Home Blog Page 234

Financial authority issues ‘interim stop order’ against Validus company

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The New Zealand’s Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has issued an interim stop order to a financial company it previously listed as a scam.

FMA also warns the public to be wary of doing business or depositing money with this company known as Validus.

Validus services had been popular with some Tongans in New Zealand, Tonga and Australia.

In a statement released by the Authority yesterday it said Validus International LLC was registered in Delaware, USA pursuant to section 465 of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 (the Act).

“While this Order is in force, Validus and its associated persons are prohibited from: 

  • making offers, issues, sales or other acquisitions or disposals of financial products promoted under the brand or name Validus; and
  • accepting applications for financial products promoted under the brand or name Validus; and
  • distributing any restricted communication that relates to:
    • the offer, or intended offer, of financial products promoted under the brand or name Validus; and/or
    • the supply, or possible supply, of a financial advice service to any person; and
  • accepting further contributions, investments, or deposits in respect of financial products promoted under the brand or name Validus; and
  • supplying a financial advice service to any person; and
  • supplying the financial service of keeping, investing, administering, or managing money, securities, or investment portfolios on behalf of other persons”. 

The FMA can issue a Stop Order under the Financial Markets Conduct Act, if someone is offering investments without complying with the law.

READ MORE

The Stop Order is made “in the public interest because there is real risk of investor harm arising from activities of Validus and its associated persons, that appear to be dishonest and misleading and not to comply with the Act or the regulations made under the Act”.

“The FMA reinforces its warning that the public should exercise caution in dealing with this company and its associates. The FMA also encourages people to come forward with any complaints or information about this entity, especially if they have made contributions, investments or deposits to this company and its associates, at this contact. All information is treated in confidence”.

It is understood Validus recently arrived in Tonga and there were promotions of its services being shared on social media for the kingdom.

The Tongan community has already been affected by scams, including pyramid schemes in which people have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In June Kaniva News reported on a Onecoin scam that cost people thousands of dollars, including a woman who lost all her savings.

The FMA is considering whether it may exercise a power (to issue a full stop order) under section 462 of the Act.

Following the interim stop order Validus will now be aware that communications at marketing events will be a restricted communication (as defined in section 464 of the Act) where they: 

  • directly or indirectly refer to an offer, or intended offer, of financial products (namely a managed investment product promoted under the brand or name Validus) or the supply, or possible supply, of a financial service (namely a financial advice service);  
  • are reasonably likely to induce persons to apply for financial products (namely a managed investment product promoted under the brand or name Validus) or request the supply of a financial service (namely a financial advice service); 
  • are authorised or instigated by, or on behalf of, offeror, the service provider or an associated person of the service provider (namely Validus); and 
  • are to be distributed to a person (being attendees at the marketing event). 

 Validus is required to provide a copy of this Order to all its associated persons.

The FMA is cooperating with the Commerce Commission on these matters.

Other terms and conditions  included “The FMA must give the Registrar of Financial Service Providers written notice of the terms and conditions of this Order, the reasons for this Order and any other information the FMA thinks relevant in the circumstances and make the notice available on the FMA’s Internet site in accordance with section 477(1)(b) of the Act. Under section 477(1)(c) of the Act, the FMA may also give notice to any other person of those matters”.

Broadcaster describes Parliamentary press release as misleading; says many questions about the House’s responsibilities not answered

By
Kalino Latu
-

Radio Television Tonga International (RTTI) has described a Parliamentary press release about paying for MP Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa’s medical expenses while he was in Australia as misleading.

The broadcaster has also claimed that Parliament’s responses to the issue showed it was favouring  some politicians.

Chief Clerk Gloria Pole’o. Photo/Tonga Parliament

As Kaniva News reported recently the Chief Clerk of the Legislative Assembly issued a press release saying it had not paid any costs incurred by Hon. Tu’i’onetoa in 2017.

“This allegation is false”, the Parliamentary statement said.

“The Legislative Assembly refutes false claims made against the Assembly and its Members. It is important to rebut false allegations and misinformation as it is in the interest of the public who rely on such information”.

RTTI, which was formerly known as Tnews, said in Tongan this was misleading.

“It is very wrong for the Parliament to say it did not pay for Tu’i’onetoa’s Australian medical costs”, the broadcaster said.

It insisted that Tu’i’onetoa’s Australian medical costs were paid from the people’s tax money.   

Kaniva News has Hon. Tu’i’onetoa’s own word from an interview in 2018 that his expenses were paid for from taxpayers’ money.

READ MORE:

After the broadcaster posted the press release to its Facebook account, many viewers said they also thought the statement was misleading.

One commenter said in Tongan:

“The Parliament was right when it denied claims it paid for Tu’i’onetoa’s Australian medical costs in 2017. That’s right. However, the medical costs were paid from the Treasury.”

He went on to describe Parliament’s response as “fishy” and “half cooked.”

In Tongan the commenter said: “Postlady oku ou fie lave atu au kihe issue faka-medical ‘o Tuionetoa ihe 2018 a eni oku fakapapaui mai meihe ofisi oe Falealea na’e ikai totongi ehe falealea. Mooni aupito ia…. However… Nae totongi mei Falepaanga e fakamole fakafaitoo ‘o Tuionetoa ‘i Australia ihe 2018.Ko e mea ia oku ou pehee ai. Koe taimi pe tali fehui mei he ofisi ‘o e Sea Falealea oku namunamu bias…half-cooked mo fakapolitikale. Oku tonu pe enau tali ‘ikai…he oku nau uhinga ki he vote a Falealea! Ka oku loi he ne totongi mei Falepaanga e fakamole ‘o e 2018”.

Speaker Lord Fakafanua

Another commentater said that if Hon. Tu’i’onetoa was still receiving his pay while he was in the United States then Parliament should have declared this immediately.

You can follow RTTI Facebook account here.

“The press release sparked an outcry because it does not reveal all the truth surrounding the issue. It only revealed what looked good for the other side and not the bad side of it”, one commentater said.

The broadcaster accused the Parliament of being selective in its response to issues being questioned by the public in relation to its operations and duties.

It said there were many questions from the public about Parliament’s responsibilities to which it had not responded.

RTTI said it wanted to know why Parliament has issued a number of statements on Hon. Tu’ionetoa’s medical expenses in the United States being paid for by his family

It said the series of statements released by Parliament showed  its intention was not to release the whole truth surrounding all of Tu’ionetoa’s medical costs. It was only released to deflect news articles being shared on social media which dealt with issues not in favour of the Parliament.

Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa. Photo/Kalino Lātū (Kaniva Tonga)

RTTI said Tu’i’onetoa was entitled to receive his salary while he was in the US for medical treatment. It said the way Parliament had released its statements meant it had been seen as  being selective and biased towards pro-liberal MPs, especially the PTOA. 

However, not everyone agreed with RTTI. Some commentaters stood by the Parliament’s release and said the law for parliamentary medical expenses was fair. They said there was nothing illegal about Tu’i’onetoa’s pay while he was in the US. They said the Late Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s medical expenses in New Zealand were paid by the government.

Car stolen from Tongan bank roadside found stripped for parts

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A car which had been stolen from an ANZ bank roadside in Nuku’alofa had been found stripped for parts in Tongatapu.

A suspect has been arrested in relation to the incident.

Tonga Police photo

The news came after Police said they were investigating after a car was allegedly stolen at  an ANZ Bank ATM machine on December 26.

The white Toyota Wish car was stolen in Nuku’alofa after the owner left the keys in the ignition before they popped into the ATM machine to grab some cash.

Magistrate Salesi Mafi granted police custody of the accused until Monday, 20 February 2023.

Police seized various parts of the car with registration plate number C37740 on Monday, February 13.

Police confiscated the parts from two different houses at Vainī and Holonga. 

“An official from the Ministry of Infrastructure has confirmed the engine number to be that of the stolen car”, a Police statement said.

Police investigations into this matter continue.

Plastic water tank bursts flooding a house in Niuatoputapu

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A water tank with a capacity of about 5,000 litres exploded causing destruction to a residence at Tonga’s Niuatoputapu island.

The tenant Taisa Havea Mikaele said she heard a loud bang. She compared it to a tsunami before she found out it was the explosion which came from the tank outside her house.

The water poured out and flooded the house, she told Kaniva News.

No one was injured in the incident.

The cause of the explosion was unknown.

The water tank resembled hundreds of tanks which had been widely distributed by the Tongan government as gifts to vulnerable homeowners throughout the kingdom.

A hundred of those water tanks were handed over by the Chinese Embassy to the Tonga Government at an official ceremony at Fa’onelua Convention Centre in 2020.

A Tongan company known as M & J Water Tank was assisted by the Chinese Embassy in producing 500 tanks in 2021.

The Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) said at the time it was expected to supply 1500 tanks to locals.

The Ministry’s water tank project led to the dismissal of the then Minister of MEIDECC Poasi Tei after a Court of Appeal upheld his conviction by the Supreme Court.

Tei was found guilty of bribery during his campaign for Tonga’s 2021 general election. His conviction stemmed from 20 plastic water tanks given to electors in the village of Houma to influence each of them to vote for him.

Tongan RSE workers climb rooftops to escape Cyclone Gabrielle flooding

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Tongan Recognised Seasonal Employment scheme workers’ accommodations in Hastings have been badly hit by flooding shortly after severe tropical cyclone Gabrielle struck the New Zealand’s region on Monday.

A live streamed video showed several men apparently in an orchard in the Hawke’s Bay region, standing on their roof as torrents of floodwater tear through dorms and orchard below.

Lie Tu’imoala who posted the livestream footage to Facebook said in Tongan the rain was ongoing and the weather was increasingly cold.

Vehicles could be seen floating and inundated with water.

Some of the workers could be seen using mattresses and a mini fridge to make their way around between the houses submerged in floodwaters.

Some of the men were visibly traumatised while some could be seen shivering and trembling apparently by the cold weather.

However, there was still banter and laughter with some enjoyed smoking cigarettes throughout the ordeal.

You can watch the livestream video here: (1) Facebook

Fire crews are understood to be working to get to the scene at Ōmarunui Rd, in Hastings, but are struggling to get through due to high floodwaters.

Kaniva News could not be able to verify the authenticity of the video.

Power outages, fallen trees and road closures are affecting the region in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Residents of one of Napier’s largest suburbs have been told to “evacuate immediately” as flooding in Hawke’s Bay continues to worsen.

“But many are questioning how to evacuate to safety with multiple bridges closed across the region. Residents are also taking to social media to ask about rescue efforts in affected areas, saying they have been unable to contact loved ones in flood zones for hours”, the NZ Herald reported.

A State of Emergency has been extended to the entirety of the Hawke’s Bay region as evacuations take place in every district and city due to Cyclone Gabrielle.

About 10am Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence called for Taradale and Omahu residents to “evacuate immediately”.

Not only has the region been hit with heavy flooding, but power, phone coverage, and internet are down or patchy in most areas.

Transpower NZ have lost supply of electricity which has affected all of Napier and some of Hastings this morning.

Many locals are also without cellphone coverage or mobile data due to damaged lines.

Chorus said two fibre lines are damaged in the eastern part of the North Island – the Taupo to Napier line and one running across the north of the region. This is affecting mobile coverage in the Hawke’s Bay region for all providers on top of the power situation, said Telecommunications Forum spokesman Paul Brislen.

“Teams are working to locate the fault or faults on the line but this work is hampered both by the weather and by access to the lines. Staff safety is of paramount concern in such situations so the teams will be proceeding carefully.

“Customers are advised to keep their mobile devices charged if possible and minimise their use for non-essential communications. Calls to 111 are prioritised across the mobile networks so if you have coverage, even from another provider, you should be able to make an emergency call.”

Posts on social media shows some areas have been hit so hard by flooding that water has reached the roof lines of a number of buildings.

One video shows orchard workers perched on the roofs of the buildings with the water mere centimetres below.

The orchard is on the banks of the Tutaekuri River in Hawke’s Bay

Covid-19: Two people in 20s among 32 deaths, 8396 cases reported

By
Kaniva Staff
-

‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga

Covid-19 community case numbers have continued to fall, with 8396 new infections reported over the past week.

The numbers cover the week from Monday February 6 to Sunday February 12.

As of midnight on Sunday, there were 171 people in hospital with the virus.

Seven people were in an intensive care or high dependency unit.

Thirty-two more people with the virus have died, including two people in their 20s.

Of the 30 other people who have died, three were in their 40s, two were in their 50s, two were in their 60s, seven were in their 70s, 12 were in their 80s and four were aged over 90.

Twenty were men and 12 were women.

Seven were from the Auckland region, six were from the Southern District, four each were from Waikato and Canterbury, three were from the Wellington region, two each were from Tairāwhiti and Northland, and one each were from Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki and Nelson Marlborough.

The number of deaths confirmed as attributable to Covid-19, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing factor, is 2513.

Last week’s positive cases, detected through rapid antigen tests (RATs) and PCR tests, are located in Northland (306), Auckland (1781), Waikato (903), Bay of Plenty (412), Lakes District (193), Hawke’s Bay (477), MidCentral District (452), Whanganui (208), Taranaki (265), Tairāwhiti (170), Wairarapa (140), Capital and Coast (551), Hutt Valley (285), Nelson Marlborough (281), Canterbury (1148), West Coast (87), South Canterbury (106) and Southern District (551).

The location of 18 cases is unknown.

The seven-day rolling average of cases is 1148. The seven-day rolling average of RAT results is 2401.

FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA

‘Oku holoholo hifo pē ki lalo ‘a e toko lahi ko ia ‘o e kau puke ‘i he Covid – 19, pea koe toko 8396 ‘a e kau puke fo’ou kuo lipooti mai ‘i he ngaahi uike si’i kuo maliu atu.
Ko e ngaahi fika ko ‘eni ko e lele ia mei he Mōnite ‘aho ‘aho 6 ‘o Fepueli ki he Sāpate ‘aho 12 ‘o Fepueli ai pē.
Pea mei he tu’apō ‘o e pō Sāpate, ko e kakai ‘e toko teau fitungofulu mā taha [171] ‘i falemahaki ‘oku ma’u kinautolu ‘e he vailasi.
Koe toko 7 ai ‘oku nau ‘i he ‘iuniti ‘oku fai ki ai ‘a e tokanga makehe pe lahi ange ‘a e ngaahi fiema’u ki hono tauhi kinautolu.
Kuo toe lau atu foki mo e toko tolungofulu mā ua [32] ki he toko lahi ‘o e kau pekia mei he vailasi, kau ai ‘a e toko ua kei ta’u uofulu tupu.
‘I he toko 30 kehe ko ē kuo nau pekia, ko e toko tolu ai na’a nau ‘i he ta’u fāng,ofulu tupu, ta’u nimangofulu tupu ‘a e toko ua, ongongofulu tupu ‘a e toko ua, toko fitu na’a nau ‘i he ta’u fitungofulu tupu, toko 12 ‘i he ta’u valungofulu tupu pea ko e toko fā ‘i he ta’u hivangofulu tupu.
Ko e toko uofulu ai ko e kakai tangata pea toko taha ua leva ko e kakai fefine.
Ko e toko fitu mei he vāhenga ‘Aokalani, toko ono mei he vāhenga fakasaute, tautau toko fā mei Uaikato mo Kenitapeuli, toko tolu mei he vāhenga Uelingatoni, tautau toko ua mei Tairāwhiti mo Northland, pes tautau toko taha leva mei he Bay of Plenty mo Hawkes Bay, pea pehē ki Talanaki mo Malapolo.
Ko e toko uaafe nimangeau hongofulu mā tolu [2513] ko e fika ‘eni ‘o e kau pekia ‘oku fakapapau’i ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e ‘ulungaanga ai ‘o e Covid – 19, ‘a ia ko e tupu’anga pē ia ‘o e pekia pe kaunga lahi ki ai.
‘I he uike kuo ‘osi ‘i Northland, na’e fe’unga mo e toko tolungeau mā ono [306] na’e ma’u ‘oku ‘i ai e vailasi ‘i honau sino mei he ngaahi sivi fakavavevave ke ‘ilo’i pe kuo hūfia ‘e ha fili ‘a e sino [RAT pē PCR], toko tahaafe fitungeau valungofulu mā taha [ 1781] ‘i ‘Aokalani, hivangeau mā tolu [903] ‘i Waikato, fāngeau hongofulu mā ua [412] ‘i Bay of Plenty, toko teau hivangofulu mā tolu [193] ‘i he vāhenga Lakes, fāngeau fitungofulu mā fitu [477] ‘i Hawkes Bay, fāngeau nimangofulu mā ua [452 ‘i he vāhenga MidCentral, toko uangeau mā valu [208] ‘i Fanganui, uageau onongofulu mā nima [265] ‘i Talanaki, teau fitungofulu [170] ‘i Tairawhiti, teau fāngofulu [140] ‘i Uailalapa, nimangeau nimangofulu mā taha [551] ‘i Capital mo Coast, uangeau valungofulu mā nima [285] ‘i Hutt Valley, uangeau valungofulu mā taha [281] ‘i Nelson Marlborough, toko tahaafe teau fāngofulu mā valu [1148] ‘i Kenitāpeuli, toko valungofulu mā fitu [87] ‘i West Coast, toko teau mā ono [ 106] ‘i he fakatonga ‘o Kenitapeuli pea toko nimangeau nimangofulu mā taha [551] ‘i he vāhenga fakasaute.  
‘Oku ‘i ai leva mo e toko 18 ‘oku ‘ikai ‘ilo ‘a e feitu’u na’a nau puke mei ai.
Ko hono lau faka’aho ko ia ‘i he ‘aho ‘e fitu ‘o e kau puke ‘oku ‘i he ‘avalisi ko e toko tahaafe teau fāngofulu mā valu [1148]. Pea ‘oku toko uaafe fāngeau mā taha [2401] ‘a e ‘avalisi mei hono lau faka’aho ‘i he ‘aho ‘e fitu ‘o e ola ko ia mei he sivi fakavavevave ke ‘ilo pe kuo hūfia ‘e ha vailasi ‘a e sino pe RAT. 

Earthquake adds more anxiety to cyclone misery in Gisborne region

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By rnz.co.nz

The Gisborne region, already hugely affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, has been shaken by a 4.2 magnitude quake this evening.

The quake occurred at 7.45pm and was centred 25km west of Gisborne at a depth of 22km.

Within 15 minutes more than 1100 people reported feeling it, with most describing it as light or weak.

An RNZ reporter visiting the city said it was “a good shake”.

Tairāwhiti is one of eight regions in a state of emergency as they cope with Cyclone Gabrielle.

In some parts of the region, such as Tolaga Bay evacuations of properties are underway.

Lulutai issues cancellation warning after Fiji Airways’ mechanical issue

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Lulutai Airlines said it canceled its two flights scheduled for today Monday 13 due to maintenance issue facing its Fiji Airways’ hired carrier.

“To all our passengers traveling to and from Vavau on the two services today , please be advised that your service was canceled due to mechanical issues in Fiji”, a statement released by the airlines said this afternoon.

It also said the ATR has finally departed Fiji and was on its way to Tonga.

The services are expected to be back on track on Tuesday.

“ATR services tomorrow to Vavau will resume as normal”.

“ Our team is currently working on moving all passengers to tomorrows service and if you have any issues or misconnects to international flights please send details via messenger”.

As Kaniva News reported recently, Fiji Airways is stepping in to help Tonga’s national airline maintain services to Vava’u from February 3, to June 30.

Australia has signed an agreement with Tonga to help the kingdom pay Fiji Airways to run the passenger service seven times a week between Tongatapu and Vava’u.

Four Arrested after drug raids in Tongatapu’s Hahake, Vaheloto districts

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Methamphetamine, cannabis and firearms were netted in police raids in Malapo, Fasimoeafi and Hala’ovave last week.

Police, within 24 hours, in three different raids, arrested four people for possession and supplying of illicit drugs.

The first raid was on the evening of Thursday, 9 February 2023 at a residence at Malapo where two men, aged 31 and 36 were arrested together with 3.06 grams of methamphetamine, one .22 rifle with a magazine containing ten . 22 live bullets, cash TOP$478.50, and drug utensils.

The second and third raids were made at Hala’ovave on Friday, 10 February 2023, with the second made at a residence while the third was effected on the Sūnia ‘Akaveka Road.

The second raid resulted in the arrest of a 41-year-old male together with 8 packs of methamphetamine (2.27 grams), cash over TOP$1,000, and drug utensils.

hdrpl

A 33-year-old man from Fasi was arrested in his car in the third raid. He had in his possession 8 packs of cannabis (82.25 grams), 9 packs of methamphetamine (33.98 grams), cash TOP$305, as well as drug utensils.

All suspects have been remanded in police custody to appear in court this week.

We acknowledge the strong and ongoing partnership with members of our communities and encourage anyone who may have information about drugs to please come forward or contact Police on 740-1660 or 922. Our joint efforts would go a long way to protect our children, our families, and our communities from the harm caused by drugs and hold those responsible to account.

Labour closes gap with National in new poll

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By RNZ.co.nz

National and Labour are neck-and-neck in the latest poll from The Taxpayers Union/Curia, but National and ACT would still be able to form a government on its numbers.

The poll had both major parties at 34.4 percent, with National falling 2.8 percentage points and Labour up almost as much, 2.7 points.

National and ACT together would have 61 seats – just enough to form a government.

The Greens dropped 2.8 percentage points, falling to 7.8 percent – the equivalent of losing five seats – while ACT gained 0.9 points to reach 11.7 percent, which would give them 15 MPs.

The poll surveyed 1000 people – 800 by phone and 200 by online panel – between 2 and 9 February, and had a margin of error of 3.1 percent at the 95 confidence level. Results are weighted for gender, age and location.

  • National 34.4%, down 2.8 (46 seats)
  • Labour 34.4%, up 2.7 (46 seats)
  • ACT 11.7%, up 0.9 (15 seats)
  • Green 7.8%, down 2.8 (10 seats)
  • NZ First 2.9%, up 0.1 (0 seats)
  • Te Pāti Māori 2.1, up 0.5 (3 seats)
  • Other: 6.7%, up 1.4

Preferred Prime Minister:

  • Chris Hipkins: 30%
  • Chris Luxon 26%
  • Jacinda Ardern 9%
  • David Seymour 8%
  • Winston Peters 3.5%
  • Chloe Swarbrick 1.9%
  • James Shaw 1.3%
  • Matt King 1.3%
  • Leighton Baker 1%
  • Nicola Willis 0.7%
1...233234235...955Page 234 of 955