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Victim of suspected homicide named

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Police have named a 31year-old Chinese man who died in a suspected homicide in Halaleva last weekend after they contacted his next of kin.

Dao Jin He was found unconscious by a friend in his shop at the By-pass road in Halaleva at 11:30pm Thursday 20.

He was rushed to hospital but died the next morning Friday 21 at 7:30am.

An initial examination showed Jin He had suffered head injuries, according to Police.

Homicide investigation contues into the death but no arrest had been made.

Police appealed for anyone who was near the By-pass shop where the incident happened in the evening of Thursday 20 to come forward.

Heilala Vanilla Foundation’s first donation arrives in Tonga

By
Kaniva Pacific
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The first shipment of equipment from the Heilala Vanilla Foundation has arrived at Vava’u High School, in the Kingdom of Tonga.

The foundation has donated over 100 kitchen items to the school’s Home Economics Department including an oven, toasters, frying pans, blenders and cake mixers along with cutlery and utensils.

Award-winning Heilala Vanilla launched the Heilala Vanilla Foundation last year to build on its already strong ties with the island community of Vava’u.

The partnership between Heilala Vanilla and the people of Vava’u began as an aid project 10 years ago, helping to rebuild after a cyclone. This initial act of kindness by Heilala Vanilla founder, John Ross, led to the founding of Heilala Vanilla.

Jennifer Boggiss, Heilala Vanilla co-founder and director, says due to the remoteness of the Vava’u Islands, access to educational resources and equipment can be limited.

“One of the foundation’s aims is to give students the opportunity to learn more about food preparation and nutrition,” she says. “We have worked closely with principal Sela Tapaatoutai-Teisina for several months to identify and compile a list of equipment needed for Home Economics Department which included cookware and kitchen appliances.”

The current acting principal 'Utulamataki Paongo Tonga and her team were excited and overwhelmed with the supplies that arrived.

“We are very passionate about food and nutrition and look forward to seeing the students flourish,” she says. “Food is a central part of our community and our new resources will enable us to expand the students’ knowledge which they can share with their families. It will bring a new lease of life to the department which up until now has consisted of a broken oven and a limited number of utensils.”

Jennifer says establishing the foundation demonstrates Heilala Vanilla’s commitment to the people of Vava’u and says this shipment is the first of many.

“We are very happy to have completed our first project with Vava’u High School. Home Economics has a great synergy with Heilala Vanilla and we see the incredible importance of working with young people in Tonga.”

The foundation’s next project will be equipment and teaching materials for the school’s science department.

Heilala Vanilla will contribute a percentage of sales of vanilla beans grown and exported from Vava’u, and some funds from other sources, to the foundation, which is registered with the NZ Charities Commission.

Fisheries Minister says his letter was misinterpreted

By
Kalino Latu
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Minister for Fisheries Sangstar  Saulala said today he had been misinterpreted after he was criticised for writing to a restaurant owner telling him to buy sea cucumbers from local fishermen.

Saulala said he wrote three letters in November in response to restaurant owners who asked him to clarify the Fisheries Act’s prohibition on harvesting of sea cucumbers.

However, the Minister’s  letter ended up at the front page of the local newspaper Kele’a  under the headline ( in Tongan)  ‘Fisheries Minister letter secretly permits buying sea cucumbers'.

Saulala denied his letter was confidential or that he had authorised restaurant owners to buy sea cucumber secretly.

He said locals were allowed to fish and sell three types of sea cucumbers: Sea slugs, snake fish  (also known as trepang) and the brown spotted sandfish.

A prohibition is in place until April on harvesting and processing of sea cucumbers for commercial and export purposes.

The Minister told Kaniva News that the Fisheries Management Act prohibited the exportation of certain types of sea cucumbers, including white teat fish.

Extinction

He said the law was made to protect the sea cucumber from being fished to the point of extinction and not to quash the right of local people to fish and consume sea cucumbers.

He said he had spoken by telephone with other restaurant owners who had asked him for an interpretation of the Act as it related to sea cucumbers.

In a letter to Chinese-Tongan businessman Zhou De written on November 25 last year, Saulala said De was allowed “to buy sea cucumbers from the fishermen for consumption only and for your restaurant but not for export purpose which is closed down now.”

The Minister also said in his letter that “ women and fishermen are allowed”  to harvest the sea cucumbers.

Saulala said he discouraged De from encouraging the public to harvest the sea cucumbers.

In his letter the Minister said:  “It is important for you to refrain from sending notices through the media which will encourage more people to get involved in harvesting.”

“In the meantime you can buy from the fish market areas or fishermen can come to the restaurant where you can buy from them what you need to use for your restaurant.”

Kaniva News comment

A lot of confusion could have been avoided if the Minister’s letter had been clearer.

The Minister’s letter said De was allowed to buy sea cucumbers, but did not say he could only buy sea slugs, snake fish and the brown spotted sandfish.

Nor did the letter mention the types of sea cucumbers that are not allowed to be harvested.

The main points

  • A letter from Minister for Fisheries Sangstar  Saulala to a Tongan-Chinese businessman about harvesting sea cucumbers has caused a commotion in the local press.
  • Kele’a newspaper accused the minister of authorising restaurant owners to buy sea cucumbers secretly.
  • However, Saulala has denied the accusation, saying he told restaurant owners they could buy sea cucumbers only for local use and not for export.
  • He said local people were still allowed to harvest three types of sea cucumber for local sale and consumption.

For more information

The Fisheries Management Act 2002

The status of Tonga’s sea cucumber fishery

Tourism Tonga appoints new general manager

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Tourism Tonga has announced a new leadership appointment with the key position of general manager now filled.

The ministry has appointed New Zealander Stuart Perry as the general manager.

Perry’s extensive experience over 30 years in general management, tourism management, marketing and brand management as well as in media and publishing will help boost the six-year Tonga Tourism Sector‘s Road Map currently in the pipeline.

 Perry was the CEO of the Regional Tourism Organization for the East Coast of Tasmania.

“His experiences included close collaborations with both the private sector and local Governments in Australia and New Zealand, Tonga's primary markets in Tourism”.

The Tonga Tourism Authority Board says it “is pleased with the recruitment of the General Manager position, to commence day to day operation of the Authority to ensure delivery of outputs as mandated in the Tonga Tourism Authority Act 2013”.

Jenny Latu Salesa selected as Labour Party's candidate for Manukau East

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Auckland, NZ – UPDATED: Labour Party has this afternoon named Tongan Jenny Latu Salesa as its candidate for Manukau East.

Salesa, who holds a law degree from the University of Auckland was endorsed after a tough competition among eight prospective candidates who vied for the parliamentary seat.

Salesa worked for many years in the United States, Tonga and in New Zealand.

Labour Party President Moira Coatsworth said today:

“Labour ran a robust democratic selection process in Manukau East attracting hundreds of local people to two public question and answer meetings and today’s selection meeting, in a packed sports hall in the heart of the electorate.

"Local members have told us that the Manukau East electorate needs an MP who understands the reality of people’s lives. Our process has given us a very talented and impressive candidate. Jenny has an outstanding record of working with people and communities. She will advocate strongly for the people of Manukau East dealing with housing, unemployment and state services, and a range of other issues. Ross has left big shoes to fill; Jenny is up to that challenge."

Manukau East is one of the Labour Party’s strongholds where supports for the current opposition party gathered momentum in the last three general elections.

In 2008 Labour's Ross Robertson, who has announced that he was to step down at this year's election after 27 years as the local MP,  won the seat by 17, 254 votes compared to National  MP BAKSHI, Kanwaljit Singh who became second with 4809 votes only. Labour Party also  won the people’s party vote by 16,137 votes compared to National’s 6579 votes only.

In 2011 general election Labour continued to win both people’s party vote as well as the electoral vote in the area.

If the Manukau East eletorate's votings will follow the same pattern as they had  in the last three general elections, Salesa who is married to Samoan Professor Damon Salesa,  could become the first Tongan ever to enter the New Zealand parliament as an MP in the upcoming general election.

Super-sized liner arrives in Nuku'alofa

By
Kaniva Pacific
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The MS Queen Elizabeth pulled into Nuku'alofa early yesterday morning bringing a nine-hour cash injection to Tonga's economy.

The 90,900 tonne ocean liner from the Curnard shipping line brought more than 1900 voyagers and 992 crew to the Friendly Islands.

It was a particularly big day for the people of Tonga who gathered in Nuku’alofa to view the giant luxury cruise liner.

Queen Elizabeth holds almost 1000 crew and 2000 passengers and has 10 restaurants and cafes, a two-storey library complete with leaded glass ceiling, a globe from the original Queen Elizabeth, and a games deck.

It left the kingdom  at 5pm heading to Tauranga in New Zealand.

Tonga is expecting Queen Elizabeth's sister ship Queen Victoria to arrive in Nuku’alofa next month, March 17.

Tonga election date hinted for November 27

By
Kaniva Pacific
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There could be only nine months to go until the next election date for the people of Tonga.

The Supervisor of Election, Mr Pita Vuki has told Kaniva News the “date for the election has not been confirmed but we are looking at Thursday 27th November this year.”

In 2010, more than 40,000 people registered for the parliamentary election in which only 36400 votes were cast.

Since then Tonga’s election office said they have registered more than 4,000 new voters – a 10 percent increase.

The last general election was November 25, 2010.

Under the Electoral Act, elections are held for all the representatives of the nobles and the people every four years.

Homicide inquiry after Halaleva shopkeeper dies

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

A homicide inquiry has been launched into the death of a Chinese man in Halaleva.

Police did not release any further details  as they are still atempting to contact next of kin.

In a statement released to media this afternoon police say a male Chinese National was admitted to the hospital at around 23:30hrs Thursday 20th February, 2014 after his friends found him unconscious at his shop.

 He passed away this morning Friday 21st February, 2014 at around 0700hrs at Vaiola Hospital, the statement says.

Police are treating this case as a homicide and appeals for help from members of the public that have any information that could help with this Investigation to contact Police Emergency Number 922.

St Theresa purchased to ship Ha’apai aid

By
Kaniva Pacific
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Tonga’s government owned inter-island ferry agency, the FISA, spent approximately TP$1.5m to purchase the MV St Theresa on February 19 to help transport relief aid and building materials to Ha’apai after Cyclone Ian.

The vessel was previously owned by JAWS South Pacific, a shipping venture of the Tongan Ramanlal family.

The 35 year-old St Theresa  is described as a multi-purpose vessel and was operated in the Falkland Islands before the Ramanlal’s bought it in 2011.

The FISA has already paid JAWS a 10% deposit.

Although listed by the Marine Traffic website as currently laid up,  the FISA said it is being renovated before beginning operations next month. 

The 490 tonne vessel was seized in 2012 and its director Joseph Ramanlal along with the captain and his assistant were arrested on suspicion  of smuggling goods into the country.

Fofo’anga club farewell a mate

By
Kaniva Pacific
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The funeral of Samuela ‘Amanaki, a much loved and valued member of the Fofo’anga Club in Sydney, was held this morning at Fetu’upongipongi Hall in Granville. He died on February 12.

Club members, kainga, friends and family gathered last night at the Fofo’anga Hall at Bankstown in memory of ‘Amanaki.

His musical talents, gentlemanly manner, easy-going and dependability have been the focus of the  tributes paid to him on social media since he died.

‘Amanaki died peacefully at the Mount Drutti Hospital on Wednesday last week after a 14 month long battle with lung cancer. He is survived by his wife Daisy and four children.

He will be laid to rest at the Rockwood Cemetery in Sydney this afternoon.

 

 




Samuela 'Amanaki (R) – Lead guitar

 

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