Tongan Fire crew battled a house fire in Havelu Loto yesterday afternoon, Thursday 18.
The house was already engulfed in flames when the crew arrived at 12.01pm, a fire spokesperson said.
He said a “strategy” and “tactic” process was immediately carried out to protect a neighbouring house at the side.
It is understood no one was injured as a result of the blaze.
“It is true fire crew from the Nukuʻalofa Fire Service attended a fire on 18.05.2017 at 1201hrs”, the spokesperson wrote in Tongan.
Tongan Hauati (Howard) Fa’anunu has been sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for fatally shooting his wife Mary Fa’anunu in a family home in the United States last year.
Fa’anunu was sentenced on Wednesday and he will also spend 36 months in prison for a misdemeanor child endangerment.
That includes six months for every child present in the home at the time their mother was killed.
“By committing such a cruel and violent act, he has broken the hearts and lives of hundreds of people including his own children,” said Sara Wright, Mary’s sister, according to San Diego 7 news.
Mary Fa’anunu was 34 when she died in the family’s home on Melrose Lane in unincorporated El Cajon.
She was blindsided in her El Cajon home and shot by the husband she tried to leave after enduring years of mistreatment.
“For 14 years I worried about her — I was scared for her and her children since the day she said I do,” said Heidi Koffman, a friend of the victim.
At the sentencing hearing Wednesday, Mary Fa’anunu’s sister, Heidi Wright, said the shooting has torn her family apart.
It was 12:35 a.m. when the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Lakeside Substation received a call from Fa’anunu who claimed he had shot his wife.
Deputies found Mary alone inside the house.
“A wise man once said regarding fatherhood, the best thing a man can do for his children is to love their mother,” said Elisabeth Newbold, the mother of the victim. “We can deduce from this, the worst thing a man can to for his children, is to murder their mother.”
Prosecutors said Fa’anunu will not be eligible for parole for 40 years.
Three men have died and a woman was in critical condition in a two-car crash in Hawai’i today Wednesday 17 (US Time Zone).
Reports said the fatal accident happened on Queen Kaahumanu Highway, north of Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport.
Kaniva News has seen tributes and condolences by Tongans on Facebook which posted along with news of the accident. One post said: “R.I.P Hailame Lavaka so sad”.
We are awaiting confirmation.
The crash occurred at 6:26 a.m. at mile marker 92 when a Toyota 4Runner occupied by two men traveling north collided with a Nissan Titan, occupied by a man and woman traveling south, according to Hawaii police.
Both vehicles subsequently burst into flames, Hawai’i media reported.
“Queen Kaahumanu Highway was closed between Waikoloa Road and Kaiminani Drive until shortly before noon causing track backups and delays of more than an hour.
“The Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a negligent homicide investigation. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call Officer Kimo Keliipaakaua at 326-4646 ext. 229”.
Deputy Director of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Sports Division ‘Onetoto ‘Anisi said the contract for Tonga to host the Games was signed between the Tongan government and the Pacific Games council not TASANOC.
The CEO of the 2019 Pacific Games Organising Committee Lord Sevele earlier said it was his TASANOC committee only that has the prerogative to cancel hosting the Games.
The Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva told Kaniva News on Monday Tonga will not host 2019 Pacific Games.
His Office has officially announced and confirmed it this afternoon in Nukuʻalofa.
Hon. Pohiva said he decided to pull out from hosting the Games because Tonga could not afford maintaining the sporting facilities after the Games.
Meanwhile the President of the Pacific Games Council, Vidya Lakhan reportedly said his council “will look to refute Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva’s claims that Tonga can’t afford to stage the event”.
He said Tonga’s bid was thoroughly scrutinised before hosting rights were awarded, and he’s disappointed by Mr Pohiva’s behaviour
The government of Papua New Guinea said it has pulled the plug on supporting Tonga in its preparation for the Games.
PNG Sports and APEC minister, Justin Tkatchenko said: “Our commitment and assessment that we did for Tonga to host the 2019 is now basically stalled and will remain that way.
“We did not pay anything but we did offer assistance through our own personal staff to go to Tonga to train their staff in that regard”.
The Prime Minister is currently out of the country in a meeting in Bangkok.
Editor’s note: We said earlier the Tongan government has the right to make a decision to withdraw from hosting the Pacific Games 2019 quoting the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Sports Division Onetoto ‘Anisi as saying. We have updated the story to reflect a correction to what ‘Onetoto has said.
Lord Vaea has described the Tongan government’s decision to cancel the 2019 Pacific Games as “bizarre.”
Lord Vaea was instrumental in bringing the Games to Tonga when he was the Minister of Internal Affairs and Sports.
He was part of the bid team led by Prince Ata to Wallis and Futuna in 2012.
“The cabinet does not have power to stop it,” Lord Vaea told Kaniva News today.
“I believe it is important for Tonga to still host the Games.
“The various reasons given for the withdrawal were very unusual.
“Why did they stop it and at the same time still build the stadium?”
The government has defended its decision, saying attempts to raise the money necessary to fund preparations for the Games had been an enormous challenge.
A government statement said it was concerned that hosting the Games would jeopardize the Tongan economy and derail Tonga’s macroeconomic stability and its ability to deliver its national priorities.
While the Government would not host the Games, it remained committed to strengthening the kingdom’s sporting infrastructure and development.
The statement said Tonga would continue to work with donor partners and the people of Tonga to contribute to the success of the 2019 Pacific Games.
Prime Minister ‘Akilisa Pohiva told Radio New Zealand the decision to not host the 2019 Games was a blow that could not be averted.
“It may look embarrassing but as far as Tonga is concerned, the economic and financial situation of the country at the moment, there is no other option but to cancel the sports,” Hon. Pohiva said.
“We are being forced by circumstance, by financial and economic circumstance of the day, to do the right thing and the right thing is to cancel.”
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ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4 Utah) -A Police chase Monday in St. George led to the arrest of a man police called armed and dangerous—a suspect in a double-stabbing.
The arrest happened near Fossil Ridge Intermediate School and police contacted the school to keep the students safe.
“The minute the suspect was seen leaving the area, and the pursuit began, we did notify Fossil Ridge Intermediate School and they were put on a lockout for the safety of the students,” said Captain Mike Giles with St. George City Police Department.
Twenty-six-year-old Sione Vaitai was taken into custody after St. George Police stopped his truck with a PIT Maneuver Monday morning.
“PIT maneuver was employed on two separate occasions, once by the Utah Highway Patrol and once by an officer from our agency. His vehicle was disabled, and he did comply with officers and was taken into custody,” said Giles.
Police say Vaitai was arguing with family Friday night in Sandy when the stabbing happened.
“During that incident he apparently grabbed some type of large knife and attacked his father and juvenile sister,” said Sgt. Jason Nielsen with the Sandy Police Department.
Both his sister and father were taken to the hospital in critical condition. Sandy Police say Vaitai took off. Then, they got the tip they needed.
“We received a tip early [Monday], or [Sunday night], that Sione Vaitai was in the St. George area,” said Nielsen.
Sandy Police let St. George Police know.
“Been communicating with Sandy City to try to determine what course of action we needed to take,” said Giles.
Police say Vaitai faces multiple charges—the investigation still ongoing.
“Just thankful that somebody was able to provide the tip, which led to the capture of Sione. Without that, we’d still be looking for him,” said Nielsen.
The Public Service Tribunal has overturned the dismissal of Busby Kautoke as Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet in August 2012.
The appeal was heard after several years’ delay.
During this time there was a certain amount of legal manouvreing and it proved impossible to convene the appropriate people to hear the case until last month.
The appeal was heard by a tribunal chaired by Lord Tupou, KC and with Laki Niu, SC and Timote Katoanga as members.
Mr Kautoke was dismissed over allegations of financial impropriety concerning the apparent disappearance of more than $1 million relating to the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Programme.
A later audit found this figure to be inaccurate.
It was alleged that Kautoke had failed to adequately supervise transactions relating to the CER programme, but it was pointed out that responsibility for the finances had been transferred from the Prime Minister’s office to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.
Lord Tu’ivakano was Prime Minister at the time of Mr Kautoke’s dismissal.
A number of procedural issues in the dismissal were considered in the hundreds of pages of written evidence that has accumulated over the years.
The Tribunal said the charges laid against Mr Kautoke were invalid and could not be used to terminate his contract under any provision of the Public Service Act 2002; any Public Service Regulations or the Public Finance Management.
The tribunal therefore ruled that his dismissal be set aside.
“Any entitlement of his to salaries to be reimbursed to him for his dismissal would be substantially reduced and lost by reason of payment of the costs of this appeal,” the Tribunal’s report said.
“That cannot be fair.”
The Public Service Commission has therefore been ordered to pay Mr Kautoke’s court costs.
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Court orders Tribunal to reconvene and consider Cabinet Secretary’s appeal again
The Ministry of Land and Natural Resources has appointed Rosamond Carter Bing as the Ministry’s new chief executive officer.
Ms. Bing is a law graduate of the Australian National University where she also attained a Master of Laws.
She has been a member of the Tongan Bar since 2001.
“With over 10 years of experience in the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Ms. Bing has progressed through her public service career in the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in 2002 from her first posting as a Principal Assistant Secretary, then most recently as a consulting Legal Administrator”, a statement said.
Bing’s appointment was historical for the government to have appointed two sisters as head of some of its ministries.
Ms Bing’s younger sibling, Ms Ana Bing Fonua is the CEO of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
“The Public Service Commission welcomes Ms. Bing to her new appointment and wishes her well in her tenure as CEO of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources”.
Counties Manukau Police have this morning arrested a 25-year-old man in relation to a shooting outside a nightclub in Manukau early on Sunday morning.
The man is expected to appear in the Manukau District Court today charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, discharging a firearm with intent to cause bodily harm and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Police enquiries are continuing into the incident and we cannot rule out the possibility that further people will be charged.
A 31-year-old man who received a gunshot wound to his leg during the altercation has now been released from hospital.
Police continue to ask for anyone who was in the area on Cavendish Drive, Manukau at approximately 2.30am on Sunday 15 May 2017 and saw a fight break out between two groups of people to contact police.
If you have information which can assist the investigation team then please contact Detective Sergeant Kepal Richards on 09 261 1300.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
