A manhunt is underway in Tonga for two escaped prisoners who authorities describe as extremely dangerous.
The fugitives escaped from the Central Police Custody at approximately 05:30 this morning, Tuesday 31 January, 2017.
“The two escaped prisoners are armed and dangerous. Do not approach them,” warned Deputy Commissioner Pelenatita Feʻao Vaisuai.
The escaped prisoners are Viliami Kupu, and Amoni Fifita aged in their 20s.
Both were last seen at approximately 3:00pm today at Kolovai, where they robbed a shop owner at gun-point. Kupu was wearing a black t-shirt with a black short, and Fifita was wearing a white sleeveless t-shirt, greenish shorts and a blue cap.
Kupu has been in custody for grievous bodily harm charges and Fifita for robbery/theft charges.
“Kupu and Fifita are considered dangerous and for this reason the Tactical Response Group was deployed.”
If anyone has any information on their whereabouts, they can contact their local Police station.
If you see them, please do not approach and call 922 immediately.
We remind anyone who may be helping Kupu and Fifita that assisting a prisoner to evade Police is a crime and you may become the subject of Police attention. If we find evidence of this occurring you could be charged with a criminal offence.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs is investigating an incident at the Atele Indoor Stadium where people were forced to feel their way to the exit in complete darkness after claims the manager rejected requests to turn the lights on.
While no one was injured, there were reports of people and children panicking and shouting.
There were fears that the chaos and confusion among spectators could incite violence in the darkness.
Spectators begged the stadium management to turn on the lights but their requests were unsuccessful.
One of the female managers was apparently dissatisfied with Tevita Siale, the president of the Tāvale tournament, after he failed to adhere to the agreed schedule, choosing to instead finish it off during the daytime.
The female manager in question allegedly turned off the light immediately after the competition between the Siulanga He ‘Ofa team and the Peau Maʻa team was completed.
Many spectators were astounded by her refusal to change her mind and restore power to the lights.
The Peau Ma’a team won the tournament and both supporters started moving in to meet the teams when the stadium was placed in total darkness.
Some supporters of the Peau Ma’a promptly suspected the Siulanga He ‘Ofa team and their supporters were angered by their loss and intentionally turned off the lights so they could mount a physical attack on members of the winning team, the Kakalu ‘O Tonga Newspaper reported on December 29, 2016.
However the organisers quickly discovered it was the manager of the stadium who was responsible for turning off the lights.
After some failed negotiations with the manager, she adamantly stood by her decision to keep the lights turned off.
People used their cellphone torches to lead their way out with the help of the stadium security guards.
According to the paper, the tournament started later than originally planned and Siale contacted the manager to come and turn on the lights.
The manager was reportedly busy with other commitments, so Siale took initiative and turned on the lights. The tournament continued before the manager arrived to turned the lights off.
The indoor stadium is under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The Ministry’s CEO Ana Bing Fonua told Kaniva News she has yet to receive any information about the issue.
Fonua said she cc’d her email with us to ‘Onemato ‘Anisi, the Sports Deputy Director, so he can provide her with information from the manager who made the decision to turn the lights off at the stadium.
“The role of the Ministry to make sure the people are safe at sporting venues that are controlled by the Ministry is important”, Fonua said in Tongan.
She said they would urgently work on the matter and would provide a formal response.
Police have forcefully removed a congregant from a Tongan First Free Methodist Church in the United States after he challenged reverend superintendent Samuela Fifita for being “dictatorial” in the way he ran the church.
Reverend Fifita recently called on Police to remove Peni Miloni Tu’itupou and his wife from the church in Redwood City, California as church members prepared for a prayer service.
The incident was captured on video by Tu’itupou’s wife and uploaded to Facebook earlier this month.
Tu’itupou claimed the election of Reverend Fifita’s wife as church treasurer was a conflict of interest that breached of the church’s disciplinary book, and the church’s financial statements were regularly presented either in an ambiguous or without explanation.
He also claimed some regular donations made by the church to the church headquarters were increased by Reverend Fifita without a formal announcement at church meetings.
Reverend Fifita told Letio Vake Tali Folau the church’s financial statements had been audited after a complaint by Tu’itupou last year and had been cleared by the auditor.
He also said it was the church members who had elected his wife as treasurer, and the election was in accordance with the church’s constitution.
Reverend Fifita claimed Tu’itupou and some church members were contacting each other by telephone and discussing their agenda before their arrival at church.
He criticised Tu’itupou for going against his authority for making executive decisions regarding the church.
In the video, Tu’itupou and his wife can be heard telling Police Reverend Fifita did not own the property and therefore no legal authority to remove them from the church grounds.
However, one of the police officers present at the confrontation informed them the pastor did have power to remove individuals from the church property.
Tu’itupou said he left the church property along a group of other people, leaving about a dozen families behind with Reverend Fifita.
He said his behaviour was meant to stop Reverend Fifita from influencing authorities at the church headquarters for the benefit of his own personal gain.
Asked whether or not he and his supporters would associate themselves with a different church, Tu’itupou said they were waiting on God’s call.
on Monday that the Tongan government denied that an American group had been granted an exclusive gaming licence to build a casino facility in Tonga has angered business owner Dr. Ronald Pate.
Dr. Pate made a last minute cancellation of an appointment to provide further information about his claims that the Tongan government had approved his proposed casino project in Tonga.
“Since you could not wait one day to speak with me, I am withdrawing my interview with you at this time. If you have any additional questions please feel free to speak with the Ministry of Customsâ€, Dr. Pate said in an email on Thursday.
However, despite vehement denial by the Tongan government, Dr. Pate’s marketing director Xavier Holtzhausen has confirmed Red Warrior Entertainment (RWE) was in fact planning to build a casino in the kingdom.
It was not clear whether or not Holtzhausen was aware of the Tongan government’s denial before he responded or not.
In an email Holtzhausen said:
“Thank you very much for your interest in writing a story about Red Warrior Entertainment and our development plans in Tonga.â€
“Red Warrior Entertainment is very excited about the opportunity to develop a 5 star resort and casino in Tonga. Our primary and immediate focus is the development of the 5 star resort and casino, offering a luxury hotel, casino gaming, fine dining and world class entertainment for the people of Tonga and guests from around the world. Updates on future growth and expansion in Tonga will be available on our website at  as they become available.â€
When asked to provide a copy of their license agreement with the Tongan government Holtzhausen did not reply.
Tavake Tamafua
A Tongan government statement said it received a proposal for a Tourism Facility and Investment to be known as the Tavake Tamafua Tourism Investment Project (TTTIP) from a foreign company called the Amira-Unison-Gatti LLP.
The complete investment included “three main projects: The Pearl Airport Hotel and Shopping Mall, the Frangipani Luxevillas and Aria Tourism Entertainment Gaming Resort. On 4th November, 2016 Cabinet supported the TTTIP subject to facilitation of legal documents and relevant plans, and the conduct of appropriate due diligenceâ€.
The government said after due consideration, the Cabinet on 11th November 2017 supported only the first two projects (the Pearl Airport Hotel and Shopping Mall and the Frangipani Luxevillas) but NOT the Aria Tourism Entertainment Gaming Resort. The Cabinet further directed that the full plan for the Pearl Airport Hotel and Shopping Mall and the Frangipani Luxevillas are to be submitted for final consideration and approval.
The Government noted that Red Warrior Entertainment LLC is one of the foreign counterparts of Amira-Unison-Gatti LLP for the TTTIP. A government representative also said The Ministry for Commerce, Consumer, Trade, Innovation and Labour has confirmed that no license has been issued.
Tavake Tamafua Ltd was registered in Tonga on 29 November 2016 with two directors ‘Epeli Taione and Havea L. Gatti.
Scrutiny
The Ministry of Custom and Revenues CEO Kulu ‘Anisi Bloomfield told Kaniva News he was a member of a Cabinet Investment Subcommittee recently established by the government to scrutinise applications by foreign investors in Tonga.
Bloomfield said the main purpose of the sub-committee was to make sure the foreign investors were genuine in any project they planned to implement in Tonga.
He said that in the past some foreign investors submitted false proposals to disguise their true intentions of establishing themselves in the Kingdom before taking large monetary loans and then vanishing overseas.
Bloomfield said that the Sub-Committee would not allow this to happen again once it is established.
He reaffirmed the claim made by the Tongan government that a gaming license was not issued to Dr. Pate and his Red Warrior Entertainment company.
Doubt
The manner in which Dr. Pate behaves places him and his company in a very awkward position.
Why did he refuse to talk to Kaniva News after he apparently read the story revealing the rejection of his gambling license application by the Tongan government?
Kaniva News did not email Holtzhausen, but our enquiries were specifically directed to Dr. Pate.
Holtzhausen’s response apparently was made on behalf Dr. Pate even though the self-proclaimed multinational investor refused to talk to us.
In addition, the lack of information provided by RWE’s company website does not reflect well on its credibility.
In a Professor Max Abbott of AUT’s Gambling Research Centre said:
“I think it’s very dubious. Unless there are other organisations with the same name that I couldn’t find, I think it would lead one to be suspicious,” Abbott said.
Police are planning to undertake a crackdown on truck compliance as well as tractors that leave mud behind on roads as part of their 2017 priorities.
This has been recently revealed by Acting Police Superintendent Tevita Vailea on Letio Broadcom Broadcasting talkback show.
Callers expressed their concerns over Tonga’s rural roads being reduced to muddy paths by careless tractor drivers.
Other callers told the radio host that overloaded open-top lorries have spilled materials such as stones or gravel on roads in Tongatapu.
One caller said he was following a heavy truck carrying a large load of bricks on Taufaʻahau Road where he witnessed it overtake another vehicle.
Before the truck could pull in front of the vehicle it had overtaken, the load of bricks swayed and could have easily dropped on the road.
He said the situation was very dangerous and could have been much worse had the bricks fallen to the road.
A female caller raised her concerns regarding the lack of attention by drivers at pedestrian crossing signs. She stated that it was common for cars to ignore pedestrians who were waiting to cross the road at designated crossings, forcing those on foot to wait until the road was clear in both directions.
Another caller told the host how he had witnessed tractors reversing onto the road as they removed bushes and ploughed tax allotments. Parts of the road where this happened became covered in slippery mud, resulting in a potential hazard for drivers.
Superintendent Vailea told callers on the radio Police were aware of the issues they raised.
He said some of the pedestrian crossing marks on roads were faded or had disappeared and the Ministry of Transport has been notified.
He said there were laws already in place for the issues raised by the callers and Police vowed to enforce them on irresponsible drivers.
The announcement by Vailea came as some concerned members of the public took to Facebook last year and posted photos of trucks on public roads overloaded with heavy stones and used tyres with no barrier at the back or cover over the top to secure the load.
A Facebook poster claimed he followed a truck overloaded with heavy stones heading to work on the construction at the new Faua Wharf.
He feared that if the load dropped it could be fatal to the occupants of nearby vehicles.
While commenters were calling for strict enforcement of the law by Police regarding such incidents, some people voiced their concern at the lack of by-pass roads for heavy trucks.
Tonga’s Ministry of Health said hateful comments and personal attacks on social media against its doctors in Vavaʻu could force some of the best doctors in Tonga to relocate their practices elsewhere.
The Ministry was responding after complaints surfaced on social media claiming the Vavaʻu Doctor Superintendent mistreated patients.
A spokesperson for the Ministry has invited complainants to lodge their grievances against healthcare professionals or services directly with the Minister’s office, the director’s office, or with the office of the Ombudsman and Public Relations.
“Complaints made on social media by a few concerned members of the public could not be dealt with appropriately because they are not the right place if you want the problems to be sorted out with the right people”, the spokesperson said.
Last week a person by the name Lolohea criticised the Vavaʻu Health Superintendent, Dr. Sione Lee Taione on Facebook. The claim stated that some elderly diabetic patients were reluctant to attend treatments at the hospital because Dr. Taione publicly berated them in front of other hospital visitors.
“You do not have ‘respect’ for these patients who are just like your mother or your grannies”, Lolohea wrote in Tongan regarding Dr. Taione.
Lolohea said he believed some of the diabetic patients died because they refused to go to the hospital to get treatment out of fear that Dr. Taione would verbally abuse them again.
“Doctors should speak respectfully to the patients like in foreign countries you feel at home when you go to your doctors because they are ‘humble’ and talk nicely”.
“I am disappointed because you are still young but have treated our elderly badly”, Lolohea said.
Some supporters of Lolohea voiced their opinions that the doctor should have been physically abused in order to keep his allegedly inflated ego in check.
The post was shared by many Facebook groups and pages which have gained more than 10,000 likes.
On one Facebook page, Pacific Island Tourism, which have 10,896 “likes”, the posts received 14 shares and 112 comments.
Some commenters criticised Lolohea’s post and said he was exaggerating the situation.
“Our kainga from Vava’u are faultfinders and we sometimes regard the way of trying to explain things clearly as disrespectful”, one commenter wrote in Tongan.
He claimed to have been present when the doctor was talking to the patients about their diabetes treatments.
“What I gathered was that the doctor told the diabetics their medication has to be taken according to the instructions and then come to the hospital when the medication runs out. Some diabetics did not take the medication causing them immediate problems. That’s when they turn up to the hospital”, he said.
The spokesperson from the Ministry said the Minister and the Director’s offices were open five days a week for the public to lodge complaints or voice their concerns.
He invited the public to come forward so that their problems could be dealt with appropriately with the right people at the right place, he said.
He said the doctors in Vava’u were some of the top academic students at high schools before going overseas for further studies.
“One of them was dux at Tonga High School in 2007. One was dux of Tonga College in 2006 and the other was dux of Vava’u High School in 2002”, he said.
“I think the people of Vava’u should be happy and make use of the opportunity of having some of the best doctors we have in Tonga to help the Vava’uans”.
“They are not local trained medical officers. These are the doctors that had been trained in Fiji, New Zealand and Australia”, the spokesman said.
“The personal attacks and hateful comments on social media could make it difficult for any doctors to go and work in Vava’u”, he said.
“Or the Vava’uans would like to shift the doctors to Ha’apai or ‘Eua and replace them with the local trained medical officers”, the spokesperson added.
(Talekita Pule ‘o e Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand – ka ko e faiako mo fa’u tohi)
Kapau he’ikai liliu ‘e mamani ‘a e hala ‘oku lolotonga hangatonu ki ai, ‘e toe lahiange ‘a e masiva, neongo e tuva ‘a e koloa, ‘e toe lahiange ‘a e mate neongo ‘etau ma’u ‘a e ngaahi ‘ilo fakafaito’o fakaonopooni taha. ‘Ikai ia ko ia pe ka ‘e toe maumau lahiange ‘a e ‘atakai. Te tau toki feinga hake ka kuo tomui.
Ko ‘eku fakama’opo’opo eni ki he ni’ihi ‘o e ngaahi kaveinga lalahi na’e alea’i ‘e he konifelenisi fakamamani lahi ‘a e Kautaha Mo’ui ‘a Mamani (World Health Organization) na’e toki fakahoko ‘i Shanghai, Siaina, he mahina kuo ‘osi (Novema 2016).
Na’a ku fakafofonga’i ki ai mo Louise Signal mei he ‘Univesiti ‘o Otago, ‘a e Potungaue Mo’ui ‘a Nu’usila ni. Na’a ma fe’iloaki ai mo Toketa Saia Piukala, ko e Minisita Mo’ui ‘a Tonga, pehe ki he kau minisita mo’ui mei he tukui motu Pasifiki kehe mo mamani kotoa.
Te u lave ‘amuiange ki he taha e ngaahi lea mahu’inga na’e fakahoko ‘e Toketa Piukala he fakataha, ka ko e kaveinga lahi ‘o e konifelenisi ko e fakafehokotaki ke fengaue’aki lelei ‘a e mala’e ngaue he mo’ui ko e health promotion pea mo e ngaahi kaveinga fakalakalaka ko ia ‘e 17 ‘a mamani (17 Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs) ‘oku tataki ‘e he Kautaha Langa Fakalakalaka ‘a e Pule’anga Fakatahataha pe United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Na’e mahino mei he fakataha kuopau ke fetokoni’aki e ngaahi pule’anga kotoa kae lava ke mo’ui leleiange ‘a mamani. Kuopau ke fetakinima ‘a e langa fakalakalaka mo e tauhi ke tolonga ‘a e ‘atakai kae lava ke mo’ui lelei ‘a hotau palanite ni, pea lava ke vahevahe malieange he founga totonu e koloa ‘o e mamani ka tau mo’ui lelei kotoa. Kuopau ke fengaue’aki e ngaahi pule’anga mo e ngaahi kupu kehekehe he ngaahi fonua mo mamani, ‘o hange ko e ngaahi pisinisi mo e ngaahi kautaha tau’ataina mei he pule’anga kae lava ke tolonga e ‘atakai pea mo’ui lelei mo e kakai ‘o mamani. Ka ‘ikai fai ha fetakinima mo ha ngaue feongoongoi ‘a e tapa kotoa ‘e iku ‘a mamani ki he faingata’a’ia lahi ange he tapa kotoa.
Lolotonga ‘a e alea ko eni ke fetokoni’aki ‘a e ngaahi pule’anga, na’e kole ‘e Toketa Piukala ‘i he taha ‘o e ngaahi fealelea’aki he fakataha ke kataki ‘a e ngaahi fonua lalahi mo malohi ‘o fakalelei ‘enau fefatakau’aki mo e ngaahi fonua iiki mo vaivai, hange ko Tonga.
(L-R) Ko Associate Prof Louise Signal Otago University (left), Hon Saia Piukala, Tokotaha ʻikai maʻu ki he hingoa pea mo Sione Tuʻitahi
Na’a ne kole ke ‘oua ‘e uta ange ki Tonga ‘a e ngaahi koloa ‘oku ‘ikai fakatupu mo’ui lelei mo ta’efe’unga, hange ko e sipi ngako, kae ‘oange ‘a e koloa lelei tatau pe ko ia ‘oku nau fakatau fakalotofonua.
Na’e kau mo e Sekelitali-Seniale ‘a Ha’amoa ko Toketa Take Naseri he fakahoko e fakatangi tatau ‘o ne fakatata’aki e uta ki Ha’amoa ‘a e me’akai ngako kehekehe kau ai e mui’i piipii.
Na’e pehe ‘e he ongo toketa neongo kuo lauita’u pea hange nai kuo hoko e ngaahi me’akai ni ko e me’akai tu’ufonua, ka ‘oku kei fakatupu mahamahaki ‘aupito pea kuo loakaliu e taimi ke fakalelei. Ko e koto kulanoa ‘a ‘enau feinga fakalotofonua ke mo’ui lelei e kakai kapau ‘oku ‘ikai fakalelei e fefakatau’aki mo muli.
Na’e mahino ‘aupito mei he lea ‘a e ongo taki Pasifiki ni pea mo e lea ‘a e kau taki ‘o e tukui fonua lahi ‘a e felalave’i ‘a e ngaahi tapa kotoa ‘o e mo’ui – ‘o hange ko e ‘atakai mo e fefakatau’aki, mo’ui lelei mo e fakatupukoloa, nofo melino mo e koloa’ia mo ‘enau fekau’aki mo e taki lelei he tu’unga fakakolo, fakafonua, mo e fakavaha’apule’anga. Ko e ngaahi faingata’a lalahi kotoa ‘oku tofanga ai ‘a mamani, ‘oku nau fekau’aki pea kuopau ai ke veteki fakataha, ‘o ‘ikai fakahoko tokotaha pe ‘e he ngaahi pule’anga ka kuopau ke fetokoni’aki ai ‘a e tapa kotoa he fonua mo mamani.
Lolotonga ‘a e uiaki ke ngaue fetokoni’aki ‘a e ngaahi pule’anga kotoa, na’e fakamahino ‘e he fakataha ‘oku fiema’u he taimi tatau ke fengaue’aki ‘a e ngaahi potungaue kotoa ‘a e pule’anga ‘i loto ‘iate kinautolu ki he kaveinga ‘o e mo’ui lelei honau takitaha kakai mo honau ‘atakai. He’ikai ha ola ia kapau ‘e tuku taha pe ki he potungaue mo’ui ke taukave’i ‘a e mo’ui lelei ‘a e kakai mo e fonua ‘o kau ai e ‘atakai.
Na’a ku talanoa ki he kaveinga ni mo minisita mo’ui ‘a Tuvalu pea ne talanoa mai ‘ene ‘uluaki fainga tokotaha ke fakalotoa hono kaunga minista ke nau fakatokanga’i ko e mo’ui lelei ‘a e kakai mo honau ‘atakai ko e fatongia ‘o e pule’anga kakato mo hono kakai kae ‘ikai ko e potungaue mo’ui pe. Na’a ne pehe kuo nau laka eni kimu’a ‘i he lava ke nau fetakinima ‘o kaveinga taha mo ngaue fakataha ki he mo’ui honau kakai mo honau ‘atakai matu’aki pelepelengesi ‘a ia ‘oku ‘au’aufoe he ngaue ‘a e tahi lahi. Ko e talanoa tatau na’e fai mai ‘e he pulekolo ‘o e taha e ngaahi vahenga ‘o Shanghai na’a mau ‘a’ahi ki ai, he konga ‘o e konifelenisi.
Ko hono mo’oni kuopau ke ngaue feongoongoi e kupu kotoa e pule’anga. Kuopau leva ke taki lelei e pule’anga ‘o fengaue’aki mo e tapa kotoa ‘o e fonua – mei he ngaahi pisinisi ‘o a’u atu ki he kau takilotu, ngaahi siasi mo e ngaahi tui kotoa.
Ko e taha ‘o e ongo ngaue makehe na’e fakaola he fakataha ko e tukupa ‘a e kau pulekolo ‘e toko 100 tupu mei he ngaahi fonua kehekehe ‘o mamani na’e fakaafe’i ‘e he Pule’anga Siaina mo e Pulekolo ‘o Shanghai ki he konifelenisi. Ko ‘enau tukupa ke hoko honau takitaha kolo ko e ‘Kolo ‘o e Mo’ui Lelei,’ ‘a ia ko e polokalama fuoloa na’e tataki ‘e he Kautaha Mo’ui ‘a Mamani ‘oku ‘iloa ko e ‘healthy city.’ Na’e ohi e fakakaukau ni ‘e he tukui motu Pasifiki kimu’a atu ‘o ui ko e healthy islands pe tukui motu mo’ui lelei.
‘Oku ‘uhinga eni ko e ngaue mo e tapa kotoa ‘o e mo’ui he kolo kuopau ke fakataumu’a pe fakakau ai ‘a e mo’ui lelei honau kakai mo honau ‘atakai. ‘O kamata pe he fa’u lao ma’a e kolo mo honau fakanofonofo, pehe ki he ngaahi nofo’anga e kakai mo e ngaahi ngaue’anga kae’uma’a ‘a e ngaahi potu fakapule’anga, fefononga’aki mo e tapa kotoa e mo’ui.
Lolotonga e konifelenisi, na’a mau ‘a’ahi ki he ngaahi vahenga kehekehe ‘o Shanghai ‘o vakai ki he’enau fengaue’aki ki he mo’ui mo e ‘atakai. Na’a mau talanoa ki honau takitaha pulekolo mo honau kau taki ‘o vakai ki he hoko ‘a e mo’ui lelei ‘a e kakai mo honau ‘atakai ko e ngaahi ‘uluaki kaveinga ke tokangaekina ‘e he kolo – ‘o a’u aipe ki he ngaahi ‘apiako, ngaahi ngaue’anga, mo e nofo ‘a e kakai. ‘Oku fa’a fihiange ‘a e feinga ke langa hake e mo’ui he tu’unga fakafonua kae mata ngofuaange he tu’unga fakakolo.
Ko e ngaue makehe hono ua ko e Shanghai Declaration, ‘a ia ko e tohi ia ‘o e tukupa ‘a e kau konifelenisi ke fengaue’aki lelei ‘a e health promotion pea mo e ngaahi kaveinga fakalakalaka kae tolonga ‘e 17 ma’a e mamani.
Vakai ki he hoko/link ko eni ki he fakaikiiki ‘o e tohi tukupa ‘a e kau konifelenisi mo e tohi tukupa ‘a e kau pulekolo.
Hili e konifelenisi ‘i Shanghai mei Novema 21-24 na’e hoko atu e folau mo hoku hoa ko Tupou ki he ngaahi fakataha ‘i Palesi fekau’aki ai pe mo e mo’ui ‘a e kakai ‘o mamani mo hotau ‘atakai. Ka kimu’a ai na’a ma lava atu ki Lonitoni mo Loma ‘o mamata mo ako foki ki he ngaahi kaveinga mahu’inga ki he mo’ui ‘oku ‘aonga ki he fa’u tohi mo e langa hake ‘o e nofo.
Ko e ngaahi fakataha ‘i Palesi ‘i he uike ‘uluaki ‘o Tisema ni, ko e fealelea’aki ia ‘a e ngaahi komiti kehekehe ‘a e kautaha fakavaha’apule’anga ki he health promotion ko e International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE). ‘Oku ou memipa he poate pule fakavaha’apule’anga ‘a e IUHPE ‘o fakafofonga’i ‘a e ngaahi fonua memipa mei he Pasifiki Tonga Hihifo – kau ai ‘a Nu’usila, ‘Aositelelia mo e tukui motu iiki ‘e 20 tupu he Pasifiki, pehe ki he ngaahi fonua ‘e ni’ihi mei ‘Esia Tonga Hahake.
Ko e taha e kaveinga lahi na’a mau talanoa’i ko e teu fakahoko mai ki Nu’usila ni ‘i ‘Epeleli 7-12, 2019 ‘a e konifelenisi fakavaha’apule’anga ‘a e IUHPE. Ko e faingamalie lahi eni ki Tonga mo e tukui motu kehe ‘o e Pasifiki ke kau mai e kau ngaue he mo’ui mo e ngaahi mala’e kehekehe ‘oku nau felave’i mo e mo’ui ‘a e kakai mo honau ‘atakai. ‘E vahevahe ‘i he konifelenisi ‘a e ngaahi ‘ilo mo e taukei fo’ou taha ‘i he mala’e ngaue ki he mo’ui ko e health promotion mei he tapa kehekehe ‘o mamani.
‘Oku tau fa’a tekaki e fatongia ki he mo’ui ki he kau toketa mo e kau neesi. Ka ko hono mo’oni ko e ngaahi palopolema ‘o e mo’ui ko e tupu ia mei he ngaahi mala’e kehe, hange ko e ‘ikai lelei e tataki e fonua, holo ‘a e ako, kovi e fefakatau’aki mo ‘ikai tokanga’i ‘a e ‘atakai ‘oku tau malu mo ma’u mo’ui ai. Pehe foki ki he ‘ikai tomu’a ’uluaki tokanga e kakai ki he’enau mo’ui kae tuku pe ke hoko ha puke pe fakatamaki kae toki faito’o. . ‘Ikai ngata ai ka ‘oku tau fa’a fakalala ki he kau ako faka’atamai ke nau fai e fatongia ki he ngaue’i e mo’ui lelei. Ka ko e ngaue ni kuopau ke tau fetakinima kotoa, mei he kau taki e fonua mo e kau takilotu pea pehe ki he ngaahi tukui kolo mo e nofo ‘a kainga. Ko hono mo’oni, ‘o hange kuo fakamo’oni’i he ngaahi fakatotolo mo e taukei ‘o e senituli 21, ‘oku kamata e mo’ui lelei mei he feitu’u ‘oku tau nofo faka’aho mo ngaue ai pea lotu mo feohi ai. Ko ‘ete a’u ‘ata ki he falemahaki kuo fu’u tomui ia.
Ko e kautaha ngaue ki he mo’ui ‘oku ou fakakaungatamaki hono taki, ‘a e Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand, ‘oku mau tataki hono fokotu’utu’u ‘a e konifelenisi lahi ‘o e 2019 ‘o fetokoni’aki mo e ni’ihi e ngaahi ‘univesiti ‘o Nu’usila ni pehe ki he ngaahi kautaha mo’ui kehe. Hange ko ‘eku lave ’anenai, ko e faingamalie eni ke kau mai ‘a e kau ngaue ki he mo’ui mo e ngaahi mala’e kehe mei Tonga.
–Mei he ʻĒtitá ko e fakamatalá ni ne faʻu mo ʻomi ki he Kanivá ʻi Tīsema ʻaho 28, 2016. Ko hono toki lava ʻeni ke pulusi.
The Tongan government said a license issued to foreign gaming investor Red Warrior Entertainment (RWE) would not allow them to operate casino gaming or gambling in the Kingdom.
The Ministry of Customs and Revenue CEO Kulu Ê»Anisi Bloomfield said today the licence issued was for the foreign investor to build a hotel and an “airport facilityâ€.
The responses from government came after Kaniva News questioned the RWE license agreement and conditions.
Dr Ronald D. Pate, Chickasaw, Principal of the Company and Chief Executive Officer of Red Warrior Entertainment, LLC  reportedly said today the Tongan government has issued his company with an “Exclusive National Master Gaming Licenseâ€.
He said it is “the first of its kind issued from Tonga and covers all Class I, II & III gaming”.
We have contacted Tonga’s Ministry of Labour and Commerce to provide more details about the agreements and conditions laid out on Tonga’s Class I, II and III gaming licences.
They have yet to respond.
According to Indian Country Media Network, a Class III gaming licence allows the licensee to operate “horse racing, lotteries and what are commonly known as casino games, such as banking-card games like baccarat and blackjack, roulette, craps and slot machinesâ€.
Bloomfield said the license“ was approved on tourism grounds, and casino gaming is prohibited in Tongaâ€.
He said the government has set up an Investment Sub-Committee to monitor and analyse foreign investment applications before submitting them to cabinet.
Tonga’s Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet Dr Palenitina Langa’oi told Kaniva News the cabinet “did not pass any resolution to allow the Red Warrior Entertainment to build a casino facility in Tongaâ€.
Dr Pate said: “…this Exclusive Gaming License was issued upon approval at His Majesty’s Cabinet, decision No. 1194, on the 4th November, 2016 and by formal letter and proclamation from the Minister of Customs dated 24th November, 2016, and completed License Agreement on 9th January, 2017.
“Red Warrior Entertainment, LLC continues to improve its casino resort government licenses in multiple nations”, said Dr. Pate.
Dr. Pate said he will provide more details tomorrow (Wednesday, 25 January) about his exclusive license, and what sort of venture he is planning to undertake in Tonga.
Some branded it a miracle, others a sign of an impending second coming and Rapture, when a divine image appeared in the clouds over Tonga.
A Tonga Broadcasting Commission recent report said locals have reported seen a “blue light” in the sky.
7 News Australia today has published an image it said was taken by local resident, Joey Mataele, on New Year’s Day above his brother’s house in the village of Halaleva in Tongatapu.
Both reports could not establish the authenticity of the photo.
With a clear outline of a head, body and feet, and a golden glow from the sun, Mr Mataele believed it was a sign from the heavens, 7News said.
“This is an image that was unexpected and I know it’s a miracle in my life. Thank you Lord for everything you’ve provided for me and my family,” he captioned the photo.
Mr Mataele’s niece, Onelua, told 7 News Online that her family interpreted the image as Jesus.
“They all thought it was an image of Jesus,” she said. “They were shocked, it was pretty random to see that.”
Ms Mataele, 23, said her uncle took two photos of the figure as the shape was developing.
In the first photo, the figure in the sky is less prominent, and is surrounded by other clouds.
But it was enough for Mr Mataele, a devout Catholic, to see an image emerging.
“He took one photo and then it kept getting brighter,” Ms Mataele said.
In the second photo, the rest of the clouds have vanished and the shape of a person can be seen.
Ms Mataele has spent most of her life living on the property in Tonga, and said she has never seen anything like it.
Registrar of the New Zealand Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA) Catherine Albiston will be in Tonga next week raising awareness of the importance of only using licensed or exempt immigration advisers when seeking New Zealand immigration advice.
Ms Albiston will also visit Fiji and Samoa as part of an IAA campaign to increase community understanding of the IAA’s licensed adviser register and the risks associated with using unlicensed immigration advisers.
“Unfortunately, there are people who operate unlawfully and are unlicensed. With the amount of information available in today’s world, it can be difficult deciphering who to trust,” says Albiston.
“That’s why the IAA offers a free register of licensed advisers on our website. Anyone seeking immigration advice should only use a licensed immigration adviser or an exempt person.
“Exempt persons include Immigration New Zealand, Citizens Advice Bureaux, Community Law Centres, and New Zealand lawyers.
“Licensed immigration advisers have specialist expertise and have met competency standards. They follow a code of conduct that requires them to be honest and respectful.
“People who are not licensed or exempt can share publicly available information or help friends and family occasionally, but cannot provide immigration advice,” says Albiston.
The IAA is responsible for issuing licences to advisers and handles complaints related to poor immigration advice. The IAA does not provide immigration advice.
More information on the IAA can be found at www.iaa.govt.nz or via email – info@iaa.govt.nz. A person’s immigration status will not be affected by contacting the IAA.
