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TASANOC refuses to pay back loan, urges government to convert it into grant

By
Kalino Latu
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Tonga’s national sport organization TASANOC has refused to pay back $600,000 it borrowed from the government saying it was pushing for the Minister of Finance  to convert it into grant.

The money was given to assist more than 50 athletes who arrived at Fu’amotu airport two years ago to find their names weren’t on the passenger list to PNG to represent Tonga during Pacific Games 2015.

On Tuesday Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva said TASANOC has yet to pay back its loan.

TASANOC Secretary General Takitoa Taumoepeau has said the national sport authority’s AGM in 2015 had “challenged” the validity of the loan.

He said members of the AGM asked whether an individual or a private organisation could borrow money from government.

He said he was told by the AGM to write to the Minister of Finance and urge him to convert the loan into a grant.

It is understood the paper works for the loan were processed after the money was granted.

Taumoepeau said he has written to the outgoing Finance Minister ‘Aisake Eke asking for the conversion and he has yet to receive a response.

He said he wanted to follow it up with the current Minister of Finance Tevita Lavemaau.

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva was dissatisfied with how the TASANOC handled the athletes travel in 2015 and had demanded an immediate report.

At the time it has been revealed the government had already provided TASA with TP$464,000 as its contribution towards the players travel costs.

For more information

Stranded sport teams leave for PNG, PM demands report from TASA

Fusimālohi resigns amidst uproar over claims of too much politics and no work at TASANOC

Man in custody for attacking woman with machete after argument over car damage

By
Kalino Latu
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A Tokomololo man had allegedly injured a woman from Pahu with a machete after he thought she had vandalised his car on Monday night.

The 31-year-old woman who suffered serious injuries had been recovering in Vaiola hospital.

Police said the 29-year-old man has been charged with grievous bodily harm.

A date was to be set for the accused to appear in court.

Police investigation continues.

Fonohema Dux: Cultural roots divide kainga on social media

By
Kalino Latu
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The announcement of the dux of this year’s combined government recruit course has sparked a light hearted battle online as different branches of his family claim the credit for his success.

Viliami Hopoate Fonohema was made dux of Tonga’s 61st Combined Recruit course, which trains new recruits for the Police, Fire and Prison services and His Majesty’s Armed Forces.

Recruits sat the same examinations and had their prize giving together at Taliai Military Camp in Fua’amotu last week.

Gabriel Naeata of Ta’anea Vava’u was awarded second place and Siaosi Vea of Ha’apai and Tongatapu was placed third.

The outstanding recruit for the Ministry of Fire was Viliami Patolo of Tafahi, Vaipoa and Veitongo Tongatapu while Sione Lavakei’aho of Falaleu Vava’u and Popua Tongatapu won the outstanding prize for the Prison Department.

It is normal practice in Tonga when it comes to achievement and the winning awards that the place of birth of the awardees and their parents have to be part of the announcement.

Fonohema’s uncle, who goes by the name Enele Ma’afu on Facebook, congratulated his achievement.

“Congratulations to my nephew Viliami Fonohema for being the Best Overall Recruit and also the Best Overall soldier recruit from His Majesty’s Armed Forces. Malo e ako,” he wrote.

He also said in Tongan: “I understand the kainga from Falevai, Vava’u and Tongaleleka are claiming you come from them, but I reckon you come with me to the Kali ko Mavaetangi ( Ha’asini  Tongatapu).”

Fonohema’s mother, who uses the Facebook name Funga Niu’ui, agreed, saying: “That’s the place where they can shout out and express their joy in times of happiness and triumph.”

Another person, Api ko Fakala’a, joined in and said Fonohema was from Tofoa, the place where he grew up and said the village name had been carried far and wide because of his great achievement.

Another cousin of Fonohema by the name Peni Junior Tutuila, thanked Fonohema’s parents and attributed his achievement to his side of Tongoleleka, saying his wisdom came from them.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala was the Guest of Honour at the graduation, and presented the prizes.

He congratulated the 61st combined recruits on their achievements and urged them to make use of what they had learned at the training camp.

The main points

  • The announcement of the dux of this year’s combined government recruit course has sparked a light hearted battle online as different branches of his family claim the credit for his success.
  • Viliami Fonohema was made dux of Tonga’s 61st Combined Recruit course, which trains new recruits for the Police, Fire and Prison services and His Majesty’s Armed Forces.
  • Recruits sat the same examinations and had their prize giving together at Taliai Military Camp in Fua’amotu.
  • Gabriel Naeata of Ta’anea Vava’u was awarded second place and Siaosi Vea of Ha’apai and Tongatapu was placed third.

Kelikao man burnt in blaze which costs his family thousands

By
Kalino Latu
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A 36-year-old Houmakelikao man was hospitalised after a fire that costs his family thousands ripped through their house destroying one vehicle on Saturday 27 at about 5am.

He was admitted to hospital with “minor” burns to his head, arm and hands, a Fire Service spokesman said.

It is understood the man was trying to bring his three children and his wife outside from the fire.

The house was well alight when the Fire fighters arrived.

Damages were estimated at $51,000 after the fire erupted at 4.48am, the spokesperson said.

A vehicle was destroyed in the blaze while another was saved, he said.

It is also understood the man had been discharged from hospital.

The cause of the fire was “undetermined” and fire safety officers were investigating how the blaze started.

Real Tonga CEO denies claims of cheap aircraft leases, says no room for second airline

By
Kalino Latu and Philip Cass
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Real Tonga CEO Tevita Palu said today the Tongan market was too small to support another airline.

Palu was responding to a suggestion by Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva at a meeting yesterday that the kingdom should have another airline to compete with Real Tonga.

“There is not enough work locally to support two local airlines,” he said.

Palu said criticism of Real Tonga’s pricing structure was unfair since it was made against Air New Zealand.

“Fare comparison is done on a seat basis,” he said.

“We cannot compare airfares on a B777 aircraft carrying over 350 passengers operating on a market of four million people with a small aircraft carrying 30 passengers operating on a limited market of 100,000 people.”

He said airfares in Tonga could be reduced by having lower fuel prices, localisation of pilots and engineers, better airports and weather forecast systems, fewer taxes and better regulatory support from the government.

Palu denied claims that the MA60 and Y12 aircraft the government leased to his airline were provided cheaply by international standards.

Former government Civil Aviation Minister Etuate Lavulavu, said they were leased out at $1500 per hour.

“Under what basis does the government think the lease is cheap?” Palu asked.

“Our current lease rate is more expensive that normal commercial lease compare to similar capacity aircraft type.”

The Prime Minister said the government rate was designed to subsidise airfares, including the flight to the Niuas. Real Tonga operates a weekly service, charging TP$344 to Niuafoou and TP$269 to Niuatoputapu from Vavau.

Palu said there had been TP$11.50 ($10 airport levy plus CT) fare adjustment which is on the Vava’u sector in January this year.

MP Akosita Lavulavu complained that she had been charged the new passenger tax for each of four sectors of a flight from Tongatapu to Vava’u.

She said Real Tonga told her that because the aircraft landed in Ha’apai before Vava’u, charges were made for two sectors on the outward and returns legs of the journey.

In December last year the government refused an operating license to Tonga Airways.

Tonga Airways was a partly Tongan, partly foreign owned venture which said it would bring cheaper airfares to Tonga.

Last month Real Tonga sent a chartered plane back to Australia after it has not been used for three months because of a fall in demand.

Tonga Radio said more people were understood to sailing between the islands after improvements in services and cheaper fares.

The main points

  • Real Tonga CEO Tevita Palu said today the Tongan market was too small to support another airline.
  • Palu was responding to a suggestion by Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva at a meeting yesterday that the kingdom should have another airline to compete with Real Tonga.
  • “There is not enough work locally to support two local airlines,” he said.
  • Palu said criticism of Real Tonga’s pricing structure was unfair since it was made against Air New Zealand.

Dangerous prisoner still at large on Tongatapu

By
Kalino Latu
-

A “dangerous” remand prisoner remains at large three weeks after he escaped from a Tongatapu magistrate court while waiting to defend an offence.

Tonga Police are still searching for Amoni Fifita who is in his 20s.

Police have said Fifita is considered dangerous and members of the public have been warned not to approach him.

This was the second time he has escaped from Police custody.

On January 31 Fifita and another inmate escaped the Central Police Custody and robbed a shop owner at gun-point.

They were arrested two days later after the other inmate was located at Hofoa while Fifita was found at Ha’ateiho.

If anyone has any information on his whereabout, they can contact their local Police station or call 922 immediately.

Those who say we must have the Games don’t care if the country suffers, Dr Tu’i’onetoa says

By
Kalino Latu
-

Minister of Customs and Revenue Dr. Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa said people who insist Tonga must have the Pacific Games do not care whether the people suffer.

Those who wanted to bring the Games to Tonga just wanted to look for themselves and what they could get, he said.

In Tongan he said: “‘Oku i ai etau lea Tonga oku pehe, Tangi ke vikia ka e ʻau e kainga. Oku úhinga ki ha taha oku vivili ke lava hono loto, pea tokoni hono fangatokoua mo hono kainga ofi ke lava é ne katoanga mo hono loto, ka e ikai tokanga ia ki he faingataáia óku fuesia é hono kainga ofi neongo a e masiva, he feinga ka tauhi vahaá mai ke lava hono loto. “

Translated: “We have a Tongan saying ‘You insist on being praised by the kāinga but they will suffer as a result.’ This refers to some one who insists on doing what he or she wants and seeks the help of his or her siblings and immediate relatives to help stage his or her celebration. He or she knew they were poor, but he or she did not care about it as long as his or her celebration is done”.

Dr Tuʻiʻonetoa was responding to questions from Kaniva News, about his views on calls from sport bodies for Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva to reverse his decision to withdraw from hosting the Games.

The Chair of the Organizing Committee for the Pacific Games, Lord Sevele, held a meeting in Auckland on Sunday evening to get supports from sports agents in New Zealand for his attempt to negotiate with the government to bring back the Games to Tonga.

Lord Sevele was supported by Lord Vaea, the former Minister of Internal Affairs when Tonga bid to bring the Games to the kingdom in 2012.

They also held a meeting in Tonga recently and it was attended by 40 delegates from 17 National Federations.

The Pacific Games Council has offered the Tongan government an olive branch, giving it to the end of June to make up its mind before it passes on the hosting opportunity to another country.

Tonga will not host the Games

Dr Tuʻiʻonetoa, who is also the Minister of Labour, Commerce and Tourism said he did not think the Pacific Games Council would be able to change the decision made by the government.

His statement was confirmed this afternoon after Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva assured the nation in a televised and live broadcasting press conference in Nukualofa, Tonga would not host the Games.

Dr tuʻiʻonetoa said the words that fitted the decision by the government was “fakapotopoto” which indicated prudence and good governance and not feastings.

He said the Pacific Games Council did not have money to give Tonga for the Games.

“If they come, they can only tell us to cut this and leave that like cutting down costs to education, agricultures, fisheries and road maintenance,” the  Minister said.

“These services are running with the financial support of foreign donors and soft loans from the World Bank and the ADB as our taxes are not enough to pay for them.”

While loans had to  be paid back it would be unwise to spend any money on the Games, Dr Tuʻiʻonetoa said.

He said the government of Lord Sevele and his supporters began processing the bid to have Tonga host the Games in 2010-2011 and it was successful in the 2012- 13 fiscal year. At the same time the shortfalls in government’s revenues in the years up to 2015 – 16 financial year were millions of dollars, Dr Tu’i’onetoa said.

Dr Tu’i’onetoa, who was Tonga’s Auditor General for more than 20 years, said the estimates by the Minister of Finance and it was the same with that by the outgoing Finance Minister indicated the poor financial outlook for the Games would stay the same.

The government spent more than the revenues it would be able to collect, Dr Tu’i’onetoa said.

The government’s survival relied on budget support from foreign donors, he said.

“There are good signs for our economy since we came to power,  but the rate of the government’s expenses still exceeded the amount of revenues collected,” Dr Tu’i’onetoa said.

The main points

  • Minister of Labour and Commerce Dr. Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa said people who insist Tonga must have the Pacific Games do not care whether the people suffer.
  • Those who wanted to bring the Games to Tonga just wanted to look for themselves and what they could get, he said.
  • Dr Tuʻiʻonetoa was responding to questions from Kaniva News about his views on calls from sport bodies for Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva to reverse his decision to withdraw from hosting the Games.
  • The Chair of the Organizing Committee for the Pacific Games, Lord Sevele, held a meeting in Auckland on Sunday evening to get support for his attempt to persuade the government to bring back the Games to Tonga.

For more information

Lord Sevele holds meeting in Auckland amid push to reverse decision on Games host cancellation

Task force set up to deal with Aussie and NZ concerns over Tongan seasonal workers

By
Kalino Latu
-

The government has established a task force to deal with New Zealand and Australian employers’ concerns over Tongan fruit pickers who have worked in their farms.

The task force included staff from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and some district and town officers.

Their jobs included making sure only the reliable and trustworthy employees were picked for the programmes, the Prime Minister told Kaniva News.

Tongan workers have the worst record of any group of Pacific Islands employees for absconding in New Zealand and overstaying their visas.

A total of 16 Tongan employees are still at large in New Zealand after fleeing when most of them were due to return to Tonga.

In March eight Tongan employees who worked for Turners and Growers in Kerikeri were sent home after being accused of drinking alcohol, being violent and being unable to carry out their tasks.

These incidents triggered a mission for the Prime Minister to come to New Zealand last month to mend the kingdom’s relationship with New Zealand’s orchard employers.

Two weeks after Hon. Pohiva returned to Tonga two more workers went awol the following week.

A search by the company and Tongan authorities in New Zealand found them in south Auckland and they were immediately put on a flight back to Tonga the same day.

Hon. Pohiva said the task force was set up in response to what he told the New Zealand employers that his government will review the recruitment process in order to address discipline issues among the Tongan workers at the site.

While in New Zealand the labour manager of New Zealand’s biggest apple supplier Allister Jamieson, promised Hon. Pohiva his company will continue to bring Tongan employees to New Zealand.

Mr. Apple has employed more than 400 Tongan employees.

However, it was not guaranteed during the meetings in New Zealand with the Prime Minister whether the employers would continue to keep the number of Tongans they had employed or they would reduce it.

Assault at Rugby Sevens match leads to conviction in Supreme Court

By
Philip Cass
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An assault at a rugby sevens match led to a conviction in the Supreme Court.

It was alleged that on Christmas Eve 2016 at Pangai, Ha’apai Fakatouola Lafo’ou wilfully and without lawful justification caused harm to Taufu’i Tohi when he punched him causing injuries to his face and collarbone.

Lafo’ou was found guilty of seriously causing bodily harm in a trial before Lord Chief Justice Paulsen.

On December 24, 4016, Tohi was refereeing a sevens rugby match between Ha’ato’u and Faleloa at Lea­’aetohi field as part of the Fekitoa Sevens Tournament.

During the match a fight broke out between the players of the two teams.  Supporters of  the teams ran onto the field.

Lafo’ou  was seen  to punch Tohi, causing him to fall to the ground. He was then seen to slap the referee while he was on the ground.

Afterwards he was seen demonstrating how he had punched Tohi.

These events were witnessed in whole or part by a number of spectators.

Tohi was unconscious for a short time and removed from the field.  He took himself to the Niu’ui Hospital where he was examined  by Dr.  Puniani.  Tohi suffered cuts to his face and a broken collarbone.

Mr. Tohi lodged a complaint with the Police the same day.

In his statement to the Police, Lafo’ou said that there had been a fight during the game and that “We ran inside to stop the fight,” but  he  denied any knowledge of punching or slapping Mr. Tohi.

Lafo’ou’s defence rested largely on the argument that he was not responsible for the broken collar bone.

After considering evidence from Dr. Puniani and video of the incident, Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said that in the absence of any evidence to suggest otherwise, the only  reasonable inference to be drawn was that Mr. Tohi’s collarbone was broken in the fall.

“I am satisfied that all elements of the offence have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt,” the judge said.

The judge said he would consult with counsel on sentencing.

The main points

  • An assault at a rugby sevens match led to a conviction in the Supreme Court.
  • It was alleged that on Christmas Eve 2016 at Pangai, Ha’apai Fakatouola Lafo’ou wilfully and without lawful justification caused harm to Taufu’i Tohi when he punched him causing injuries to his face and
  • Lafo’o was found guilty of seriously causing bodily harm in a trial before Lord Chief Justice Paulsen.

For more information

“I’m out!” says Fekitoa after criticism of confrontation with referee

King Tupou VI appoints church minister and former government minister to Privy Council

By
Kalino Latu
-

His Majesty King Tupou VI has appointed the Free Wesleyan General Secretary and a former government minister to His Privy Council.

Rev Dr. Tevita Koloaʻia Havea and Lord Tangi of Vaonukonuka were commissioned into the Council last week.

Rev Dr. Havea told Kaniva News their roles were to advise the king.

“Our supports are needed”, Dr Havea said in Tongan.

The new appointees have joined seven members of the Judicial Appointments and Discipline Panel which were led by Lord Chancellor Harry Waalkens Esquire QC.

Lord Tangi, a surgeon specialist and was appointed Health Minister in 1999 ran as candidate for Parliament in the 2010 election but he was unsuccessful.

The king has the constitutional power to appoint members of the Privy Council.

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