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Government restructures SPG committee after Lord Sevele refuses to step down

By
Kaniva Staff
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The Tongan government said Lord Sevele’s committee for the South Pacific Games 2019 (SPG) would continue on in its assigned roles but said it has removed the role to oversee the construction and gave it to the Government Facilities Committee.

The government said an Audit and Governance Authority committee was also established to make sure a mechanism is in place to provide oversight of the financial reporting process and system of internal controls and compliance with laws and regulations.

It said the move has been made to make sure the preparation for the Games would be successful and fast.

The announcement comes after the Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva wrote to Lord Sevele and his Tonga Pacific Games Organising Committee members in December 2015 and demanded they submitted their resignation no later than December 18, 2015.

The Prime Minister claimed the committee was making slow progress in preparation for the Games.

The Prime Minister told Lord Sevele, the Chair of SPGC 2019, the Secretary General Takitoa Taumoepeau, Committee Member Sakopo Lolohea and Newly Appointed Consultant Ringo Fa’oliu on December 15 last year to voluntarily resign by December 18.

However, Lord Sevele responded and told the Prime Minister he and his committee disagreed with his concerns and claims.

The Former Prime Minister told Hon Pohiva he and his committee would not step down.

In January the Prime Minister’s Office said Hon Pohiva was waiting for an advice from government department heads before he could respond to Lord Sevele’s refusal to resign.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office last week said the government has formalised three government bodies to take care of the preparation for the Games and they were the Government Facilities Committee, South Pacific Organising Committee and the Audit and Governance Authority Committee.

It said the  Organising Committee would continue on with its roles for the Games while the two other new committees were established to take part in monitoring the operation.

READ MORE:

PM waits for advice from department heads after Lord Sevele refuses to resign from Olympic body

LDS schools warned of possible shut down over student brawl

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) schools in Tonga have been warned by the church’s Commissioner of Education they could be shut down if students will continue their involvement in fighting with students from other schools.

Elder Kim B. Clark has issued the warning while he visited the kingdom last week to give “advice to Tongan students, teachers and parents”.

He said if “violence and fighting” … “becomes the nature of these schools, then yes, the church will shut it down”.

The fighting between groups of students from different schools in Tonga has been going for years.

Recently, violent incidents occured quite frequently between students of the LDS largest high school known as Liahona High School and the government owned Tonga College.

Earlier this month a number of videos were uploaded to social media of fighting between students from various schools.

One video shows a student from Liahona High School emerging from a brawl with his face covered in blood.

In a press conference in Nukuʻalofa during his visit Elder Clark spoke about the role of parents, and he said, “Parents have a huge influence in their children’s education. The Lord wants His children to be better educated than ever before.”

He urged parents to support their children so they can acquire all the education they need.

“Teach your children, help them to learn and grow,” he said. “Take time to study and do homework with them; and to read with them.”

Tongan bank customers hit by Fiji ATM targeted scam

By
Kaniva Staff
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Hundreds of Tongans have had their bank cards blocked and reissued with new cards after they fell victim to regional scammers.

Customers who had  unauthorized transactions on their account as a result of this fraudulent activity will be reimbursed, a statement from Tonga National Reserves Bank said.

The National Bank said it was aware customers of banks in Tonga have been affected by the fraudulent activities in Fiji which involved obtaining customers’ bank card details using ATM and EFTOS skimming devices.

The local banks are dealing with customers that have used their cards in Fiji in the past 12 months.

“Customers with unauthorized transactions on their account as a result of this fraudulent activity are to be assured that they will be reimbursed for the amount of the unauthorized transaction after banks verify the legitimacy of dispute”, the statement said.

“Members of the public and bank cardholders who have travelled to Fiji in the past year are urged to reconcile your bank account statements to ensure your accounts have not been victimized.

Customers were warned to be vigilant whenever they used their VISA Cards “at ATMs and EFTPOS machines, when accessing their bank accounts online and when conducting online purchases or payments”.

“Customers whose cards were used for unauthorized transactions should immediately contact their respective bank. For BSP customers please contact ‘Amateila Tonga at telephone number (676) 23933 ext.6178 or email  atonga@bsp.com.pg and for ANZ Bank customers please contact Tevita Fakapulia at telephone number (676) 20-525 or email  Tevita.Fakapulia@anz.com“.

Customers may also report any fraudulent or suspicious transaction to the Complaints Unit of the NRBT at telephone (676) 24057 or email nrbt@reservebank.to.

FWC disqualifies three ministers at Sydney-based Pulelalaʻā church  

By
Kalino Latu
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The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga has disqualified three church ministers who were serving its churches in Australia and based at its main office at Pulelaʻā in Sydney.

The ministers are Rev Matafonua Fotofili, Viliami Tu’akoi and  Sione M. Pīnomi.

In a letter addressed to the trio, the church’s Secretary General Dr  Tēvita Havea said in Tongan:

“Once you receive this letter you no longer have the authority to be ministers of the church under the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga’s constitution.”

Dr Havea told the ousted ministers the church had done its best to observe all the procedures that were required. This included sending the three ministers letters detailing the complaints against them. However, the ministers had not responded.

Dr Havea said the church’s 92nd annual conference last year had decided to take action, but because accusations had been laid against them their ministerial posts were terminated once they received his letter.

The disqualifaction was the latest in a series of decisions made against the ministers since a series of disastrous financial decisions led to the collapse of its Pulela’a church in 2012.

The Pulelaʻa church was de-registered after legal action by Westpac to recover millions of dollars owed to the bank. The church lost its multi-million dollar church in Sydney and five other properties that were used for security of a loan.

Dr Havea said the ministers had told the church to communicate with them through their lawyers.

“I believed that has been fulfilled,” Dr Havea said in his letter.

“We served all prosecution documents and evidences against you to your lawyers.

“We expected you would respond in writing to all the accusations made against you in writing.

“Unfortunately, you did not complete that part according to our agreement at the court.

“After seven months we have not heard from you.

“We then took the next step which we announced at a meeting and your lawyer was informed.

“You did not respond,” Dr Havea told the ministers.

The Secretary General said the final decision on the ministers was taken at the Ministers’ Conference Committee met on March 3. The three ministers  did not attend.

The committee will report to this 93rd annual conference on what has been done and advise it to take whatever further action is required.

Dr Havea will be in Sydney on April 17 and 19 to conduct the Fakavahefonua quarterly meeting, which will be hosted by the church led by Dr Siotame Havea.

Dr Siotame was ordered by the FWC’s 92nd annual conference last year to replace the outgoing ministers in August last year.

However, when Dr Siotame arrived in Sydney, Rev Matafonua accused him of starting a new church and the congregation split, with some following Dr Siotame and some staying with  Rev Fotofili and Pinomi.

The main points

  • The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga has disqualified three church ministers who were serving its churches in Australia and based at its main office at Pulelaʻa in Sydney.
  • The ministers are Rev Matafonua Fotofili, Viliami Tu’akoi and Sione M. Pinomi.
  • The disqualifaction was the latest in a series of decisions made against the ministers since a series of disastrous financial decisions led to the collapse of its Pulela’a church in 2012.
  • The Pulelaʻa church was de-registered after legal action by Westpac. The church lost its multi-million dollar church in Sydney and five other properties that were used for security of a loan.

READ MORE:

Australian FWC church fear the worst as Pulelaʻā leaders refuse to step down

Free Wesleyan Church name can still be used in Australia, but way is open for legal action

Time to audit Pulela’ā church’s accounts, says Wesleyan General Secretary

Promises over Pulelaʻā church ‘make-believe,’ FWC conference tells members

Tongan man shot dead in US while returning from church

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A Tongan man was shot and killed in the United States on March 21 while two other men were injured and taken to a hospital.

Police have identified the deceased as 20-year-old William Fifita.

Fifita was returning from a church event in Torrance when another vehicle pulled up to his car and opened fire in what police describe as a “senseless murder.” Fifita was struck in the upper body and pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting took place after 2 am in the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue in Gardena, The location borders Hawthorne, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Family and friends are mourning the death of Fifita, who was a student and football player at Mt. San Antonio College.

He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and according to family members he had just returned from a two-year church mission in Guatemala.

“He’s a good boy,” his uncle said. “It was a shock for everybody.”

‘Eua electrocution victim named

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A man who died from an electric shock in a residence in ‘Eua has been named as Lingi Hafoka.

An inquest has confirmed the cause of death was electrocution.

It said the 52-year-old victim was trying to deal with a 4 ft fluorescent light tube that was not working on Thursday evening.

He was electrocuted outside his house where the light tube was installed.

It happened at his home in Ta’anga.

Man dies of suspected heart failure in Ha’apai

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A man from ‘Uiha in Ha’apai collapsed and died from suspected heart failure while traveling by boat to Pangai on March 18.

Police said medical examination has confirmed the 54-year-old man’s cause of death.

He was with churchgoers in the boat when the incident happened.

They were travelling to a church meeting in Lifuka.

 

TRU chaos looms as it faces arbitration over claims that AGM was unconstitutional

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga Rugby Union’s former interim CEO Fuka Kitekeiʻaho told Kaniva News yesterday he was considering taking the TRU to court to force it to arbitration.

He said the TRU’s current board was dragging its feet to try to avoid the process.

The latest drama to involve the TRU began three months ago when representatives from Vava’u, Haʻapai and ‘Eua helped elect  Feʻao Vunipola as interim chair of TRU at its annual general meeting.

Kitekeiʻaho claimed the attendance of the outer island representatives was unconstitutional because their local unions had not run local rugby tournaments within the past four years.

He said the outer island unions should not be members of the TRU board or have a vote at the AGM.

If the arbitration ruled in his favour  the current board’s arrangements and decisions would be declared void, Kitekeiʻaho said.

He told Kaniva News  it had been two months since he sought the arbitration process. Legal documents have been distributed to TRU members and the representatives from Vavaʻu, ‘Eua and Haʻapai.

He said he believed Vunipola and the current board had dragged out the process and he intended to seek a court order to start it soon as it was taking too long now.

“They cannot avoid it forever,” Kitekeiʻaho said.

Arbitration was part of the board’s constitution to resolve cases like this, he said.

Kitekei’aho said he was told the TRU was seeking a lawyer in preparation for the arbitration.

“The World Rugby is waiting for the result”, Kitekeiʻaho said.

Tongan rugby union’s organising body has faced several crises in the past year, with accusations of poor leadership and questions over finances.

The TRU’s interim chair, Vunipola, said the arbitration process only added to the difficulties he and the union faced as they tried to resolve the board’s financial struggles.

The TRU owes about TP$700,0000/NZ$470,000 to a number of businesses who complained to the IRB  after the courts ruled against the TRU.

 Pointing fingers

According to a statement posted by Vunipola on Facebook, the IRB froze funding for Tonga because the TRU owes Carinat Sport Marketing TP$300,000/NZ$201,000, Mt Smart Stadium in New Zealand NZ$44,000/TP$65,000 and Finau Maka  €250,000.00/TP$620,000/NZ$416,000.

It is understood the debt to Carinat arose after the TRU borrowed rugby kits from the company, but did not pay for them.

Vunipola did not respond to our request for comment.

He claimed some of the debts arose from deals made by former TRU Chair ʻEpeli Taione without going through the board meeting.

Taione did not respond to our request for comment.

Vunipola  claimed that Kitekeiʻaho had told TRU members part of the debt had been paid off, but they had found no proof of any payments.

He said that according to board minutes from 2013 the TRU asked Taione and Kitekeiʻaho to tell them how much debts TRU still owed and they replied that the remaining debt was “50-60,000 sovereigns.”

(Editor’s note: A sovereign was a British gold coin. They are still made for special occasions, but are not normal circulating currency.)

Vunipola claimed he was told that when board members asked Kitekeiʻaho and Taione about the debts they became furious and told members to go and look for money to pay for the debts.

However Kitekeiʻaho said Vunipola should not point his finger and take the issue up with media.  He should put forwards a plan to pay the debts, he said.

“I wish to make it clear to the new TRU board members that when you come in to the board it is you who make the decisions and if there is debt there or profit you start with it. If there is financial debts try to pay it,” Kitekei’aho said.

“Making noise will not help pay if off.”

Kitekeiʻaho claimed he made a deal with lawyers for Carinat and Mt Smart Stadium  in an attempt to settle the debts.

He said an arrangement had been made to pay US$1000/TP$2199/NZ$1477 to Carinat and NZ$1000/TP$1488 to Mt Smart Stadium every month since November 2015 until the end of March 2016.

It had been intended that after this point  the TRU and its creditors would discuss how to settle the balance.

However, Kitekeiʻaho claimed that after Vunipola took over he stopped the arrangement.

Concerns

Vunipola said he was concerned that in the past the IRB and World Rugby had continued to help Tongan rugby financially despite the fact it was in deep financial difficulties in 2007 and 2012.

The IRB was withholding funding until reforms are made within the TRU.

It is understood a team from World Rugby will arrive in Tonga shortly to look at the problems faced by the Tongan union.

Vunipola said it was a pity that the staff at the TRU office had not been paid since the third week of January.

READ MORE:

Tongan athletes dumped at the airport Deputy Prime Minister steps in

CEO ‘Emeline Tuita’s role with Tonga Rugby Union terminated

“Best paid ever” ‘Ikale Tahi failed to perform as expected, rugby boss says after three losses

Tongan Rugby Union has no money to pay its players an allowance, it was claimed this week.

VIDEO:Mother of three described as “woman of the church” as mourners present hala

By
Kalino Latu
-

Mele Manu, a mother of three and a teacher at a Free Wesleyan Church who died after she unplugged an electric extension cord on Tuesday, was described yesterday as a “woman of the church”.

The description was made during the presentation of the hala (gifts) during Mele’s wake.

In a tearful and emotional speech the herald of the woman’s in-laws greeted the  deceased’s herald, Lelenoa, with the fakatapu, in which she expressed respect and asked permission to speak.

Using figurative speech, she told Lelenoa that a sudden strong wave had taken away the lover of her child, referring to the husband.

She then revealed the gifts they had  brought was a kumifonua or gift to be taken with the deceased to her resting place.

She said the gift was a fala’aofi (mat accompanied by another mat or ngatu). She said the fala’aofi was placed on another fala’aofi.

She then asked the receiving herald if their gift could be used as  Mele’s cover as she had been chosen by their brother as his lover.

While the herald was still speaking the in-laws and mourners were visibly and audibly composing their emotion and weeping.

The herald told Lelenoa they would wait until they knew what he wanted them to do with their gifts.

“We are free and we are here to listen to you as we intended to come here and to bid farewell to the woman of the church,” the herald told Lelenoa.

“Our souls are thankful for that,” she said.

Lelenoa received the gift with thankfulness and thanked the in-laws for coming to join him and the rest of the family in trying to withstand the tragedy that unexpectedly hit them.

The main points

  • Mele Manu, a mother of three and a teacher at a Free Wesleyan Church who died on Tuesday, was described yesterday as a “woman of the church”.
  • The description was made during the presentation of the feitu’ui (gifts) straight after the burial services.
  • In a tearful speech, the herald of the woman’s in-laws greeted the deceased’s herald, Lelenoa, with the fakatapu, in which she expressed respect and asked permission to speak.
  • Using figurative speech, she told Lelenoa that a sudden strong wave had taken away the lover of her child, referring to the husband.

Fakatu’uta e hala e uitou faifekau Raymond Manu mohono famili kihe meafaka’eiki hono hoa ‘ofa’anga..

Posted by Vaikalafi Tuiono on Saturday, March 19, 2016

Kainga lotu Afo e 100 iheenau failotu moe hiva malie kohono e fakanoga kii Faifekau kaeumaa e fanau paea..R.I.L LAUSIVA 󾬎

Posted by Vaikalafi Tuiono on Saturday, March 19, 2016

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to say the in-laws presented their hala not feitu’ui as we said earlier on.

Tearful students and crowd say farewell to electrocuted mum

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A community fell silent today as grieving family and friends gathered to pay their last respects to a young mother killed in a tragic accident.

The death of 42-year-old Mele Lausiva Felemi Manu, who was electrocuted while trying to deal with an electric extension cord outside a house she and her family lived at Tupou College, has rocked the close-knit community.

Hundreds of mourners were gathering at the college and later in  Tatakamotonga to say a tearful final farewell to “smiling and vibrant” Mele, who was popular with lots of friends.

Emotions ran high as mourners met and hugged the deceased three children who were standing by her coffin together with their father.

Tupou College students in formal school uniforms carried Mele to the church and to her final resting place at Siamoka cemetery in Tatakamotonga.

Mele was a teacher at Tupou College.

She was living with her husband Rev Raymond Manu with their three children.

Koe tengihia ena e kau faiako e Kolisi ko Tupou moe uitou kaeumaa e fanau kohai ha taha e taetagi koe taahine mata mali mo fotu fiefia Lausiva sio hake kihe faga tokoua ??enau tagi moe taefiemavae

Posted by Vaikalafi Tuiono on Saturday, March 19, 2016

https://kanivatonga.co.nz/2016/03/rip-to-my-favorite-teacher-tributes-flow-in-for-mother-killed-in-school-electrocution/

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