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WATCH: Good Samaritans visiting Vavaʻu wipe away tears of desperate Talihau business women

By
Kalino Latu
-

Scroll down to watch the video

A group of business women in Talihau, Vavaʻu were in tears after they were paid more than TP$20,000 by a couple for their koloa faka-Tonga after a previous deal was canceled by their Australian business partners.

The Talihau group was trading with Tongans in Australia and had a verbal agreement that the Australians would buy their Tongan traditional handicrafts this December.

But in November, after the Vava’uans had spent months  producing work to meet the expectations of their customers, they were told the Australians were canceling the deal.

The last-minute cancellation hit the small Vavaʻuan community really hard.

Tongan-based Australian couple Houma and his wife Moa Liavaʻa Koloamatangi visited Vavaʻu this week and heard about the Talihau episode.

Houma told Kaniva News he really felt for the women as he understood the situation and how it would have affected them with their families during the Christmas and the New Year.

Houma and Moa Koloamatangi.

“I just told my wife let’s go there and see if she wants anything and ask to buy it”,  Houma said.

When they got there and talked to the women they decided to buy all their handicrafts which were different types of Tongan precious mats.

She said the women gave them a good deal and they bought all their goods for more than TP$20,000.

The Koloamatangis are running personal loan finances for the Tongan communities in Tonga and Australia.

In a video posted to Facebook by Houma, a woman who appeared to be the leader of the group can be heard tearfully saying they were thankful for the Koloamatangis for their kindness.

She said that if they had not bought their goods they would not have been able to shop this Christmas.

She said their children would not have school materials and school fees for the new year.

They had relied on the deal with the Tongans in Australia and it was really sad they cancelled when they had already produced  the mats.

Some members of the group managed to ship their goods to Tongatapu, Tonga’s mainland, while others stayed on the island with their koloa.

Trading  

This type of informal trading among Tongan women in the kingdom and overseas happens in December before Christmas.

According to the protocol the trading can be by individual or in groups. A woman from Tonga or from overseas has to first look for a partner to trade with.

When they agree they discuss the requirements. A partner in the United States may, for instance, want five 20 feet mats (fala toka 20) and the Tongan woman can tell her partner she can give them to her for, say, TP$5,000.

When they agree they can then decide a day in December when the overseas partner will come to Tonga for the exchange.

This is known as kātoanga fakafetongi koloa faka-Tonga or a celebration at which the trade and exchange takes place.

The exchange is sometimes associated with exchanges of extra gifts. For instance the overseas partner might add an important blanket with an extra TP$500 as a gift, while the Tongan partner gifts her with a fala toka 10.

The production of mats is not an easy task especially after the processing of the lou’akau.

Women have to pay for weavers to help them because of the trading demand.

Abuse

Although this is meant to be a time to celebrate there can be problems.

There have been reports of people abusing the trade and exchange business.

Some Tongan overseas partners have told their Tongan partners to ship them the goods when it comes to the celebration day in Tonga because they have an urgent function for one of their children.

She said she would send her the money after the function. The Tongan partner trusted her and sent the goods but that was the end of it. The money was never paid.

On one occasion a woman in Tonga was reported telling her partner overseas when the celebration day was near to send her the money to pay for her bills, some church and family duties as well as other urgent needs.

She said she would still provide the promised goods in December. The money was then transferred to Tonga, but when the overseas partner arrived in Tonga she could never find her business partner.

It has been estimated that the trade and celebration business can bring more than TP$1 million a year to the kingdom.

The following video was recorded on the day  the goods were purchased.

The main points

  • A group of business women in Talihau, Vavaʻu were in tears after they were paid more than TP$20,000 by a couple for their koloa faka-Tonga after a previous deal was canceled by their Australian business partners.
  • The Talihau group was trading with Tongans in Australia and had a verbal agreement that the Australians would buy their Tongan traditional handicrafts this December.
  • Tongan-based Australian couple Houma and his wife Moa Liavaʻa Koloamatangi visited Vavaʻu this week and heard about the Talihau episode.
  • After talking to the women they bought all their goods for more than TP$20,000.

Tourism Minister acted unlawfully in dismissing four directors, Supreme Court rules

By
Philip Cass
-

The Tourism Minister has been told he was wrong to dismiss four members of the Board of   the Tonga Tourism Authority on the grounds that their contracts had expired.

Lord Chief Justice Paulsen told the Supreme Court that four people, Tomifa Paea, Simana Kami, Finau Uata and Kisione Pakalani were appointed by Cabinet as directors  of the board under the Tonga Tourism Authority Act  2012.

Their appointments were confirmed for a period of up to three years by the then minister. Hon. ‘Etuate   Lavulavu.

On June 17 2016 the new Tourism Minister, Hon. Semisi Sika, wrote to them, saying they had only been appointed for  the  balance  of the term of a resigning director who they had replaced and that their appointments had expired.

Paea, Kami, UIata and Pakalani  argued they had been unlawfully terminated and asked the Supreme Court to declare the Minister’s decision was wrong and an order setting it aside. Alternatively, they sought  damages.

Hon. Sika argued that regardless of whether the directors were told they had there year appointments, they had replaced resigning directors and their appointments could only be for the remainder of that director’s term.

Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said the four directors had been appointed by Cabinet on October 2, 2015, following the recommendation of Hon. Lavulavu. Neither Cabinet nor the Minister said they were replacing resigning directors.

On January  26 this year, Hon.  Lavulavu  wrote  to  the  plaintiffs and confirmed their appointments  to the  Board.  His  letter referred to their appointments as being for a period of up to three years.

Hon. Sika became the Tourism Minister on April 18. It appeared that in early June he met with the four directors and told them their appointments were only for the term of resigning directors. On June 17 he wrote to them saying that their terms ended “effective today.”

The directors kept performing their duties, but on July 21 received a letter from the Acting Chief  Executive Officer of Tourism telling them to leave the authority premises.

“I consider  that  the  Minister  did  not  follow  the  law  because  he  was wrong   that   the   plaintiffs   were   appointed   to  fill   positions  that   had become vacant  through  the  resignation  of directors,” Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said.

He said the Board had not until that time appointed the number of directors required by the Act and that there were always two vacancies.

Any director  appointed  to  fill  those  vacancies  would  be entitled  to  serve  a term  of three  years  under section. It was now impossible to determine which of the plaintiffs had been appointed to fill those vacancies.

“It  must  therefore  be  the  case  that  at  least  two  of  the  plaintiffs  were appointed  to  fill  positions  on  the  Board  that  had  always  been  vacant and  that  they  were  entitled  to  serve  for  three  years,” the judge said.

“The  Minister was  not entitled  to  regard their  appointments  as  having expired  by  17 June   2016,   just   seven   months   after   their appointment.

“The  Minister  has  made  fundamental  mistakes.   He was  mistaken  in his belief that all the plaintiffs  were  replacements  for  retiring directors. He was mistaken when he considered that all the plaintiffs’ engagements had expired.”

The judge said the Minister acted unlawfully  when  he advised  the   plaintiffs  that  their  appointments   on  the   Board  of  the Authority  had ended.

He said the plaintiffs had asked the court to order the Minister to return them to the board or to pay them damages. However, he would reserve his decision on this until he had met with legal counsel for the Minister and the plaintiffs.

The  main points

  • The Tourism Minister has been told he was wrong to dismiss four members of the Board of the Tonga Tourism Authority on the grounds that their contracts had expired.
  • Tomifa Paea, Simana Kami, Finau Uata and Kisione Pakalanai were appointed by Cabinet as directors on the
  • On June 17 Tourism Minister Semisi Sika wrote to them saying they had been appointed only for  the  balance  of the term of a resigning director who they had replaced and that their appointments had expired.
  • However, Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said the Minister had acted unlawfully.

READO MORE:

Legal threats after minister sacks tourism board of authority

Tourism board dismissal justified, new board members elected, Dr Palenitina says

Senior church member shares heartbreaking account of Te‘ekiu tragedy

By
Kalino Latu
-

A senior church member has shared the horrifying moment when he saw his colleague died at sea in Teʻekiu last week.

Sioseti Sunia Koluse who was in his 30s died while trying to save a 13-year-old boy after he got into difficulties while swimming at Fotua beach in Kalaʻau on Wednesday 14.

His body was shortly recovered and brought to shore by a boat.

According to a news release by the Mormon Church news website for the Pacific, Koluse was serving as a volunteer youth leader in Teʻekiu for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It said the deceased has served in many lay positions in the Church including as bishop of a Vainī ward.

Bishop ‘Asaeli Fifita was reportedly emotional while sharing what he saw that day.

“At low tide, some of our group were fishing. All of a sudden the boys were yelling.  One of the young men that was swimming was caught in a whirlpool and immediately Brother Koluse jumped in to help him”, Bishop Fifita told the website.

He said: “Both Brother Koluse and the young man were being pulled down in the whirlpool. When the current brought them back up, I witnessed Brother Koluse lift the young man over his head and threw him out away from the whirlpool. In a split second, again the whirlpool pulled Brother Koluse, and this time, when the current brought him back up, I could see that there was a problem.”

Police said Another 36 year old man who was at the beach saw what happened and swam out to assist them.

Police in Nukunuku were called but when their boat arrived it was too late.

The deceased is survived by his wife Kalolaine and their daughter Melemanu Koluse.

Dead American yachtie named, body to be buried in Vavaʻu

By
Kalino Latu
-

The name of the 74-year-old American man found dead in Vaipua, Vavaʻu on December 14 is Stephen Bohne, Police have confirmed.

His body is expected to be buried at Matafolau cemetery in Neiafu this week.

As Kaniva reported on Friday 16 Health authority at Ngū hospital confirmed the deceased died from heart attack after he was found on the deck of his yacht, the Eagle Wings.

Tongan authority contacted the US Embassy in Fiji, Vavaʻu Police said.

The deceased arrived in Vavaʻu in October 2015 and his visa expired in November this year, Vavaʻu Police Superintendent Nētane Falakiseni said.

Largest group of Chinese tourists visits kingdom on cruise ship

By
Philip Cass
-

About 2000 Chinese tourists arrived in Tonga last week on the cruise ship Costa-Atlantica.

They were the first large group of Chinese tourists to visits the kingdom since the two countries agreed to allow visitors to obtain 30 day visas on arrival.

The visitors were welcomed by a Tongan delegation including HRH Prince Ulukalala, Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva and Tourism Minister Hon. Semisi Sik .

His Royal Highness welcomed the tourist group at the wharf and wished them Happy New Year in Mandarin.

The Police Brass Band played for the group and there was a display of traditional dancing.

The Chinese Ambassador to Tonga, His Excellency Huang Huaguang,  accompanied Prince Ulukalala during a tour of the ship.

Ambassador Huang said this was the first time such a large group of Chinese tourists had visited the kingdom. He said more than 120 million Chinese travelled overseas each year.

Prime Minister Pohiva said the visit would promote the improvement of tourism infrastructure, quality of service, sustainable development of tourism and protection of Tonga’s culture and environment.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on tourism was signed in Tonga in July 2015 by the Chinese and Tongan governments.

Chinese turists can obtain a 30 day entry visa on arrival in the Kingdom and vice-versa.

Chinese investors have expressed an interest in developing five star resorts and hotels and alternative air travel routes.

According to a World Travel and Tourism Council report on Tonga for 2015, the total contribution to Tonga’s GDP in 2014 was TP$143.9m, or 17.% of GDP.

In 2014, travel and tourism’s  contribution to employment, including jobs indirectly supported by the industry, was estimated at 6000, or 17.4 of total employment.

About 50,000 inbound travellers were registered in Tonga in the same period.

For more information

First big group of Chinese tourists arrived in Tonga

Travel and Tourism Economic Impact Tonga 2015

Optimistic outlook for Tong-Chinese tourism development

Tongan wedding in Sydney turns violent, mass brawl erupts

By
Kalino Latu
-

A Tongan wedding reception at Riverwood reception centre in Sydney on Sunday morning has turned violent with a brawl resulting in a 22-year-old man severely injured.

The man was in semi-conscious when Police arrived and he was taken to hospital with another man, Sydney media reported.

The incident also saw a passing motorist’s car window being shattered because of the brawl.

7News reported that it was the wedding reception of Teisa Fifita and Junior Taʻane Tupola.

The Leader report said at about 12am a fight broke out between 25-30 people outside the Belmore Road centre, which was hosting a wedding reception.

Police said witnesses at the scene refused to cooperate  so they are appealing to the public for any information that may help them in their investigation.

They have seized security footage from the function centre as investigations continue.

Friends and relatives offered their sympathy for the couple on social media and criticised the violent behaviour of the guests.

One of the users called the wedding reception ceremony “beautiful” although it turned violent and ended in an unexpected manner, 7 News reported.

Brawls in Tongatapu spill over to street

By
Kalino Latu
-

Police arrived at the Nukuʻalofa bus station after a brawl broke out in Tongatapu this afternoon Monday 19.

It is understood Police dispersed the fighters and no one was arrested.

A fight erupted in front of Tonga College on Saturday had spilled over to the street.

The fight was stopped after some of the bystanders tried to intervene. No one was injured, our correspondent in Tonga said.

It has yet to be confirmed whether or not there was a link between the two fights.

China to build new Tonga High School sports complex

By
Kalino Latu
-

Formal agreements for plans to build a new sports complex for Tonga High School with Chinese help have been signed in Nukuʻalofa.

The Chinese embassy in Tonga said the complex, which is to be constructed soon was part of the kingdom’s preparation for 2019 Pacific Games.

The signed documents said: “The main construction for the project includes one indoor gymnasium, one outdoor rugby field, four outdoor netball fields, two outdoor swimming pools, one lawn bowling field and ancillary facilities within the scope of the project.

“During the past years, China has been providing assistance to Tonga which has greatly promoted the economic and social development of Tonga.

“The assistance in supporting the construction of the sports facilities will not only support Tonga in hosting of 2019 Pacific Games, but also bring convenience to the local people in their physical activities”.

Footballer Folau found peace, but depression and suicide still stalk young rugby players

By
Philip Cass
-

Australian footballer Israel Folau has had a spectacular career in three different codes, but now he’s the public face of a revival tour in which he talks about how his faith brought him peace when he couldn’t cope with the pressure of success.

He and fellow player Manu Vatuvei are the faces on the posters for the Road to Redemption tour, which ends in Auckland on Thursday night.

Born to Tongan parents in New South Wales, Folau played rugby league for the Melbourne Storm in the Australia National Rugby League from 2007 to 2008 and for the Brisbane Broncos from 2009 to 2010.

He also played for the Australian rugby league team and Queensland in State Origin matches. In 2011 he joined the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Australian Football League (AFL). In December 2012, he joined the rugby union team the Waratahs.

But like many young players Folau could not cope with the pressures of success and began to suffer from depression.

He drank heavily, womanised, and in the end there was only so much support his family and friends could give him.

When things were at their worst he turned to God and found the peace he needed.

“No one else could help me,” Folau told Auckland journalist Matt Manukia,

Joining Folau on the revival tour is Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei, who has also spoken publicly about his mental health problems,

While not every player with problems has followed Folau’s path, depression and mental illness continue to affect a significant number of young rugby players on both sides of the Ditch.

Some have committed suicide, others have seen their careers collapse and their personal lives spiral out of control.

In 2013 NRL players Mosese Fotuaika and Alex Elisala took their own lives and four more players have followed suit since then.

Some may have had a genetic disposition to depression. Others were coping with the aftermaths of traumatic childhoods. Others could not cope with the pressures of a highly charged, full-on macho culture where careers brought money and other opportunities to players too young to cope.

Welfare and education manager at the Warriors, Jerry Seuseu, told Fairfax Media earlier this year that 16 of the team’s 100 players suffered from depression.

Former Warriors player Kevin Locke was supported through bouts of depression and suicide attempts by the team. He was provided with regular psychiatric counselling and was on anti-depressants for most of his career.

His career eventually collapsed after he left the Warriors and made a short-lived and ill-fated attempt at a career in the UK.

Other prominent rugby players to battle with depression have included Paul Whatuira,  who won two NRL premierships and represented New Zealand. Eventually his condition became so serious that he was sectioned in a British hospital for a month.

The problem is international.

Former Scottish international Rory Lamont told the UK Sunday Times earlier this year that players found it almost impossible to admit to feeling vulnerable.

“Rugby is great at masking insecurities,” Lamont told The Sunday Times.

“You get this bullet-proof vest: you’re part of a team, everyone’s telling you you’re great. But it’s just a comfort blanket.”

And Irish footballer Alan Quinlan told the Independent: “There’s a bit of a stigma attached to men going to the doctor and asking for a bit of help or even opening up to friends and family members.  It’s not the done thing in Ireland.  But if you have a toothache you go to the dentist.  Yet if you’re feeling low down people here tend not to talk about it.  I was, ‘well, I can solve all my own problems and look after myself’. That’s not the way to do it.  You have to reach out and ask for some help.”

Israel Folau and the Road to Redemption Revival Tour will appear in Wellington tonight (December 19), New Plymouth on December 20 and Auckland on December 22.

Where to get help in New Zealand

Lifeline – 0800 543 354

Healthline – 0800 611 116

Samaritans – 0800 726 666

Depression Helpline 0800 111 757 or https://depression.org.nz/

Suicide Crisis Helpline (aimed at those in distress, or those who are concerned about the wellbeing of someone else) – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)

Youthline – 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz

The main points

  • Australian footballer Israel Folau has had a spectacular career in three different codes, but now he’s the public face of a revival tour in which he talks about how his faith brought him peace when he couldn’t cope with the pressure of success.
  • He and fellow player Manu Vatuvei are the faces on the posters for the Road to Redemption tour, which ends in Auckland on Thursday night.
  • Welfare and education manager at the Warriors, Jerry Seuseu, told Fairfax Media earlier this year that 16 of the team’s 100 players suffered from depression.
  • And the problem is global, with former Scottish international Rory Lamont saying earlier this year that players found it almost impossible to admit to feeling vulnerable.

For more information

Spare a thought for rugby’s vulnerable gladiators wrestling with their demons

How rugby league player Kevin Locke beat depression

Rugby league star now mental illness mentor for young players

Full interview: ‘No one else could help me’: Israel Folau and Manu Vatuvei reveal off-field battles on NZ tour to tackle depression

House burned to the ground in blaze in Haveluloto

By
Kalino Latu
-

A house beside Tailulu College in Haveluloto has burned to the ground on Friday.

A witness said a main house was saved.

Reports on social media said the house was well ablaze by the time firefighters arrived.

There is no word if anyone was in the house when the fire broke out or if anyone was injured.

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