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Tonga will seek US$50m to help fight climate change

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga will apply to the UN’s Green Climate Fund next month for the US$50 million the government says it needs to address climate change issues.

Climate Change Minister Siaosi Sovaleni told Radio New Zealand the Eastern and Western coasts of Tongatapu and the islands of Ha’apai were particularly vulnerable.

“Most of our roads tend to be on the coastline and if we don’t do something about it, it will also affect those key infrastructure and that will affect people down the road who actually need those roads for transportation,” Hon. Sovaleni said.

Communities faced major problems with coastal protection, sedimentation management and capacity building.

Mr Sovaleni said work also needed to be done to protect marine life and coral.

The government should know by August if its application is successful.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is funded through the United Nations to help developing countries deal with climate change.

As Kaniva News reported last month, the Tongan government and the Asian development Bank have launched a Climate Change Trist Fund to fund community climate change projects.

This is part of a larger Tonga Climate resilience project financed by a US$19.25 million grant from the ADB.

The  main points

  • Tonga will apply to the UN’s Green Climate Fund next month for the US$50 million the government says it needs to address climate change issues.
  • Climate Change Minister Siaosi Sovaleni told Radio New Zealand the Eastern and Western coasts of Tongatapu and the islands of Ha’apai were particularly vulnerable.
  • The government should know by August if its application is successful.

For more information

Tonga govt says it needs $US50m to address climate issues

Green Climate Fund

Haʻateiho church minister is first fatal crash victim for 2017

By
Kalino Latu
-

The first person to be killed in a road traffic accident for 2017 in Tonga has been identified as Rev. Tevita Mausia of Haʻateiho.

A Police spokesperson said: “I can only confirm there was a road fatality at Ha’ateiho. The first Road death for the Year”.

The Mausia family had reported the incident on Facebook saying the deceased died after he was allegedly hit by a van this morning while walking to a church service.

Police hunt man who pointed gun at officer in Otara

By
Kalino Latu
-

A manhunt has been launched for a man who pointed a gun at a police officer as he was being chased in Otara

Inspector Wendy Spiller, Area Commander Counties Manukau East said about 4.40am this morning, a vehicle failed to stop for a routine Police check on Bairds Road.

Officers followed the vehicle for a short distance through Paptoetoe and Otara before abandoning the pursuit due to safety concerns over the manner of driving.

The pursuit lasted about four minutes.

A short time later, the vehicle was seen again on Bairds Road, where it crashed.

As officers approached the vehicle, the sole male occupant pointed a firearm at them.

The officers withdrew and the man ran from the vehicle.

A dog unit was deployed but was unable to locate him.

A scene guard is in place at the site of the crash and Police enquiries are ongoing.

Police have assembled a team of Detectives who are working to identify and locate the offender involved.

We take these types of incidents very seriously and have already made a number of enquiries.

We have carried out forensic analysis of the vehicle and are awaiting the results.

We will also be conducting area enquiries across the wider Auckland area.

If you have any information which can assist police then please contact Detective Sergeant Kepal Richards on 09 261 1300.

Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 08000 555 111.

You can also send us a private message on Facebook.

Video emerges of brutal fight outside Polyfest

By
Kaniva Staff
-

(Auckland, NZ) Police were called to investigate several incidents of “disorderly conduct and fighting” outside the Polyfest late Saturday afternoon and early evening.

According to reports the fighters hurriedly left the scene before Police arrived.

No arrests were made, but police are looking into the validity of the incident, which took place on Te Irirangi Road shortly before 4pm.

“We are not your enemy,” senior TBC journalist tells Pohiva at press conference

By
Kalino Latu
-

Senior Tonga Broadcasting Commission staffer Laumanu Petelō repeatedly clashed with Prime Minister ‘Akiliksi Pohiva during a press conference on Friday.

Petelō told the Prime Minister: “We are not your enemy.”

The Prime Minister told her to move on from that but Petelo responded instantly: “I need to state it clearly.”

The Prime Minister talked again, but Petelō interrupted and told him “we are the scapegoat” and said the TBC did not hold an ill feeling towards him.

Petelō said the Prime Minister did not want the TBC to report anything bad about him.

During a lengthy and fractious exchange, Hon. Pōhiva repeatedly asked Petelō to return to the agenda, but she kept interrupting him after he confirmed the government would review the state broadcaster’s operations.

Hon. Pōhiva said the government was in the process of reassessing the state broadcaster’s “function and roles” and they would meet to pass a resolution for the review soon.

“Radio A3Z’s history as it came to me personally was not good,” he told the conference.

“They cannot provide, support and facilitate government’s operations as it is a government’s property.”

He said there was proof the A3Z ran at a loss and there was a huge debt it might not be able to pay it back.

He said the way they reported and broadcast showed they were not independent or impartial and there was evidence of malice and hatred.

The broadcaster should support the government and facilitate government’s work, he said.

“This does not mean we have to scrutinise them, but they have to do it in the proper way,” Hon. Pōhiva said.

“If you ask me to tell you how I came up with this conclusion I have been in contact with the broadcaster for a long time.

“Every intelligent person could tell. There is nothing there to hide.”

The Prime Minister said the radio station did not need to compete with private sector media.

“We just want them to make enough profit to cover their expenses that’s it,” he said.

Response

When Petelō was given a chance to respond during the press conference she asked the Prime Minister to give examples to support his accusations against them.

She said that at the last press conference Hon. Pōhiva identified her as a malevolent person.

“It was because you did not like the way we asked hard questions about you and asked things we thought that were important for the public to know,” Petelō said.

“I was not angry,” the Prime Minister responded; but Petelō replied: “But you said I was malevolent.”

“We are talking about facts”, Hon. Pōhiva replied, but Petelō interrupted and said she and Hon. Pōhiva had been on this for a long time and he knew the way she questioned him especially asking probing questions.

The Prime Minister stopped her and asked to not talk about it as they were talking about something which was abstract.

“Nobody knows, but I can easily tell from your face and the way you presented your questions there was anger. That’s how I looked at it. I may be wrong,” Hon. Pohiva said.

The Prime Minister invited the conference to return to the agenda and talked about something else.

Hon. Pōhiva cited a recent report by the TBC accusing him of sacking two excavator operators.

But he was cut off by Petelō, who asked: “So you did not want us to report anything that you were accused of?”

The Prime Minister instantly responded and asked her to wait until he had finished his explanation.

But when Hon. Pōhiva continued, Petelō continued speaking and said the duo did not complaint to her.

The Prime Minister again asked her to move on and leave the topic.

“It’s a trivial thing,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the radio reported the result of the Vote of No Confidence against him last month.

The station reported the result saying Hon. Pōhiva won, but at the end of the story the broadcaster aired the views of some of the people who did not like the result.

Hon. Pōhiva said that was an example of an attempt by the radio to belittle the result of a significant vote.

Petelō again interrupted, asking: “Was that bad? That’s how it supposed to be. We have to bring other people’s views.”

She said TBC journalists had a duty and were objective in their work.

The Prime Minister said the government trusted the other radio station, FM 87.5, and warned Petelo that other private businesses advertised with the station.

This was a clear indicator the TBC was not doing their job properly, he said.

Petelō said the government did not allocate a budget for the state broadcaster and the people were free to choose which broadcaster they wanted to use.

The Prime Minister again asked her to leave the topic as it should not be discussed in the conference, but Petelō instantly responded and said: “I believe it should be discussed in this meeting”.

The Prime Minister told  Petelō this was an issue that should be discussed with the Manager and the board and not with her.

She eventually apologised to the Prime Minster and asked him to pardon her if she became an obstruction to him.

The Prime Minister said it was all right, but he wanted the TBC to call on the government and clarify things that were of concerns to them.

The main points

  • Senior Tonga Broadcasting Commission staffer Laumanu Petelō repeatedly clashed with Prime Minister ‘Akiliksi Pōhiva during a press conference yesterday.
  • Petelō told the Prime Minister: “We are not your enemy.”
  • During a lengthy and fractious exchange, Hon. Pōhiva repeatedly asked Petelō to return to the agenda, but she kept interrupting him after he confirmed the government would review the state broadcaster’s operations.
  • Pōhiva said the government was in the process of reassessing the state broadcaster’s “function and roles” and they would meet to pass a resolution for the review soon.

For more information

Pohiva declares war on TBC, declares it an obstacle and constraint on gov’t

 

China, New Zealand and PASO vow to improve Tonga’s aviation services

By
Kalino Latu
-

China, New Zealand and the Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) vowed to assist and improve Tonga’s aviation safety.

Known as “Four Party Meeting” (FPM), the aviation authorities met in Nuku’alofa last week and agreed to step up their efforts in assisting Tonga so its safety aviation could meet the international required standards sustainably.

This included allowing PASO to access and deal with the controversial MA60 aircraft that had brought so much grief to Real Tonga airline since 2012.

The FPM formally agreed to provide technical supports to Tonga’s aviation on a long term arrangement.

The Tongan aviation authority was caught in the middle after the former government was accused internationally for endorsing the MA60 which had been involved in a number of incidents around the world, including crashes.

Supporters and advocates of the aircraft however cited claims these incidents were caused by pilot error.

At the time the New Zealand government immediately told tourists they would be flying on the aircraft at their own risk.

The New Zealand authority later suspended NZ$10 million (TP15.5 million) tourism aid to Tonga in response to the kingdom’s use of the aircraft.

The suspension was later lifted in 2014 after the two governments began negotiation to resolve their concerns.

The situation also cost one Minister of Aviation’s ministerial post in September 2014 after a report from the Tongan government to the International Civil Aviation Organisation was found to have errors.

However, New Zealand has promised Tonga it has turned over a new page and supported its attempts to normalise its aviation standards.

The meeting was attended by leaders of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the Civil Aviation Authority New Zealand (CAANZ), the Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO), and the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Infrastructure Tonga.

Junior Fa new New Zealand heavyweight champion

By
Alpha Latu
-

New Zealand born Tongan boxer Uaine Junior Fa is the new heavyweight champion of New Zealand after edging Daniel Tai by majority decision in Auckland tonight.

Fa battled hard over the back end of the fight to beat Tai to win the vacant New Zealand Professional Boxing Association (NZPBA) belt which is the first boxing title for him to hold.

So far he had 11 professional fights in total in which he won them all with seven knock outs.

Daniel Tai has been a professional fighter since 2000 and boasts a record of 22 wins and 9 losses.

Tonight was his second loss after he was knocked out in 2001 by legendary Australian champion Danny Green.

“Your voices are heard”, Speaker tells audience as new ombudsman office opened

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tongan Speaker Lord Tuʻivakanō said the launch of Tonga’s new ombudsman office last week opened a new era to vulnerable members of the community whose voices were not heard.

Lord Tu’ivakanō was speaking to about a 100 guests who were at Tanoa International Dateline Hotel to celebrate the historical event on Wednesday.

The Ombudsman helped the community in its dealings with government agencies.

It handled complaints against government agencies and undertook investigations and inspections.

It also encouraged good administration by giving feedback and training to agencies.

The ombudsman could initiate its own investigations where it sees the need.

Tongaʻs ombudsman office was opened after the law was changed replacing the Commissioner for Public Relations with an Ombudsman in December 2016.

The Speaker, according to the law, has appointed Tongan law expert ‘Aisea Taumoepeau as Tonga’s first ombudsman.

Speaking at the ceremony Taumoepeau said: “The Ombudsman is not about politics, it is not about power, it is about efficient service and good governance making sure all Tongans are accorded fairness that the Rule of Law is maintained and for Tongans to live in harmony”.

Deputy Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni said the ombudsman officer helped ensure accountability of government officials on behalf of the government.

To be effective and credible in this role, the ombudsman must be independent of the government, Hon. Sovaleni said.

“I believe the office will serve to improve Government services for our people”, he said.

The Deputy Prime Minister said government ministries and public enterprises should cooperate with these parliamentary officers as they were “there to help and make recommendation on how to improve their services”.

The Office of Ombudsman was first established in 2001, identified as the Commissioner for Public Relations before the law was changed.

Thousands baby ducks and chickens distributed to promote healthy lifestyle

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Food and Fisheries had given out about 2,400 of free chicks and ducklings among some locals on Friday in an effort to promote healthier lifestyles.

It distributed 1000 of domestic baby chickens among Tongatapu residents, 600 for Vava’u and 400 Ha’apai.

The Ministry had also handed out 180 of domestic ducklings in Tongatapu, 50 in Vavaʻu and ʻEua and 100 among the Ha’apai residents.

Sione Mapapalangi of the Ministry told Tonga Broadcasting Commission people could feed the poultry for six to eight weeks before they can be cooked for food.

It is understood the Ministry had given out thousands of ducklings and chicks before.

Locals can register their names with MAFF to join the programme which was funded by the Tonga Health Promotion Foundation.

Tonga has one of the most at-risk populations in the world for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and obesity, according to the Tonga Health report Path to Good Health, 

In 2007 it set up the Tonga Health Promotion Foundation to tackle the issue.

Freedom Forum says shutting down TBC wrong way to prove Pohiva’s allegations

By
Philip Cass
-

Pacific Freedom Forum chair Monica Miller says there might be royalists in the TBC who acted unethically in their reporting, but shutting down the TBC was not the right way to prove the Prime Minister’s allegations.

Miller was reacting to Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s criticism of the kingdom’s national broadcaster.

As Kaniva News reported yesterday, Hon. Pohiva has declared the TBC to be “an enemy of the government.” He said the TBC’s operations would be reviewed and said its services could be provided by another broadcaster.

The ABC in Australia today reported Hon. Pohiva as saying he had no immediate plans to close the TBC, but stood by his claim that its journalists were guilty of “biased reporting” against his government.

He had earlier said the role of the state broadcaster was to support the administration.

But Miller said the job of the TBC was to represent the public.

“It is not the job of any news media to support the government of the day and they must be ethical when reporting criticism,” Miller said.

She said the Tongan government should remember its roots as a pro-democracy reform movement.

Miller said the Prime Minister should organise an independent review into allegations that commission staff were biased against his administration.

An independent review could establish what codes of ethic and conduct were in place to prevent unethical reporting and what mechanisms were in place to protect the tax-funded broadcasting commission.

Miller said the Prime Minister was famous in opposition for asserting his right to freedom of expression despite legal threats, imprisonment and censorship.

She said Hon. Pohiva needed to rediscover the spirit of free speech guaranteed under the constitution.

Clause 7 of the Tonga constitution states:

“Freedom of the press – It shall be lawful for all people to speak write and print their opinions and no law shall ever be enacted to restrict this liberty. There shall be freedom of speech and of the press for ever but nothing in this clause shall be held to outweigh the law of slander or the laws for the protection of the King and the Royal Family.”

The main points

  • Pacific Freedom Forum chair Monica Miller says there might be royalists in the TBC who acted unethically in their reporting, but shutting down the TBC was not the right way to prove the Prime Minister’s allegations.
  • Miller was reacting to Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s criticism of the kingdom’s national broadcaster.
  • As Kaniva News reported yesterday, Hon. Pohiva has declared the TBC to be “an enemy of the government” and said its job was to support the administration.
  • She said the Tongan government should remember its roots as a pro-democracy reform movement.

More information

Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva defends his call to close Tonga Broadcasting Commission

Independent review for public broadcaster (Pacific Freedom Forum)

Pohiva declares war on TBC, declares it an obstacle and constraint on gov’t

 

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