New Zealand.

He said his brother was scheduled to appear in court this morning.

Moala was emotional and asked Tongans on Facebook to pray for his brother.

He suspected somebody in the community had reported his brother to Immigration New Zealand.

Some Facebook users took to the comment section to share their compassion.

“Ofa atu kihe tokoua koeni mou talamonu atu kihe teu e hopo oku fai ofa atu toko.”

Translated: Send my love to this brother and good luck for his court case. Love you brother.

“Tuku pe Hoo falala kihe otua ke kau ae otua he gaahi feiga Oku fai kene fakafaigamalie gaahi mea kotoa sii ofa lahi atu kiho fofoga.”

Translated: Trust in God and engage Him to facilitate everything you are fighting for. Huge love to you.

Some commentators were infuriated by the allegation Moala’s brother was reported to Immigration New Zealand by members of the community.

“Hai kakai nau kei fai aga taeofa koia ofa tukua aga koia he ikai oc paaga nz alu o gaue ke mau hao dola kae tuku kakai kemau hanau moui.”

Translated: Who are these hateful people for God’s sake stop it as money in New Zealand won’t be run out go and find a job to earn a living and let the people (overstayers) make their own living.

The main points

  • The arrest of a Tongan man in Katikati, New Zealand has drawn compassion among family and members of the community on social media.
  • It was claimed the man overstayed his visa when he appeared in court today.
  • Viliami Tu’akalau Moala of Tauranga posted photos on Facebook with a caption saying it was he and his older brother after he was arrested by Immigration New Zealand.

For more information

Economist warns against slashing immigration flow 

Tonga out of passports until October

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The Tongan government has run out of passports.

A spokesperson from Tonga’s Department of Foreign Affairs said the shortage was due to high local demand and from Tongans living overseas.

“This is a regrettable shortfall, but we are doing everything we can to minimise the inconvenience faced by the public,” the spokesperson said.

The next stock should arrive about mid-October.

Temporary passports are still available for TP$57.

The government was doing its best to help Tongan citizens travel.

The spokesperson said Foreign Affairs was working with  neighbouring countries, including Australia and New Zealand  on ensuring no fraud is committed during the passport shortage.

Tonga’s temporary travel document was handwritten, not machine-readable.

If members of the public had concerns with travelling or lodging visas or permanent residency applications because of the requirement for a certificate of identity, the department would talk with them.

“My advice is for individuals travelling with certificates of identity between Tonga and other countries to also bring along other identification papers, driver’s licence, green card or their expired passport,” the spokesperson  said.

The main points

  • The Tongan government has run out of passports.
  • The next stock should arrive about mid-October.
  • Temporary passports are still available for TP$57.

Crash into church’s fence notorious for accidents in Ha‘ateiho

By
Kalino Latu
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A car crashed into a fence outside the Jehovah Witness church, adding to a string of incidents on the notorious stretch of Taufa’ahau road.

It has not yet been revealed whether there were any casualties in the accident.

Those who were familiar with the section of the road in Ha’ateiho quickly took to Facebook and said they were not surprised to hear there was a crash there this morning Wednesday 16.

Some were concerned about the number of accidents happened at the spot earlier this year.

Police have yet to release any information regarding the incident.

Meanwhile, a vehicle had been reported crashing into a Chinese store in Lapaha on Sunday.

The detail of that accident was still unknown.

Van hits fence in ʻAtele delays capital commuters

King commissions new inter-island ferry for ʻEua

By
Kalino Latu
-

His Majesty King Tupou VI has officially commissioned the new inter island ferry for the island of ‘Eua.

The MV Maui arrived in Tonga from Auckland on Saturday last week captained by Samiuela Pua, said Sunia Fili, the Chairman of ʻEua Sea Transport Council.

The TP$1, 776, 464.61 ferry was first owned by the Fullers Group of New Zealand before the Eua Council purchased it.

The 37 long and 7.2 metres wide aluminium double-hull ferry could carry 390 passengers and six crew.

The name Maui was chosen by the King because it was commonly used to name historical and traditional places in the island, a statement from the Palace office was quoted as saying.

As Kaniva News reported, the ferry was initially due in Tonga for last month’s Royal Agriculture show, but there were technical holdups including works required for its insurance cover.

This is the second ferry for ʻEua after the Council launched the MV ʻOnemato in 2013.

Heart-breaking image from the burning house in Kolofoʻou

By
Kalino Latu
-

A picture shows a heartbroken woman watching as a house in Kolofoʻou burnt down on Saturday 12.

Fire officials are still looking into the cause of the “structural fire” after they were alerted at 10.09am, a Fire Emergency service spokesperson told Kaniva News.

Officials believed the fire which destroyed about 90 percent of the “dwelling house” started in a room on the first floor.

The cost of damages to the structure and the content is around TP$75,064.20.

The firefighters were able to stop the flame spreading to next doors saving about TP$155,915.90 of properties, the spokesperson said.

No one was injured in the blaze.

Fire investigators were investigating the incident.

Surface flooding warning for Levin and Palmerston North 

By
Kaniva Staff
-

(New Zealand) Central Police are urging motorists to drive with extra caution in Levin and Palmerston North while surface flooding affects the area.

Flooding is affecting streets between Queen Street and the State Highway One / State Highway 57 intersection.

The roads remain open at this time.

Signage is currently in place and motorists should take extra care by driving to the conditions and reducing speeds.

Further information on areas affected is available on NZTA’s website: http://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/

Ministry rewards high level tax payers for  compliance with revenue laws

By
Philip Cass
-

The Ministry of Revenue and Customs is planning to reward customers who have complied with the kingdom’s tax laws.

The Ministry’s CEO, Kulufeinga ‘Anisi Bloomfield, said the reward scheme, to be known as the Heilala tax system, was aimed at ”deserving”  taxpayers who had paid high levels of tax.

The Heilala scheme was intended to encourage a culture of voluntary compliance with Tax and Customs laws that would enable the Government to continue to collect revenue.

Services and benefits offered to the members would include a private reception area with refreshments, TV and internet access at the Tax and Customs offices; prioritized processing of tax and customs requests; blanket tax clearance and access by members’ CEOs and senior managers to the VIP lounge upon arrival at the Fua’amotu International Airport.

Membership would depend on the ability of the taxpayer to maintain high levels of compliance and any additions to its membership would depend on the Ministry’s annual review processes.

The Ministry has selected 10 taxpayers to pioneer this system. They are:

A Cowley & Sons Ltd

Bank of South Pacific Tonga Limited (BSP)

Fexco (Tonga) Ltd

MBF Bank Ltd

Pacific Energy (South West Pacific) Ltd

PTH Ltd

The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints

Tonga Airports Ltd

Tonga Development Bank Ltd

Tonga Water Board.

The main points

  • The Ministry of Revenue and Customs is planning to reward customers who have complied with the kingdom’s tax laws.
  • The Ministry’s CEO, Kulufeinga ‘Anisi Bloomfield, said the reward scheme, to be known as the Heilala tax system, was aimed at ”deserving” taxpayers who had paid high levels of tax.
  • The Heilala scheme was intended to encourage a culture of voluntary compliance with Tax and Customs laws that would enable the Government to continue to collect revenue.
  • Membership would depend on the ability of the taxpayer to maintain high levels of compliance.

Usain Bolt bids farewell with ’emotional’ final lap of London track

By
International Media
-

Usain Bolt bade one final, emotional goodbye to a sport he has dominated for the past decade with a lap of honour at the end of the World Championships in London.

The Jamaican lapped up the acclaim from the packed London Stadium crowd who had stayed on after the final event to honour the greatest athlete in history.

Bolt was presented with a section of the track from London 2012, the Games at which he declared himself a “living legend” by defending his 100 and 200 metres titles, by athletics chief Lord Coe and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

Montages of his most famous moments played on the big screen before the 30-year-old circled the stadium to unrelenting applause, clapping the fans back in return.

“It’s been a rough couple of days for me,” said Bolt to the crowd ahead of his lap.

“To be in the stadium with such wonderful people, it’s going to be emotional.”

Bolt brought the curtain down on his glittering career in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable on Saturday night, collapsing to the track with injury, diagnosed as a hamstring cramp, as he ran the anchor leg for Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team.

He was helped to his feet and limped across the line. It was a sad and undeserving way to go out.

It meant the 19-time global champion’s final championships ended without another gold after he could only manage bronze in the 100m.

But his legacy remains untarnished. This was not a championships on which to judge Bolt the athlete, his hunger for glory apparently already sated, his greatness assured.

This last season, which followed three more Olympic golds in Rio last year, was one long lap of honour. A farewell tour for a “Goliath” as new 100m champion Justin Gatlin called him.

Bolt said that he was told after the 100m not to worry “as Muhammad Ali also lost his last fight, so don’t be stressed”.

“I don’t think this will change what I’ve done in the sport,” he added.

A giant of the sport thanks to his eye-watering fast times – his marks over 100m and 200m of 9.58 seconds and 19.19secs – look set to go unthreatened for many a year – his colourful, larger-than-life character and his ‘saviour’ tag in the face of so many doping scandals, his retirement leaves a huge void.

“I’ve always tried my best. Every time I touch a track I come out and give 100 per cent all the time,” said Bolt.

“I just want to entertain and put on good performances. The support has been immense.

“It’s really sad that I have to walk away.”

Athletes must reach “standard” before government offers funding, PM says

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tongan athletes who represent Tonga in international sport must reach a certain standard before the government helps them financially, Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva has announced.

Hon. Pohiva said this was a new policy set up by his Sports Department to make sure Tonga sent only the best to international sport competitions.

He said this was how other countries selected their athletes and he wanted Tonga to follow suit.

Hon. Pohiva said there had been big problems in the past because Tonga selected its athletes without making sure they could perform to the international standard.

He said the poor performance of Tongan athletes during the recent South Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea proved his point.

The Prime Minister said he was not blaming the athletes. It was just that there was no “system” in place in the past to make sure the athletes were qualified.

He said in this way the government would make sure it did not waste money on sending athletes to compete overseas.

Lord Nuku challenged the Prime Minister in Parliament and said this was not in line with the government’s announcement that it had cancelled the 2019 Pacific Games so it could spend the money on developing local sports.

However, Hon. Pohiva said the government had the money and was still willing to support local sports and athletics, but the new policy was to make sure any money spent on sport was justified.

He said the netball team recently went overseas for three matches and returned without any result.

With the new policy, the government had recently rejected requests for funding by the Tonga Australian Football and Tonga National Taekwondo federations.

The Prime Minister said the government assisted the Ikale Tahi’s recent tours, including its game against the Welsh in Auckland in June and Pacific Cups 2017 in Nuku’alofa.

He said as far as he remembered each ‘Ikale Tahi player received TP$4000 after the tour.

“Maybe they performed really well during this tour because of the financial support they received from the government,” Hon. Pohiva said.

Lord Nuku said he was afraid Tongan athletes could not qualify to participate in any international sport competition because of the new standard created by the government.

Hon. Pohiva said that during the recent Oceania Area Athletics  competition in Fiji a Tongan athlete joined Australian and New Zealand competitors in winning gold medals.

Hon. Pohiva said the Tongan athlete was the best in the Oceanian sports because he was tested and met the new standard.

New Director for sport

The Prime Minister also revealed the cabinet has just approved ‘Ikani Taliai as the new director for a Sports Institute.

He said Taliai and his assistants were responsible for training and preparing athletes from the lowest to the top levels athletes.

He said there was a plan for a meeting with TASANOC to see how they could work together with the Sports Institute.

The Prime Minister said that in the two years since his government came into power they had realised Tongan athletes who were sent to compete in overseas performed very unsatisfactorily (fu’u ta’efakafiemalie ‘aupito).

A lot of money was spent, but the results were poor because the athletes were not well trained and prepared.

There were not proper trainers and they went without making sure they could perform to the standard.

The main points

  • Tongan athletes who represent Tonga in international sport must reach a certain standard before the government helps them financially, Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva has announced.
  • Pohiva said this was a new policy set up by his Sports Department to make sure Tonga sent only the best to international sport competitions.
  • He said there had been big problems in the past because Tonga selected its athletes without making sure they could perform to the international standard.
  • He said the poor performance of Tongan athletes during the recent Commonwealth Games in Papua New Guinea proved his point.

For more information

Oceania Athletics Area Championships 2017

Man in critical condition after assault in Manurewa 

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Police are investigating after a man sustained critical head injuries following an assault in Manurewa, New Zealand last night.

Police received reports of disorder at the Backyard Bar on Great South Road around 3am this morning.

A large group were reported to be fighting and the victim was found unresponsive by Ambulance staff at the scene.  He was taken to Middlemore Hospital with serious injuries and has now been transferred to Auckland Hospital for further treatment.

A scene examination will be conducted today and an investigation is underway.  Police would like to hear anyone who has information regarding this incident.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that may assist Police can contact Counties Manakau Police on (09) 261 1300 or report anonymously via Crimestoppers on 080 555 111.

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