The former rugby star, Iga Tuigamala’s funeral business has been placed into liquidation
The business collapsed owing about $80,000 to Inland Revenue.
Liquidator Dereck Ah Sam said, poor credit control and legacy issues from a gym ‘Iga owned in 2011 were factors in the problem.
Tuigamala’s wife Daphne who is Tongan has set up a new funeral business, Peaceful Funeral Service Ltd in Otara. She is the sole director and shareholder.
It is estimated that more than $130,000 of unpaid funeral fees have not been paid to the company leading to its downfall.
Tuigamala said he had found it difficult to collect money from grieving relatives.
Tuigamala and Sons of Glenden funeral service served the King of Tonga Taufa’ahau Tupou IV’s funeral in 2006.
Liquidator Derek Ah Sam, of Rodgers Reidy Ltd, was doubtful he would be able to recover any of the outstanding money owed to the company.
Mr Ah Sam said he would be looking into all aspects of the Tuigamala & Sons liquidation – including whether any transactions were made after it was placed in liquidation.
UPDATED: Defected members of the Tokaikolo Church who were drawn from as far as North Shore in the north of Auckland and Pukekohe in South Auckland filled the Upper Room Church hall at Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand this afternoon in an emotional and a heartfelt sermon delivered by Leader, Reverend Sione Havili Maile.
This is a new journey but a fulfilment of a mission that has been placed upon the founder, Rev Senituli Koloi in the last 30 years to feed the souls of those who are hunger for Him, Maile said.
Reverend Maile’s sermon had the implication of many families who suffered financially in trying to meet demand by the Tokaikolo Church to donate to pay for its million dollar loans and other church operational costs. These congregants were eventually banned and excluded from the church after some of them questioned the way how their donations spent without any financial report made available for them.
Attendees said they are expecting more members who have crossed the floor from the Tokaikolo Church in Mangere as most could not attend today's service due to other commitments.
Dosen of clergies and deacons dismissed by the Tokaikolo Church but joint the congregation today were invited to a meeting after today's service.
Reverend Maile who has been a long time Secretary General of Tokaikolo Church and a loyal follower of its president, Reverend President Liufau Vailea Saulala told Kaniva News, “God has called me to lead these people who are hungry for freedom”, he said.
He told the congregation today that Tokaikolo Church members as far as USA, Australia and Tonga have called and talked to him and meetings with them have been scheduled for the coming weeks.
Mo'ui Fo'ou 'Ia Kalaisi Fellowship will from now on use the Upper Room at Huia Rd in Otahuhu for their prayer services.
Correction:We corrected this article. We preciously reported that Reverend Sione Maile was a long time Vice President of the Tokaikolo Church. That was not correct. Reverend Sione Havili Maile was the longtime Secretary General of the Tokaikolo Church.
A Kalapu Kava Tonga (Kava Tonga club) in Wellington, New Zealand has raised $1,000 to help fund renovation of a school house at the village of Pea on the mainland of Tongatapu, Tonga Islands.
The fundraising on June 29 was organised by members of the Kalapu Peteli of Wellington led by Moana Ma’ake and the President, Feleti Foliaki.
Tu’ikolongahau Toumua from the club said the money would help repair and paint a school house for a Peace Corps volunteer who has offered to work for the school.
This is not the first time the club donated for the Pea Primary School. Last year, they sent sport gears, computers including a trophy for the captain of the school.
The Vava’u-born Deacon Taliai Hausia 32 was ordained a priest by Bishop Soane Patita Paini Mafi for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tonga.
Bishop Mafi ordained Deacon Hausia from Pangaimotu and Neiafu, Vava’u to the priesthood during a Mass at the Sosefo Ko e Tangata Ngaue Chapel at the village of Fungamisi
Our correspondent in Tonga, Paul Quin Ta’ai said Deacon Hausia was joined not only by his adoptive parents Pelenaise Tangulu and Siofilisi Tangulu, but also his biological parent Naimafi Hausia, parishioners of Fungamisi and Pangaimotu parishes as well as many friends from across the Diocese and overseas.
Ta’ai said the three days ceremony ended with an enjoyable Tongan feast as well as entertainments provided by families and parishioners that featured group and solo dances.
UPDATES: A breach of employment contract claim laid by Tonga’s former Attorney General Mr John Cauchi against the government of Tonga has been set to go to trial on November 19-21 this year.
Mr Cauchi has taken legal action against the government claiming about TOP$1 Million in special damages and relief for Breach of Contract, Constructive Dismissal and Repudiation of Contract.
The first Independent Attorney General from Australia served the Government of Tonga on May 25, 2009 .
He resigned in April 2010 citing government obstruction of a decision he made to appoint two independent prosecutors to investigate and prosecute matters relating to the sinking of the MV Ashika that killed 74 passengers.
Tonga government said at the time they were reluctant to officially consider Cauchi's appointment of the Australian Prosecutor Dan Howard and New Zealander Prosecutor Grant Burston because of the government’s “tight financial constraint”.
But Cauchi claimed government ministers feared some of them and former cabinet members involved in the MV Ashika’s purchase and operation “are likely to be prosecuted”.
A lawyer who failed to act on legal matters he was paid to do by two former clients has been suspended for 12 months for professional misconduct.
Chief Justice Hon. Michael Dishington Scott found Lawyer Siosifa Tu’utafaiva on July 10 to have failed in his duty to represent Mr ‘Aisea Vaitaki and Sione Vao in court after the duo paid him legal fees.
In October 2012 , Tu’utafaiva was ordered by Judge Scott to pay $11,500 to a client Hamani Guttenbeil. Guttenbeil paid Tu’utafaiva fees to file a legal claim he made but the lawyer failed to do it.
The suspension order came just after Tu’utafaiva formally tendered his resignation to the Democratic Party last week since he switched his allegiance early this year and joint the noble’s party. He was immediately appointed by the Prime Minister as Tonga’s Minister of Police, Prisons and Fire Services in February.
Tu’utafaiva has been voted to Parliament after he became one of the Democratic Party’s candidates in the last parliamentary election 2010.
By Basildon Peta, January 17, 2007 Source: iol.co.za
“Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe flew off to the East for his annual holiday, but declined to use Air Zimbabwe because its new Chinese jetliner was "not safe".
“Sources at Air Zimbabwe said they had received correspondence from the president's office saying this was for "safety reasons".
Air Zimbabwe bought two MA60 planes from China last year and got an extra one free. The planes have frequently hit the headlines over their numerous technical problems leading to groundings or emergency landings.
Mugabe has refused to fly in them since their arrival but expects his countrymen to do so.
Headline: China’s MA60 planes in spotlight after safety scares
“China’s high-flying aviation ambitions suffered a setback on Tuesday as Myanmar grounded several planes made by the Asian powerhouse and Indonesia ordered special checks on its fleet following a series of safety scares.
“An MA60 turboprop airliner with 52 people on board crash-landed at an airport in eastern Indonesia on Monday, leaving two passengers with minor injuries and forcing state-owned carrier Merpati to write off the plane.
“On the same day an MA60 operated by Myanma Airways and carrying about 60 people skidded off a runway at a domestic airport in southern Myanmar, although nobody was hurt.
“It was the second such incident in less than a month involving one of three MA60s owned by Myanma Airways.
“Other operators of the plane include Lao Airlines, Philippines’ Zest Airways and several Chinese carriers.
“I think the accidents happened because of system failure. We will check all the systems. That’s why we stopped the operation of the planes,” Tin Naing Tun, director general of Myanmar’s Civil Aviation Department, told AFP.
“The systems also showed warnings before,” he added.
Headline: Indonesian Plane Crash Could Hurt China’s Aircraft Sales
May. 10 – An Indonesian MA60 turbo-prop plane carrying 27 people crashed into the ocean off the country’s easternmost Papua Province on May 7, leaving no survivors according to a navy officer’s confirmation. As the first fatal accident reported for this model, which was developed and made in China, the crash may temporarily set back the plane’s improving sales records worldwide.
An unnamed navy officer, who joined the survivor search and rescue, confirmed to ElShinta radio that all the passengers were killed, as the plane exploded and crashed into the sea.
Headline: PICTURE: Zest MA60 crashes on landing in Philippines
A busy airport in the Philippines was closed for around 5hr on 11 January after a passenger aircraft landed too short on the runway, skidded out of control and crashed into a concrete barrier, resulting in 22 of the 27 people on board being sent to hospital.
It then skidded out of control and crashed nose first into a concrete barrier next to parking bay one, says the spokeswoman, adding that the aircraft is still there.
She says of the 27 people on board, 22 were taken to hospital for treatment and at least 17 were found to be injured.
The two pilots were among the injured but all those taken to hospital have since been discharged except for one woman who was airlifted to another hospital, says the spokeswoman.
Headline: Crash: Merpati MA60 at Kaimana on May 7th 2011, impacted waters before runway
by Simon Hradecky, May 7th 2011 Source: avherald.com
A Merpati Nusantara Xian MA-60, registration PK-MZK performing flight MZ-8968 from Sorong to Kaimana (Indonesia) with 21 passengers and 4 crew (25 occupants), last reported its position at 13:45L (04:45Z) about 15nm before touchdown and was on approach to Kaimana's runway 19 when the aircraft impacted waters about 800 meters/2620 feet off the runway at about 14:00L (05:00Z). All occupants perished in the crash.
All 25 bodies have been recovered by May 11th 2011, Indonesia's NTSC confirmed.
Headline: Accident: TAM Bolivia MA60 at Guayaramerin on Jan 9th 2012, gear up landing
A TAM Bolivia Xian MA-60, registration FAB-96 performing a flight from Riberalta to Guayaramerin (Bolivia) with 16 passengers and 5 crew, landed on Guayaramerin's runway 34 without the landing gear lowered and came to a stop about 1300 meters past the runway threshold at about 07:20L (11:20Z). No injuries occurred, the aircraft received substantial damage.
The airline reported the gear could not be lowered resulting in a belly landing, no injuries occurred, the aircraft however received substantial damage. The cause of why the gear was not lowered is being investigated.
Headline: Two injured as plane overshoots runway in Shan State
A passenger plane carrying 55 people overran the end of the runway at an airport in eastern Myanmar due to suspected break failure, injuring two people, state media reported on Friday.
The propeller, landing gear and engine of the Chinese-made Xian MA60 turboprop were damaged in the incident, which happened at Monghsat in Shan State on Thursday morning, according to the New Light of Myanmar newspaper.
The flight was operated by state-owned Myanma Airways, according to the report, which said the two injured were sent to hospital, without giving details about their condition.
Headline: Merpati Nusantara Flight MZ-6517 , hard landing airplane broke up
Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight MZ-6517 Xian MA-60 , registration PK-MZO from Bajawa to Kupang(Indonesia) with 46 passengers and 4 crew landed short and hard on runway 07 at Kupang airport causing the airplane to broke up in two pieces the wing to separate from fuselage and to damage the two propeller motors.All gears from airplane also collapsed with ground.One passenger received also injures and he taken to hospital
At the time of accident it was good weather with winds around 12 knts and visibility more than 10 km
Headline: Merpati Airplane Hardlands in East Indonesia, All Survived
A passenger plane operated by Indonesia state owned Merpati Nusantara Airlines hardlanded in East Indoensa's Kupang city Monday morning, everybody on board survived, local media reported.
The MA60 aircraft carrying 45 passengers and 5 crew hardlanded in Eltari Airport of Kupang, the capital city of East Nusatenggara at 9:40 a.m. local time, local media reported that the airplane suffered a large crack in the fuselage and the wings of the plane touched the land.
The Tonga National Reserve Bank has this week given the green light for the Pacific International Commercial Bank to operate in Tonga.
A Chinese businessman who lives in China was said to be the main shareholder. There are other 5 Chinese investors involved.
Saia Moehau, one of the business partners reportedly said in the month of March that other Tongan business partners include Lady Robin Tu’ivakano Kaho, Mishka Tu’ifua, Mele Fonua and Mahe’uli’uli Tupouniua.
The Tonga China Friendship Association (TCFA) applied for a licence in March to allow the new bank to be registered and that it be established at the hub of the capital city Nuku’alofa along Taufa’ahau Road.
The new bank is expected to be opened to the public in about 6 months from now.
Vaiola Hospital in Nuku’alofa, Tonga is the first hospital in the Pacific region to offer kidney stone keyhole surgery, courtesy of a visiting urology team funded by AusAID.
The seven-person team who made Vaiola Hospital their home in June comprised of three surgeons, two anaesthetists and two nurses. They were brought together through the AusAID-funded Pacific Island Program (PIP) managed by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS).
Two surgical theatres—set aside by the superintendent and his staff—were put to good use. By running surgeries simultaneously, the team were able to give life changing surgical treatment for almost 30 Tongan patients.
Five of these patients—suffering from kidney stones—were especially fortunate. They became the first patients in the Pacific to receive kidney stone treatment using keyhole surgery, a treatment that has been unavailable in the Pacific due to a lack of equipment and capable surgeons.
The procedure involves making an incision the size of a keyhole, and into the kidney. The surgeon can then grasp and remove small stones, or larger stones that need to be broken up before removal. This is an advanced treatment compared to the ‘open’ kidney removal surgery employed regularly throughout the Pacific, which has not been used in Australia for more than 20 years.
Dr Alex Cato, one of the team surgeons told Nuku’alofa Post he was 'elated' at the success of the surgeries in Tonga, and is looking forward to taking the procedure to other Pacific island countries.
The urology team also ran clinics with up to 60 patients, and worked with local surgeons and health professionals to build capacity.
'I have been part of the visiting urology team for the past three years, and with each visit I continue to see remarkable improvement by the local health professionals', said Dr Cato, Coordinator for Urology for PIP.
'Staff at Vaiola Hospital are well on their way to being able to handle modern urological techniques'.
The overwhelming support from the Tongan community, especially from family of patients receiving treatment, was more than evident through the gifts and food provided for the team during their stay in Tonga.
PIP will send other urology teams to Tonga in November and next year, as well as other surgical and medical specialties. This demonstrates the instrumental role that PIP plays in improving the health of the Pacific.
AusAID has funded PIP since its inception in 1995. Under the current contract, an amount of AUD 5.58 million has been budgeted to support PIP activities until December 2014.
PIP works collaboratively with Ministries of Health and hospitals from 11 Pacific island countries to support specialist clinical services, education, training and capacity development and promote international cooperation and exchange.
The Reverend Liufau Vailea Saulala of the Tokaikolo Church offered a special prayer at the Free Wesleyan Chuch of Tuingapapai in Mangere on Sunday evening to mark the opening of the Tonga Research Association (TRA) conference 2013.
Hundreds of church members from various denominations attended the service including Free Weslyan Church of Tuingapapai, Seventh Days Adventists of Misipa and United Church of Lototonga.
A celebration of songs of praise was performed by various choirs and key note speakers from the communities and academia including Dr Melenaite Taumoefolau from University of Auckland, Reverend Paula Onoafe Latu, Reverend ‘Ilomaisini Lea, Reverend Lopini Filise and Professor Sitaleki Finau ‘Ata’ata the president of the TRA.
Reverend Saulala formally declared that he has opened the TRA's 15th conference which received an applaud from the congregation followed by a speech of thank from Professor Finau.
