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Man charged with reckless driving causing death after Haʻateiho hit and run incident

By
Kaniva Staff
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A driver has been charged with reckless driving causing death after allegedly hitting and killing a pedestrian on Saturday night in Ha’ateiho.

A 49-year-old man from Vainī and Kolofo’ou was arrested after a 21 year-old man from Ha’ateiho died from the incident on 23 September at around 11:40pm.

The victim was rushed to Vaiola hospital by members of the Ha’ateiho Community Patrol Volunteers.

He died yesterday 24 September 2017 at approximately 10am.

The accused was driving a rental car heading west on Taufaʻāhau Road when he allegedly hit the deceased who was walking beside the road at Ha’ateiho.

The suspect failed to stop at the scene. He finally stopped at Tofoa about 5 kilometres from the scene and contacted Police about the incident.

This latest fatal death brings the total number of deaths on the road this year to 2, compared to 18 road deaths in 2016.

The death brings Tonga’s road toll for 2017 to 2 while 18 people died in road crashes from January to September 2016.

“Accident like this is preventable and we all need to do our part to reduce deaths and injuries on our roads,” said Acting Chief Superintendent Sisi Toutai Tonga.

“Tonga Police would like to send their condolences to the family of the deceased. The accused is under police custody while Investigation continues.”

Third Tongan MP in NZ Parl’t says ‘It was a massive power and love of God’

By
Kalino Latu
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New Zealand’s second Tongan speaking Member of Parliament Anahila Suisuiki Kanongataʻa said she made a silent prayer after Labour’s election results last night had allowed her to enter parliament.

Two other Tongan MPs in parliament were Tongan speaking MP Jenny Salesa and MP Carmel Sepuloni who is of Tongan descent through her father.

Kanongata’a said it was a massive power and love of God that had given her the opportunity to join parliament. She said she prayed to the Lord to help her in her political journey.

New Zealand’s voting system known as Mixed Member Proportional or MMP meant a political party’s total number of seats in Parliament is filled with a mix of Electorate MPs and List MPs.

100% of results have now been counted and this is how the next parliament will, probably, look:

National 46.0%, 58 seats

Labour 35.8%, 45 seats

New Zealand First 7.5%, 9 seats

Green party 5.8%, 7 seats

ACT, 0.5%, 1 seat

The Opportunities party (TOP) 2.2%, 0 seats

Māori party 1.1%, 0 seats

The threshold to secure a seat in parliament is 5% of the party vote or an electorate win, which is how ACT finds its way in, with party leader David Seymour winning in Epsom.

The full list of results is available on the Electoral Commission site.

A final tally, including overseas votes, will be released on Oct. 7.

As it stands, the ultimate result meant both National and Labour needed the support of NZ First’s Winston Peters to form a government under New Zealand’s proportional representation system.

Peters had served in previous Labour and National governments.

“He told reporters on Sunday he had not yet received any calls from National or Labour, and had not contacted them.”

Supreme Court allows Ministry’s appeal on Tongasat tax argument

By
Philip Cass
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The Supreme Court has allowed an appeal by the Ministry of Revenue and Customs against a decision by the Tax Tribunal over a dispute with Tongasat.

On 14 August 2015 the Ministry issued Tongasat with a Consumption Tax assessment for the period July 2006 to March 2015 amounting to just under TP$18 million, not including  penalties for late  payment.

On 8 October 2015 Tongasat filed notices of objection to the taxation decision and the assessment. It argued that no services had been supplied within Tonga and that its services had been supplied through its office in Hong Kong.

The Tax Tribunal said: “Having studied the various documentation and agency  agreement obligations we have little doubt  that  most  of  the  work carried out by Tongasat  that  resulted  in  revenue  under the Agency agreement was performed overseas for the Government of Tonga though there may, at times, have  been some reporting and possibly meetings  to  update  the  Government that were held in Tonga,”

“Our finding is that the actual performance  of  the  agency  agreement  very  substantially, if not exclusively, took place outside Tonga  and thus the services were in reality  foreign services and not domestic services.”

Judge Scott, presiding, said in his report on the Supreme Court’s consideration of the appeal, that it appeared the Tribunal took  the  view  that since  the bulk of Tongasat’s business activity took place out of its overseas place of business, the services it provided through its Tongan place of business should be  disregarded.

Judge Scott said that in his view neither the existence of places of business outside Tonga not the proportion of business conducted overseas affected the question of whether tax should have been paid on services supplied inside Tonga.

“In my view there was nothing before the Tribunal to show that this was not the case  and accordingly the application should have been dismissed.”

Judge Scott said legal counsel for both sides  had argued that in view of the importance of the question of law raised and the very large sum of money at stake, a second appeal would be taken to the Court of Appeal.

“In my view the better course would be for that Court to remit the matter to the Tribunal if, following disposal of the appeal, there are still matters awaiting resolution,” Judge Scott said.

The Ministry’s appeal was allowed.

King welcomes appointment of first Tongan woman at UN 72nd session

By
Kalino Latu
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King Tupou VI has told United Nations leaders yesterday his country has welcomed the appointment of the first Tongan woman to a senior level in the international organisation.

Ms Fekita ‘Utoikamanu was appointed in April as UN’s new High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.

“We welcome the appointment of the first woman from Tonga and the Pacific Islands of region to shepherd the important advocacy and the facilitation work in the years ahead of the office for the least developing countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states”, the king said.

Tonga has fully supported the goal of gender parity including at all levels at the United Nations, he said.

The king was addressing the general debate of the 72nd Session of the General Assembly of the UN in New York on 19 – 25 September 2017.

His Majesty also said Tonga was supportive and contributed to works done by the United Nations to address the Pacific Island countries specific development challenges and negative impacts of climate change.

“We have and continue to experience the negative impact of ocean degradation to our livelihood and cultures due to anthropogenic activities and interrelated devastating effects of climate change”, the king said.

He reminded the diplomatic leaders Tonga had spearheaded the campaign to save and protect the existence of whales.

Tonga hosted this year an international whaling meeting and the king said his late father King Tupou IV signed a royal decree in 1978 to prohibit whaling in the kingdom.

This was four years before the international ban on whale hunting came into effect, he said.

Listen to His Majesty’s speech here: Tonga – King Addresses General Debate, 72nd Session

One arrested, two at large after Longoteme shop robberies

By
Kalino Latu
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Police were searching for two men after a suspect was arrested following shop robberies in Longoteme, a Police spokesperson said.

A 20-year-old man from Longoteme was arrested in relation to robberies of two retail shops in the town.

Police were called to a report of theft in a Chinese shop at the Kauvai area at 11pm on August 27.

The robbers took off with $4,900 cash and $200 pa’anga worth of phone cards.

Police were again called to a second robbery in Longoteme which took place on September 4 at about 1am in a shop belonged to a Tongan national.

The thieves got away with thousands of paʻangas worth of stolen items.

Police believed the two robberies were linked.

Cause of Sia Ko Veiongo house fire under investigation

By
Kalino Latu
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The cause of a fire that fully gutted a house in Kolomotuʻa on Wednesday morning was still under investigation.

The fire was believed to have been started from the northern side of the property.

Firefighters were called to the Sia Ko Veiongo residence on September 20 at about 11.35am following reports of the fire, a Tonga Fire and Emergency Service spokesperson said.

“House fully destroyed including structure & contents”, he said.

“The total cost of the damage was estimated at TP$49,800.”

He said a call to report the fire was first made to Police before the Service was alerted.

Suspected tsunami alert siren thief arrested

By
Kalino Latu
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Tonga police have arrested a man they suspect was responsible for the stealing of three civil defence sirens from Kolovai last month.

The 25-year-old accused was arrested in Lapaha on Friday night September 15, a police spokesperson told Kaniva News.

The accused was believed to have been a member of a group of workers from Lapaha who did maintenance road works in Kolovai.

Police had retrieved one of the three sirens and they were still searching for the remaining two.

The sirens were installed by the National Emergency Management Office.

Magistrate’s decision sent out wrong message, Supreme Court declares

By
Philip Cass
-

The Supreme Court has described a magistrate’s decision to release  a senior policeman whose vehicle had collided with another car with only a severe reprimand as manifestly inappropriate.

The court was told that on December 26 last year, a vehicle driven by Chief Inspector Ashley Fua collided with the rear of a parked vehicle outside a Chinese takeaway on the Taufa’ahau Rd at Fanga.

The parked vehicle was occupied. Chief Inspector Fua apologised to the driver and passenger and told them he would repair their vehicle. A number  of policemen arrived and officers noted that  his eyes were bloodshot and he smelt of alcohol.

Police officer Taufe’ulungaki took Fua to the hospital, but an alcohol test could not be performed because the equipment was not working.

The Chief Inspector accepted that he was at fault and said he would pay to have the other car repaired.

When he appeared before the Magistrate’s Court he was discharged without conviction, but was severely reprimanded.

The Crown appealed against the outcome and Fua  accepted  that  he  should  be  re-sentenced.

In the Supreme Court Hon. Justice Cato said the result had been “manifestly inappropriate” and that the sentencing process had miscarried.

“The Magistrate’s decision merely to severely reprimand was inadequate and sent out entirely the wrong message to the  public,” Hon. Justice Cato said.

He noted that Chief Inspector Fua had pleaded guilty immediately and had suffered embarrassment in the police force and in public because of the incident.

Nevertheless, he said that the Magistrate should have imposed a proper penalty.

He convicted Chief Inspector Fua of reckless driving and fined him $500.

The main points

  • The Supreme Court has described a magistrate’s decision to release a driver whose vehicle hit another car with only a severe reprimand as manifestly inappropriate.
  • The court was told that on December 26 last year, a vehicle driven by Chief Inspector Ashley Fua collided with the rear of a parked vehicle.
  • When he appeared before the Magistrate’s Court he was discharged without conviction, but was severely reprimanded.
  • The Supreme Court He convicted Chief Inspector Fua of reckless driving and fined him $500.

Maori Party responsible for inequality as National’s partners, Labour MP says

By
Philip Cass
-

Mangere Labour MP Aupito William Sio has hit out at claims by Tongan Maori Party candidate Manase Lua that Labour had done nothing for Pasifika people.

In comments reported by Kaniva News last week, Lua said Labour had backed 80 percent of the National Party’s legislation.

Sio, who is Labour’s Spokesperson for Pacific Island Affairs, said the Maori Party had been part of the National Government and were responsible for New Zealand’s growing unequal society.

“They are responsible for the growing unequal society we now have,” Sio said.

“While the wealth of the wealthiest New Zealanders continues to rise, we see more homelessness in our communities.

“People live in cars, garages, or share a bedroom among several people in a boarding house, a caravan, or hotel room.

“New Zealand never used to be this way. The Salvation Army tell us they see more and more people who work full-time coming to them for food parcels.

“All this has happened under the National government, supported by the Maori Party.”

Sio said that in Opposition Labour had challenged the Government on its spending of public funds and advocated strongly for more affordable housing, better fund healthcare, free education and for the lifting of family incomes and workers’ incomes.

“National has refused and only promised tax cuts, which favour the very wealthy.

“Labour has voted against the Government’s budget in the last nine years because we don’t believe in giving wealthy people more money at the expense of creating more poverty, more homelessness and making it difficult for families to put their children through tertiary studies.”

2014

In an interview with Kaniva News before the last election in 2014, Sio said that in the previous six years inequality in New Zealand had become severe.

“People come to my office for a variety of reasons and often turn up as a last resort where they just aren’t getting any assistance from the various government departments,” he said.

“A lot of these issues have been determined by the struggles our families are facing.

“There’s also the housing crisis which affects so many of our Pacific families.

“The housing crisis has also been exacerbated due to the government removing itself from providing state houses.”

In the same interview Sio defended Labour’s record against criticism from the Pacific community for its stand on gay marriage.

He said at the time that while he respected members of the gay community he had voted against gay marriage to reflect the views of the   majority view of his Pasifika constituency.

The main points

  • Mangare Labour MP Aupito William Sio has hit out at claims by Tongan Maori Party candidate Manase Lua that Labour had done nothing for Pasifika people.
  • In comments reported by Kaniva News last week, Lua said Labour had backed 80 percent of the National Party’s legislation.
  • Sio, who is Labour’s Spokesperson for Pacific Island Affairs, said the Maori Party had been part of the National Government and were responsible for the growing unequal society we now have.
  • “They are responsible for the growing unequal society we now have,” Sio said.

For more information 

Aupito William Sio

Haʻapai governor regarded development fund as a blessing for his own projects, report says

By
Philip Cass
-

The Governor of Ha’apai, Moʻale Fīnau, spent nearly all of a TP$150,000 meant for a community development fund, an auditor’s report has found.

The Auditor General’s office investigated the spending, which was allocated to the 2016/17 year.

It said the money was allocated to the Ha’apai Community Development Operation Fund.

Because it was located in Ha’apai it came under the governor’s budget, who used it as “he saw fit.”

The auditor’s report said the governor admitted that he was aware that the fund was for the Ha’apai Development Fund.

However, Governor Finau told Kaniva News today that he had asked the former Minister of Finance, ʻAisake Eke, to assign the $150,000 to his Haʻapai Governor office budget and not to the Haʻapai Development Committee as been done in previous years.

He said Eke agreed after he visited Haʻapai.

The money was spent on goods and services approved  by the governor.

The Noble’s representative from Ha’apai, Lord Tu’ihaangana, who is also the chair of the  committee, asked for an audit through the Speaker of the House, Lord Tu’ivakanō.

The report said the governor regarded the money as “a blessing” and used it to fulfil some projects he had wanted to complete for a long time.

These included a number of construction projects, including fencing, a grandstand and Jonah Lomu Park.

All of the construction costs exceeded the  Ministry of Finance and National Planning’s threshold of TP$7500, which requires projects to be processed through the ministry’s procurement division.

The report said most of the rest of the money was spent on cleaning up of Pangai downtown area and road side.

Proper procedures were not followed in hiring labour.

Assets purchased included a laptop for the use of the governor.

The report described the governor’s spending as “not appropriate.”

Funding for 2017/18 Ha’apai Community Development Operation Fund still came under the governor’s budget.

“The governor is advised to refrain from  repeating the practice,” the report said.

“It is advised that the governor and his office adjust their practices to be in line with government rules and regulations.”

Governor Finau said he had only seen the auditor General’s report yesterday and said its recommendations were “based on what he thinks.”

However, the money was under his control and his interpretation of how it should be spent was different.

The main points

  • The Governor of Ha’apai, Moʻale Finau, spent nearly of a TP$150,000 meant for a community development fund, an auditor’s reports has found.
  • The Auditor General’s office investigated the spending of the money, which was allocated to the 1916/17 year.
  • Governor Finau told Kaniva News the former Minister of Finance, ʻAisake Eke, had agreed to assign the TP$150,000 to his Haʻapai Governor office budget.
  • The report described the governor’s spending as “not appropriate.”

For more information 

Ha’apai Governor charged with careless driving after man injured

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