Monday, February 3, 2025
Newsletter
Support Kaniva
Home Blog Page 851

TRU: Vava‘u Rugby Union wants beleaguered Soape Tu’iono out

By
Kalino Latu
-

Vava’u Rugby Union (VRU)  in Tonga wants Soape Tu’iono, the chairman of the unconstitutional committee set up in opposition to Tonga Rugby Union (TRU) chaired by ‘Epeli Taione, to step aside and dissolve his committee.

Supporters of rugby union from Vava'u are the second largest in number to supporters on the mainland Tongatapu and for their Union to come forward and express their opinion publicly is significant.

‘Isileli Fakatulolo, President of VRU told a local newspaper Soape called meetings that were not in accordance with the TRU constitution and all he has done were only to cause public disorder and chaos among Ikale-Tahi fans.

On April 10 Soape and some (TRU)  members called a board meeting to oust the Chairperson ‘Epeli Taione and CEO ‘Emeline Tuita.

Mr. William Glenwright, IRB General Manager  for Oceania told Soape in an email few days later that “TRU is not validly applying its Constitution” and to “lay-off” a board official  is a matter for the Union to decide in a general meeting but not the board members.

Tonga is currently having two Rugby Union Boards, one is chaired by ‘Epeli Taione and one is chaired by Tu’iono.

Taione told Kaniva News previously his committee is still the only one recognized in Tonga by IRB.

One year old toddler in Vava’u allegedly dies in bucket of water

By
via Scoop Media
-

Police in Vava’u are conducting an investigation into how 1 year 6 months old baby girl, Malia Pome’e also known as Mako from the village of Makave, was found dead in a bucket of water by their house.

Inspector Falakiseni from Vava’u Police Station told local newspaper Kele’a they are awaiting autopsy report from hospital to confirm the cause of death.

Dr Tevita Faka’osi from the hospital told the paper that the toddler was arrived at about 6:00 pm on Tuesday, and he found out her heart stopped beating.

Family members told the paper, Pome’e was playing with her sisters while her mother, Haurana Pome'e was cooking.

Haurana did not hear from the baby for a while and after calling and searching around the residence her elder  sisters found her in the bucket of water. 

Emeritus Professor Albert Wendt Appointed to the Order of New Zealand

By
Press Release
-

Albert Wendt (āiga Sa-Tuaopepe of Lefaga and āiga Sa-Patu of Vaiala), Emeritus Professor of English at The University of Auckland and acclaimed writer, painter and poet, has been made a member of the Order of New Zealand in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours List.

The Order of New Zealand is the country's highest honour. Only 20 people can be members of the order at any one time.

The 73-year-old said this latest award is for his family.

'The honour is really for them. They are the ones that really got me where I am now because if you don't have the support of your family and friends, you can continue to write, but who is it for?'

In 1988 he took up a professorship of New Zealand Literature in the English Department at The University of Auckland, becoming one of the first Samoan and Pacific Island professors in New Zealand.

In November 2012 he was awarded New Zealand's highest literary award – the 2012 Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement for Fiction at Premier House in Wellington.

Albert first came to New Zealand from Samoa on government scholarship in 1952 and studied at New Plymouth Boys High.

'Without that scholarship I don't know where I would be now. I came from a very modest and poor family. My parents really believed that education was a way out of that.'

'I never dreamt that I would be here now.'

After graduating with his masters degree from Victoria University, Albert returned home to Samoa in 1965 to teach at Samoa College before becoming principal in 1969.

In 1974 he moved to Suva and became a lecturer at the University of the South Pacific.

Albert has written several novels, collections of short stories and poetry. Two of his books, Sons for the Return Home and Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree “ have both been made into feature films. Leaves of the Banyan Tree, his third novel, won the prestigious New Zealand Wattie Book of the Year Award in 1980.

Government and councils at odds again

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Government’s bullying tactics with councils are threatening to derail its flagship housing accords, says Labour.

“The Government's Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Bill is already in trouble. Housing Minister Nick Smith is at loggerheads with local councils over clauses which give him the power to override them if government doesn’t get its way,” Labour’s Local Government spokesperson Su’a William Sio says.

“President of Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), Lawrence Yule, told the select committee considering the Bill today that councils were totally opposed to the override clause and Auckland Council would refuse to sign the Housing Accord with the Government unless the clause was removed,” said Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford.

“Nick Smith said on radio this morning the override clause would not be removed. There is clearly another miscommunication between central and local government.

"It is bizarre that after spending six weeks hammering out an accord with Auckland Council that explicitly rules out the idea of the Government overriding the Council, the Government then inserts clauses in the Bill that would allow it to go over the top of that council  – and others – if it can’t get its own way.

"How can a council negotiate in good faith when the Government is holding a gun to its head?” Phil Twyford said.

Su’a William Sio said Mr Smith was determined to strip local communities of their powers: “We have seen it in the Land Transport Management Amendment Bill which transfers the power to set local transport priorities from Councils to Cabinet and in the RMA which tilts the balance of power away from local communities.

"While local councils by and large accept the need for special measures to deal with affordable housing, they aren’t ‘spare parts’ in the decision making process.

“Bullying is not the go-to tactic of a responsible and reasonable government.”

Concerns over shark finning in Tonga attract wider awareness

By
Kalino Latu
-

There are more concerns now by conservationists around the Pacific after revelation last week that the “cruel practice of cutting off the fins of live shark,” and selling them to local Chinese markets has no law in Tonga to avoid it.

Kalauni ‘o Tonga  Voyaging Society president Aunofo Havea says the society is horrified to discover shark finning is taking place in their local waters.

“To see shark fins displayed at a local supermarket in Neiafu is heartbreaking,” says Havea. “We regard ourselves as guardians for these vulnerable species and this practice and trade must stop".

Kalauni ‘o Tonga is a national voyaging society based in the Vava’u island group, where Neiafu harbour is located.

“I know we are not alone in our stance and we hope others will speak out to raise awareness and bring about change,” says Havea.

 ‘Eseta Schaaf, founder of the organization Keep Vava’u Green – based in Salt Lake City, Utah,  who brought Tonga’s shark finning practice to light last week on NZKaniva Pacific says “I have been pleasantly surprised by the widespread attention my article on shark finning in Vava’u has received. From the US to Australia, New Zealand and Tonga, concerned readers and conservationists have shown their support. Sharks have thrived on Earth for 420 million years, but today they are on the verge of extinction from human-related activities like shark finning.

"The example at Neiafu Shopping Centre is the first outright and public display of shark finning in Vava’u, and sadly, reports show that the practice is more prevalent (on the mainland) Tongatapu. Even the Ministry of Fisheries website lists the amount of exported shark fins under its quaterly bulletins.

Oceana estimated Tonga exported close to 8,000 kg of shark fins in 2008 to Hong Kong alone – the biggest shark fin market".

Schaaf told Kaniva, “It is awesome to see the ripple effect this has had on raising awareness both in and outside of Tonga. I hope we keep talking about it – tell your friends and family about it, stay updated by visiting: http://oceana.org and finally, let the Tongan Government know we are aware and we care”.

Pastor of Tongan Assemblies of God fired after investigation

By
Kalino Latu
-

Pastor Vosailangi Sikalu of the Assemblies of God has been sacked following a decision by the church’s executive presbytery in New Zealand.

A written confirmation of his dismissal was officially made on May 22 by the executive saying it “revoked”  Sikalu’s position in the church after conducting an investigation against him and copies of their decision have been sent to the “World AG Tongan Council”.

Sikalu was accused of having affairs with two women in the church and it was made known to the Tongan communities by the Taimi 'o Tonga Newspaper in late 2009. He was also accused of sending obscene text messages.

In October 2012 after complaints from one of the women and her husband Pastor Sikalu was arrested by police for “misuse of a telephone and threatening behaviour”.

He was released with “a precharge formal warning for his actions”.

Sikalu denied all accusations and maintained his innocence.

The Australian Government provides TOP55.67 million aid to Tonga

By
Press Release
-

The Australian Government will provide an estimated AUD32.2 million, equivalent to TOP55.67 million, in official development assistance to Tonga in 2013-14.

"Australia is committed to its Partnership for Development with Tonga. This latest round of funding will support the steps being taken by Tonga to build a resilient economy and promote development that is sustainable and inclusive," said Australia's High Commissioner to Tonga, HE Mr Brett Aldam.

Australia's development assistance to Tonga is part of the Government's overall commitment to increase the size of the Australian aid program to AUD5.7 billion from AUD5.2 billion in 2012-13. This will increase Australia's Official Development Assistance to 0.37 per cent of its Gross National Income (GNI).

Australia remains committed to increasing its ODA to 0.5 per cent of GNI, however, the Government has decided to defer this scale up by one year to 2017-18.

"Australian assistance in 2013-14 will remain focused on supporting the Government of Tonga's efforts to boost economic development and promote health and education service delivery," said Mr Aldam.

New initiatives in the 2013-14 program for Tonga include a multi-year investment to improve basic education and learning outcomes, installing solar power in nine outer islands in partnership with the Asian Development Bank, a governance and parliamentary support program to be delivered by the UNDP, and initiatives to improve the political, economic and social advancement of women.

The 2013-14 Budget continues to implement the Government's Comprehensive Aid Policy Framework (CAPF). The CAPF enables the Australian Government to work together with Tonga to better plan and implement aid investments more effectively, delivering better results for the people of Tonga.

The 2011-12 Annual Review of Aid Effectiveness, which was released in January, demonstrated that Australian aid is effective and represents value for money. It also showed that Australia is making real progress towards the targets announced in the 2012-13 budget.

Judicial review over Government of Tonga alleged illegal lease payments

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga Democratic Party (TDP) member MP Sione Taione applied on May 29 to the Supreme  Court in Nuku’alofa for a judicial review of the government multi-million payments to three royal estate holders.

Taione claims the decision for the alleged illegal payments was made on March 23, 2011 and on June 30, 2011,  $2 million pa'anga was paid to Lord Kalaniuvalu. On February 10, 2012,  $1 million pa'anga was paid to Prince Tu'ipelehake and on June 16, 2011  $119,500 pa'anga was paid to Prince Tungi.

The matter was raised in Parliament early last year and again in the Party’s submission for a Vote of No Confidence against the Prime Minister, Lord Tu’ivakano in July 2012.

At one stage, Taione told the house he had the minute of the cabinet meeting number 205 with its decision to “immediately” pay Lord Kalaniuvalu $3.7 milion for a 99 years lease.

He said according to documents he obtained the payment has already been made to Kalaniuvalu without signing the deed of lease which was an absolute breach of Land Codes sections 124 and 126.

Deputy Prime Minister, Hon SamiuVaipulu insisted the lease payments went through government procedures and that they were legal.

Mr. Neil Adsett, Tonga’s Attorney General confirmed in a letter printed by Kele’a Newspaper at the time that the lease payments were illegal citing section 19 of the constitution says “no money shall be borrowed or expended by the Government except by the prior vote of the Legislative Assembly”.

The lease payments did not go through the Parliament.

The Prime Minister survived the vote of no confidence last year because he got the majority but the Party undertook to take their submission further with court and Taione’s judicial review application is one of the alleged corruption cases the Party had in their vote of no confidence's supporting documents.

Another government's alleged corruption case is taken to the Supreme Court of Appeal by MP ‘Akilisi Pohiva where he sued Princess Pilolevu and her Tongasat company, Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakano and Hon Clive Edwards for their involvement in an alleged illegal transference of a million grant from China to Tonga to the Princess’s company.

The Solicitor General, 'Aminiasi Kefu acts for the government and Taione represents himself.

Siope Sitanilei Lopeti: Kainga, families and friends say goodbye to a loved one

By
Kalino Latu
-

A memorial service on May 21 was held by Sanalio’s and Lopeti’s families and  kainga of Pea, Tongatapu to farewell their beloved Mr Siope Sitanilei Lopeti (49) who died while he was sailing on a boat from Nuku’alofa to Vava’u Islands .

Lopeti who has just arrived in Tonga from Hawaii for his Church of Tonga Annual Conference to be held in Vava’u was expected to return to Tongatapu after the conference to join  his dad’s 75 birthday scheduled to be celebrated last week.

His brother, Nesiasi Kamoto Lopeti, told Kaniva News Sitanilei was “apparently died” in the boat and the voyage has to stop at Pangai,  Ha’apai to drop him off before it continued on to Vava’u.

He was taken to Niu’ui Hospital in Hihifo, Ha’apai before his younger brother arrived by aircraft from the mainland  Tongatapu to return his body.

Police could not be reached for comments but the family says they suspected heart attack was the cause of his death.

His wife Pakilau Lopeti has to fly from Hawaii with their only son ‘Alekisio Sateki Lopeti to join his funeral in Tonga.

Sitanilei Lopeti, an alumnus of Atenisi University served as a church steward in their Tongan community Church of Tonga in Hawaii.

He is the eldest son of Tekifaiva Sanalio Lopeti and Mele Lopeti of Pea, Tongatapu.

Shark Fins (Kaponga`i `Anga) being hung outside Chinese-owned Neiafu Shopping Centre

By
Kaniva Staff
-

My name is ‘Eseta Schaaf, founder of the organization Keep Vava’u Green – based in Salt Lake City, Utah and working to raise awareness on social media about the most pressing environmental issues facing Vava’u today. Three weeks ago, I visited Vava’u to see some of the grassroots environmental projects put on by various community groups. Three months prior, I was informed by sources in Vava’u that shark fins were seen hanging outside the Chinese-owned Neiafu Shopping Centre, however, no pictures were available.

On May 14th during an afternoon walk in Neiafu, I saw – indeed — shark fins hanging outside Neiafu Shopping Centre. Upon inquiry, a staff member told me they were acquired from local fishermen and divers. I took photos and recorded a clip with my camera phone before going inside the shop to ask for more information. A Chinese female cashier told me the store owner’s name was Siaki Wong and gave me his phone number. I later called many times unsuccessfully – each to a busy tone.

Shark finning is a cruel practice of cutting off the fins of live shark before throwing them back into the ocean. Many times a shark cannot swim normally afterwards and will often get eaten by predators. Shark fins are used to make an expensive soup popular in China and Asian cuisine – this practice is contributing to the dwindling of the numbers of shark species worldwide.

A few days later, I reported the shark fins sighting to the Vava’u Police in Neiafu and was referred to the Ministry of Fisheries near the wharf. ‘Otenili Fisi’ikava at Fisheries told me there was currently a law in Tonga against shark finning but that it would be better if I phoned the main Fisheries office in Tongatapu.

I didn’t get a chance to call the Tongatapu office until I arrived back in Utah. When I did, Poasi told me Tonga doesn’t directly have a law against shark finning but that there were regulations in place regarding the amount of allowable tuna bycatch from long line fishing. Sharks are many times included in Tuna bycatch. The other protection measure for sharks would be under CITES regulations which currently prohibits the trade of two kinds of sharks – the Ocean White Tip and the Hammerhead.

Poasi said that although Tonga doesn’t directly have a law protecting sharks, the Fisheries Ministry is working with the Forum Fisheries Agency in the Solomon Islands on some measures of protection for sharks. In regards to the shark fins hanging outside Neiafu Shopping Centre, Poasi said they would need a license if they were selling it commercially or exporting them. However, using the shark fins for personal consumption would be okay, he said. And that is the current dilemma – we don’t know what the shark fins are being used for and what methods were used to obtain them from sea. Here’s hoping Tonga quickly works on getting specific laws in place prohibiting the cruel and wasteful practice of shark finning.

Shark fin
Shark fins hanging outside Neiafu Shopping Centre

 

Neiafu Shopping Centre
Neiafu Shopping Centre
1...850851852Page 851 of 852
© Copyright 2025 Kaniva Tonga News & Entertainment