In a statement on Thursday afternoon, Fiji Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho announced the move, calling it a joint decision with the commander of Fiji’s military forces, Major General Jone Kalouniwai.
As of 3pm Fiji time, RNZ Pacific’s correspondent in Suva, Kelvin Anthony, reported there were no visible signs of increased police or military presence.
Qiliho said the decision was based on official reports and intelligence received of planned civil unrest and the targeting of minority groups.
Its secretary general, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, said they respected the outcome of the election, but did not recognise the validity of the opposition coalition and would not concede defeat.
Sayed-Khaiyum said under the country’s constitution, the FijiFirst government remained in place and Frank Bainimarama was still the prime minister of Fiji.
He said this could only be changed once the vote for prime minister was held on the floor of Parliament.
Under section 131 (2) of Fiji’s constitution, the military has the “overall responsibility” to ensure the security, defence and wellbeing of Fiji and all Fijians.
A police officer is in hospital after being struck at a police checkpoint in Tonga’s Vava’u island.
Police were carrying out a checkpoint on Tu’i Road in Neiafu this afternoon.
Neiafu town officer, Vava Lapota reported the incident on Facebook.
He claimed the Police officer was seriously injured.
It was still unclear what had caused the crash.
The news came after Police said a fatal crash left a woman dead and a driver injured on Saturday after a car crashed into a power pole in Tonga’s main island Tongatapu.
Two other women who were also passengers in the vehicle were uninjured.
Tonga Police says a fatal crash leaves one woman dead and the female driver injured on Saturday after a car crashed into a power pole.
Two other women who were also passengers in the vehicle were uninjured.
The driver was a 41-year-old while the deceased was a 51-year-old.
They were rushed to the hospital in critical condition before the 51-year-old passenger passed away the following day.
The Police said the fatal incident occurred at around 8am on Saturday 17 December 2022,
They said they received reports from Kolonga village of a road accident involving four women from Afā village.
The road death tallies the total of road fatalities at fourteen for the year so far.
“Police inquiries confirm that the four female persons were on their way home in one vehicle from the capital, Nuku’alofa to Afā via Halatahi Road when the driver fell asleep on the wheels causing the vehicle to swerve and hit an electric pole on the side of the road”, a Police statement read.
Police said the driver remains in critical condition.
“With this spike in road deaths and with the holiday season involving celebrations and festivities, Tonga Police once again urges members of the public and road users to please take their responsibility when on public roads seriously. Be responsible for your safety and the safety of your passengers and be respectful and thoughtful towards other road users.
“Tonga Police will intentionally reinforce its road safety services throughout the holiday season including deploying alcohol breath testing teams to strategic locations to assist with removing intoxicated drivers from our roads and charging them for violation of Traffic laws. Do the smart thing and call for pick up, take a taxi, or arrange for a sober driver if you are out drinking.
“Let’s work together to maintain safety and prevent further deaths on our roads.”
Contact Police at 740-1630, 740-1632 or 922 to report crime.
An investigation is underway into what happened Tuesday in Tongatapu after a man died following a falling from the notorious Hūfangalupe cliff at Vainī.
The 37-year-old deceased from Hoi was with two other people at the time of the incident, Police said.
The Police alleged alcohol was involved.
The Police along with Tonga Fire & Emergency Services arrived at the scene and recovered the deceased’s body from the rocks beneath the lookout spot.
It was then rushed to Vaiola Hospital.
“Tonga Police offers its heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased for their loss. It is hard enough losing a loved one, more so during Christmas time, which is a time for family”.
Police investigation into this matter continues.
Contact Police on 740-1630 or 740-1632 or 922 to report any crime.
There are jubilant scenes in Suva tonight as the king-maker in Fiji’s general election, the Social Democratic Liberal Party (Sodelpa) declared that it is partnering with the People’s Alliance (PA) and the National Federation Party (NFP) to form a new coalition government to end FijiFirst’s eight-year reign.
The decision was made in a secret ballot by Sodelpa’s 30-member management board – 16 voted in favour of the PA-NFP alliance and 14 for FijiFirst – after three days of intense negotiations.
The result marks the end of an era – 16 years of political dominance by the coup leader turned prime minister Frank Bainimarama.
Sodelpa’s chief negotiator, Anare Jale said their decision to side with PA-NFP had not been taken lightly and they had given full consideration to the offers from all parties.
“It has taken days to decide on the way forward for the party,” Jale said.
“Especially the choice of the partner for whom we are going to form a coalition with to form government.”
Sodelpa’s king-maker position came about after a contentious national election count which saw PA leader Sitiveni Rabuka calling into question the integrity of the electoral system.
But now in the driving seat Rabuka said it’s water under the bridge.
“We thank the Electoral Commission, although we have some difficulties with them in the beginning….But now let it roll over. I’m sure we can all turn our back on that and work together,” Rabuka said.
Party leaders of Fiji’s new coalition government – From left Biman Prasad (NFP), Viliame Gavoka (Sodelpa) and Sitiveni Rabuka (PA) Photo: RNZ Pacific
Rabuka returns as prime minister
The new coalition has selected Rabuka to be prime minister.
He will be elected during the first sitting of of the new parliament on Wednesday, confirmed by NFP leader, Biman Prasad.
“Official communication will be with sent to his Excellency the President, confirming that the PA-NFP-Sodelpa government is ready to lead under the new prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka,” Prasad said.
The coalition leaders said they were pleased to be able to give the people of Fiji this early Christmas present – a strong and united coalition government.
Jubilant scenes in Suva – The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre tweeted this photo with the caption – Today is Fiji’s day. The people of Fiji have won. We look forward to a People’s Alliance, National Federation Party and SODELPA Coalition Government focused on Democracy, Rule of Law and Human Rights. Congratulations! Photo: Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre
Rabuka acknowledged the tough election race.
“I thank the outgoing government and the Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama and his FijiFirst party,” Rabuka said.
“The people have spoken. People have chosen. A new way, a new path a new government.”
“We promise the people of Fiji a new era will be starting as the new government takes on the power of this country.”
Anare Jale (middle) chief Sodelpa negotiator and former MP, Ro Teimumu Kepa (left) former Sodelpa leader and Ratu Manoa Rorogaca Sodelpa president announce the party’s choice of coalition partner in Suva. 20 December 2022 Photo: RNZ Pacific/Kelvin Anthony
Sitiveni Rabuka was Fiji’s prime minister from 1992 to 1999.
The outgoing prime minister Frank Bainimarama has yet to concede the elections.
RNZ Pacific has contacted his FijiFirst party for comments.
The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 could hit a record high in the Christmas wave.
New modelling has been released by the Ministry of Health, suggesting a likely peak of about 1100 people in hospital with Covid on any given day.
That is more than both the first Omicron wave in March (1000 a day) and second in July (836), partly driven by more older people getting the virus for the first time.
The updated scenario shows community cases peaking at about 13,000 a day by the end of this month, up from 11,000 a day in the early modelling for this third Omicron wave.
Deaths were modelled to peak at about 22 a day.
The current wave has been notoriously hard to predict. That was partly because there are six Omicron variants – all with slightly different characteristics – in the mix, and because modellers did not know the impact earlier outbreaks had on immunity.
The ministry said the latest scenarios reflected updated information since the start of the wave, allowing modellers to get a clearer picture based on assumptions about a higher level of transmission, waning immunity and people’s behaviour changing since restrictions were relaxed.
But there was still a relatively high degree of uncertainty about how the outbreak would play out.
“These models outline possible futures,” a spokesperson said. “They are not inevitable and the steps each of us take to be prepared for Covid-19 this summer can make for a safer summer for everyone.”
Antivirals, medicines and booster dose could both significantly reduce the number of people with Covid-19 that require hospital care.
The “variant soup” had made the outbreak even more difficult to predict in the early stages, but one was beginning to stick its head above the other five in the mix.
BA.2.75 is now the most common, making up 39 percent of genetically sequenced cases and about 58 percent of wastewater detections.
It has overtaken BA.5, which had dominated for five-and-a-half months and once made up more than 90 percent of all cases.
It now makes up 33 percent of cases, with BQ1.1 making up 14 percent, XBC and the original Omicron BA.2 on 5 percent, and XBB on 2.5 percent.
The ministry said BA.2.75 appeared to be more transmissible and could evade some existing immunity from other variants, but there was no sign it causes more severe illness.
‘More guesswork’
Auckland University Network Contagion Modelling programme co-leader Dion O’Neale said hospital admission forecasts released by the ministry were based on a “pretty high estimate” of daily infections, and don’t account for the effect of antivirals.
“We hope we’ll be on the lower side of what’s been in that recent Ministry of Health reporting.”
Waning protection from of vaccinations over time, more older people contracting the virus, and the stronger ability of the dominant variant BA.2.75 to evade immunity from a prior infection were risks for increased transmission.
However this Omicron wave was more difficult to predict because 60 variants were circulating, each with a different ability to evade immunity, and there was little information on the effect of previous infections without the delayed infection prevalence survey.
“It’s more guesswork than doing exactly the same modelling was this time a year ago.”
Lifting public health measures in September and a change in individual behaviour at the same time led to a 20 percent rise in transmission, he said. In the absence of new public health measures there were still things people could do to reduce risk of getting the virus, such as wearing masks indoors and testing for asymptomatic infection.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
‘E malava ‘e he ta’au ‘o e kilisimasi ke toko lahi ‘aupito ai ‘a e kau tākoto falemahaki. ‘Oku ‘i ai ‘a e mahamahalo mei he me’a fai’anga fakafuofua fo’ou kuo tuku ange mai ‘e he Potungāue Mo’ui ‘e ngalingali ka a’u ki he toko tahaafe teau ‘a e kau puke ‘i he ‘aho. ‘E laka ange ‘eni ia ‘i he fuofua ha’aki ko ia ‘a e Omicron ‘i Ma’asi, na’e toko tahaafe he ‘aho, pea ‘i hono tu’o ua ‘i Siulai ko e toko valungeau tolungofulu mā ono [836], kau ki ai ‘a e toko lahi ange ‘a e kau toulekeleka ko e fuofua taimi ‘eni ke ma’u kinautolu ‘e he vailasi. Ko e tūkunga fakamuimui taha ‘oku hā ai ‘e a’u ki he ma’olunga taha ‘a e kau puke ‘i he komiunitī ki he tahamano toluafe ‘i he ‘aho ‘i he faka’osinga ‘o e mahina ni, ko e hiki hake ia mei he tahamano teau ‘i he ‘aho mei he fakafuofua koē ‘i he’ene ‘asi mai ko ia hono tu’o tolu. ‘Oku pehē ngalingali ka a’u ‘a e kau mate ki he toko uofulu mā ua [22] ‘i he ‘aho. Ko e ta’au ‘o e lolotonga ni ‘oku faingata’a fau ke fakafuofua’i. ‘Oku kaunga ki ai ‘a e kalasi kehekehe ‘eni ia ‘e ono ‘o e Omicron – pea nau ‘ulungaanga kehekehe kotoa – ‘i he’enau fehulunaki ni, pea koe’uhi na’e ‘ikai ‘ilo ia kimu’a ‘e he me’a fai’anga fakafuofua ‘a ‘ene uesia ki he ivi malu’i. Na’e pehē ‘e he potungāue, Ko e talu mei he kamata ko ia ‘o e ta’au ‘o e me’a ko ‘eni, ‘oku hā mei he tūkunga fakamatala fakamuimui taha kuo tuku mai, ‘oku ne fakafaingofua’i ke hā mahino ‘a e me’a ngāue fai’anga fakafuofua ha ‘ata mahino ange fakatefito ‘i he fakafuofua fekau’aki mo e lēvolo ma’olunga ‘o e mafola, fakavaivai’i e ivi malu’i pea liliu mo e ‘ulungaanga ‘o e kakai talu mei hono fakangaloku ‘o e fakataputapui. Ka ‘oku kei ‘i ai pē ‘a e tu’unga ta’epau ‘aupito fekau’aki mo e me’a ‘e hoko ‘i he tūkunga ‘o ha fu’u toko lahi fakavalevale ‘a e kau puke. Pehē ‘e he toko taha fai fakamatala, ” ‘oku fakaikiiki ‘e he fai’anga fakafuofua ko ‘eni ‘a e tu’unga ‘e hoko ‘i he kaha’u.” ” ‘Oku ala mapule’i pē ia pea ko e hala ia ke fou ai ‘a e taha kotoa ‘o kitautolu ‘i he teuteu ko ia ki he Kōviti – 19 pea ke hoko ‘a e māl1olo ko ‘eni ‘o malu ki he taha kotoa pē.” Ko e ongo vaito’o malu’i ko ‘eni ‘o e vailasi, faito’o mo e huhu malu’i te na tokoni lahi ‘aupito ke fakasi’isi’i e Kōviti – 19 mo e kakai ‘e tākoto falemahaki. Ko e tu’unga makehe [variant soup] ko ‘eni ‘o e vailasi ‘oku hoko ia ke faingata’a ‘aupito ai ke fai ha fakafuofua lelei ‘i he kamata atu ko ‘eni, ka ‘oku ‘i ai e taha ‘oku kamata ke hā mahino hake ia mei he toenga ‘o e nima ko ē. Ko e B.A.2.75 ko e mahino taha ia ‘i he loklotonga ni, ko e peseti ‘e 39 mei ai pea peseti ‘e 58 mei he vai ‘oku ngāue faka’aho ‘aki. Kuo fakalaka ia ‘i he BA.5 ‘a ia ko ē na’e l;ahi taha ‘i he māhina ‘e nima mo e konga kuo ‘osi pea ne a’u ‘a e kau puke ‘i ai ki he peseti ‘e 90. Ko e peseti ‘eni ‘e 33 ‘oku nau puke ai, peseti ‘e 14 ‘i he BQ.1.1 PEA PESETI LEVA ‘E 5 ‘i he Omicron BA.2 mo e XBB 2.5. Na’e pehē ‘e he potungāue ‘oku mafola vave ange ‘a e B.A.2.75 pea ‘e ala fakatu’utāmaki ange ia ki he ivi malu’i pea ‘e ala hoko ai ha puke lalahi. Na’e pehē ‘e he tokoni taki ‘o e polokalama fakatotolo ki he mafola ko ē ‘a e mahaki ‘a e ‘Univēsiti ‘o ‘Aokalani, Dion O’Neale, ko e fakafuofua ko ē kuo tuku mai ‘e he potungāue na’e fakatefito ia mei ha fakafuofua na’e fu’u ma’olunga ki he mafola faka’aho ‘a e mahaki pea ‘ikai fakamatala ki he ola ‘o e lelei ‘o e faito’o ki he vailasi. ” ‘Oku tau fakatauange te tau ‘i he tafa’aki ma’olalo ange ‘o hangē ko e lipoti ko ia na’e toki tuku mai mei he Potungāue Mo’ui. Kia Dion O’Neale, ‘oku lahi ange me’a ‘oku lau ‘i he ngāue totonu ‘oku fakahoko ‘i he fakafuofua tatau na’e fakahoko ‘i he ta’u ‘e taha kuo hili. Ko e holo ko ia ‘a e huhu malu’i ‘i he’ene a’u mai ki he taimi ni, kuo toko lahi ange ai e kau toulekeleka kuo nau ma’u e vailasi, pea toe mālohi ange ‘a e natula fakaaoao ‘o e kalasi BA.2.7 ke mālohi ange ia ‘i he uesia kimu’a pea ‘oku tu’u fakatu’utāmaki ai ‘ene mafola. Kae kehe, ‘oku faingata’a ke fai ha fakafuofua ki he tu’unga ko ‘eni ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e Omicron koe’uhi ko e kalasi kehekehe ‘eni ia ‘e onongofulu [60] ‘oku mafola holo, pea kehekehe honau fa’ahinga ‘ulungaanga ke ala mālohi ange ia ‘i he tūkunga malava ‘o e ivi malu’i lolotonga, pea ko e ki’i fakamatala si’isi’i pē ‘oku ma’u fekau’aki mo e ola ‘o e mafola ‘a e mahaki kimu’a he kae ‘oua ke fakahoko ‘a e savea fakafeitu’u. ” ‘Oku lahi ange me’a ‘oku lau ‘i he ngāue totonu ‘oku fakahoko ‘i he fakafuofua tatau na’e fakahoko ‘i he ta’u ‘e taha kuo hili.” ‘E malava ‘o hangē ko e ‘uluaki fakafuofua kimu’a ke ma’u ‘e he vailasi ‘a e toko taha mei he toko uofulu ‘i he uike kilisimasi pe ‘e toe ma’olunga ange, ka na’a ne pehē ‘oku kei tu’u fakatu’utāmaki pē ‘ene kaka ki ‘olunga. Ko hono to’o ko ia ‘o e ngaahi tu’utu’uni ‘a e potungāue mo’ui ‘i Sepitema pea mo e liliu ko ia ‘a e tō’onga mo’ui ‘a e taautaha ‘i he taimi tatau na’e tupu ai ‘a e ‘alu ki ‘olunga ‘a e toko lahi ‘aki ‘a e peseti ‘e 20, na’a ne pehē, ko e to’o ko ia ‘a e ngaahi tu’utu’uni ‘a e potungāue mo’ui ka ‘oku kei toe lahi pē ‘a e ngaahi me’a ke fakahoko ‘e he kakai ke fakasi’isi’i ai ‘a hono ma’u ‘o e vailasi, hangē ko e tui e me’a malu’i mānava [mask] mo e sivi ke vakai’i na’a ‘oku ‘i ai ha faka’ilonga ‘o e mahaki.
There have been 42,740 new cases of Covid-19 and 64 deaths of people with the virus over the past week, the Ministry of Health has announced.
There were also a total of 581 people in hospital with the virus, including 15 in ICU.
Of the 64 people whose deaths were reporting today, three were from Northland, 19 were from the Auckland region, seven were from Waikato, two were from Bay of Plenty, four were from Lakes, four were from Hawke’s Bay, one was from Taranaki, five were from MidCentral, three were from Whanganui, two were from Wellington region, one was from Nelson Marlborough, 10 were from Canterbury and three were from Southern.
One was in their 30s, two were in their 40s, one was in their 50s, five were in their 60s, 12 were in their 70s, 28 were in their 80s and 15 were aged over 90. Of these people, 33 were women and 30 were men.
Today’s update comes as co-lead of the Network Contagion Modelling programme at Auckland University, Dion O’Neale, said many people who had “worked hard to avoid the virus” were now getting infected.
Health officials are also concerned a wave of Covid-19 during the holiday period could severely impact on already stretched staffing numbers in hospitals across the country.
LILIU FAKATONGA
Kuo ‘i ai ‘a e keisi fo’ou ‘o e Koviti’ ‘e 42, 740 mo ha mate ‘e toko 64 ‘i Nu’u Sila’ ni ‘i he uike kuo sītu’a’ fakatatau ki he Potungāue Mo’ui’.
Na’e ‘i ai mo e toko 581 ‘i fale mahaki ma’u ‘e he vailasi’ kau ai ‘a e toko 15 ‘i he ICU.
Ko e toko 64 ‘o e kau mate ko ‘eni ko e toko 64 mei Northland, 19 mei ‘Okalani, fitu mei Waikato, ua mei he Bay of Plenty, pea fā mei Lakes, fā mei Hawke’s Bay, taha mei Taranaki, nima mei he MidCentral, tolu mei Whanganui, pea ua mei he vāhenga Wellington, taha mei Nelson Marlborough, 10 mei Canterbury pea tolu mei he Southern.
Ko e toko taha ta’u 30 tupu, toko ua ta’u 40 tupu, taha na’e ta’u 50 tupu, nima ta’u 60, 12 ta’u 70 tupu, 28 ta’u 80 tupu, 15 ta’u 90. ‘I he kakai kotoa ko ‘eni ko e toko 33 ko e kakai fefine pea toko 30 ko e kakai tangata’.
Ko e hū mai ‘eni ‘a hono talamuiaki ‘o e ongoongo’ ni he ‘aho’ ni hili ia ha pehē ‘e kaungā taki ‘o e polokalama Network Contagion Modelling ‘i he ‘Univēsiti ‘o ‘Okalani’. Dion O’Neale, kuo tokolahi ‘a e kakai ne nau ngāue mālohi ke ‘oua na’a ma’u kinautolu ‘e he vailasi’ kuo nau toe pihia ai.
Pehē ‘e O’Neal na’e malava ko e toko taha ‘i he kakai ‘e toko 20 kotoa pe ‘e ma’u kinautolu ‘e he Koviti 18 lolotonga ‘a e uike Kilisimasi’
The Tongan Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) community in Australia is in shock after the death of a Tongan employee in Perth.
Worksafe inspectors are investigating. Credit: Simon Santi/The West Australian
Worksafe inspectors arrive at the business
The incident had been described as gruesome (“fakalilifu) but no details were released.
A Tongan woman who oversees one of the Tongan SWP groups in Australia said in a livestreamed video this week that she was informed about the fatal incident.
Joanna Matangi thanked the church community in Perth for their assistance and supports.
The news came after WorkSafe Australia confirmed it has launched an investigation after a Katanning abattoir worker died after being trapped in machinery, the Australian media reported.
A WorkSafe spokeswoman reportedly said the fatal workplace death occurred at the WAMMCO International meatworks on Saturday 10.
The man died from injuries arising from entrapment in machinery, the spokeswoman said.
It said Worksafe arrived at the scene earlier this week.
The probe into what occurred is still in its early stages.
