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Drug lord’s arrest a reminder of Tonga’s relationship with South American smugglers

By
Kalino Latu
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The arrest of Columbian drug leader  Dairo Antonio Úsuga, known as Otoniel, has re-opened deep seated concerns about Tonga’s links with South American drug cartels.

Colombia’s most-wanted drug trafficker “Otoniel” has been captured, officials said on Saturday, a major victory for the government of the world’s top cocaine exporter.

The world now is watching whether Otoniel’s arrest will reduce smuggling of the drugs to the Pacific hubs.

Tonga remains a hub for cocaine and methamphetamine distribution, with drugs brought in from Peru, Venezuela and Colombia. The drugs are then transhipped to Australia, New Zealand and China.

Speaker of the House Lord Fakafanua said there was growing evidence that Tonga was a key stopover on international smuggling routes, bringing drugs to Australia and New Zealand.

Tonga vs Columbia 

Tonga’s Colombian connection was first revealed in 2011 when Australian police revealed that an international crime syndicate headed by Colombians allegedly bribed a former Speaker of the Tongan Parliament as part of a plot to import tonnes of cocaine into Australia.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) uncovered a global trafficking operation that allegedly used yachts to sail cocaine from South America to Tonga.

Former Speaker Lord Tu’ilakepa wrote that he would ”guarantee that I will be providing the necessary housing and financial support to this person [Gomez] and take full responsibility for him during the duration of his stay”. Photo/Fale Alea ‘O Tonga (Cropped)
Police alleged that in 2010 the syndicate bribed the then Speaker of the Tongan Legislative Assembly, Lord Tu’ilakepa, who is now Tonga’s Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries (MAFF) to sponsor a Colombian drug boss to come to the Pacific island.

The AFP said the drug boss, Obeil Antonio Zuluaga Gomez, wanted to direct an operating hub from Tonga and oversee cocaine shipments.

In August this year Tongan police charged more than 20 people after cocaine packages washed up on beaches on Vava’u.

Police seized more than 14kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of US$2.2 million or TOP$5 million.

RNZ reported that the cocaine packages looked similar to those that were found in Vava’u in 2012 on the wrecked yacht JeReVe.

Vava’u is regarded as  a popular destination for yachties. The police felt that the cocaine was anchored there in Vava’u to hide and that locals would find it and bring it onto the land.

The drugs found in Vava’u is believed to have come from Columbia.

His Majesty concerns

Drugs have become a major issue in the kingdom, with His Majesty criticising Parliament for not doing enough.

In August Tonga’s Parliament proposed making serious drug offences punishable with death.

The proposal would have applied the death penalty for trafficking more than five kilograms of Class A drugs or multiple drug offences involving minors.

Tonga retains the death penalty for murder and treason.

Drug smuggling is a problem across the Pacific, with drug seizures in French Polynesia, Fiji and Executive director of the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police network Glyn Rowland said recently the Covid-19 pandemic had affected drug routes in the Pacific.

“Certainly, for our young people, unemployment and poverty is a challenge right now because of the pandemic and that makes them quite vulnerable to recruitment into organised crime gangs and facilitating drug movements,” Mr Rowland said.

 

Supreme Court rejects Taliai’s $220,000 contractual back pay claim

By
Kaniva Staff
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The Supreme Court has saved Tonga government an estimated TOP$220,000 in potential back-pay claims after it dismissed a lawsuit by the former government project manager ‘Ikani Taliai.

‘Ikani Taliai

Justice Niu ruled that he cannot direct the government  to pay Taliai the money he had asked for because he did not perform any service according to his obligations laid out under the contract.

Mr Niu, after hearing from both legal counsel parties, agreed that Taliai’s contract was duly “approved” in accordance with the Public Procurement Regulations.

However, he said Taliai has “rendered no service under the contract and yet he claims payment of those unrendered services, at least of the 5 months for which he issued his invoices, and now claims the payment for the remaining 8 months as well in his present claim”.

The court was told Taliai was contracted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as project manager for the Sports Reform and Commercialisation Project.

It was agreed that his previous two-year appointment be extended for another year, but at a reduced base fee of $140,000 for that one year, commencing on 1 September 2019. The base fee to be paid monthly in advance in the sum of $11,666.67 within three business days of receipt of an invoice for the same.

Taliai sent invoices to the Ministry but had never received any payment.

“He therefore claims damages for breach of contract against the defendants jointly and severally in the sum of $140,000 and general damages in the sum of $80,000”.

In his conclusion, Mr Niu said: “ I must therefore come to the conclusion that the claim of the plaintiff cannot be sustained.

“He has claimed specific performance of the contract, that is, that this Court orders the first defendant to pay him for the 4 months for which he had issued his invoices, and to order the first defendant to pay him for the remaining 8 months.

“Specific performance is an equitable remedy and equity requires that a person “who seeks  equity must do equity” and that a person “who comes into equity must come with clean hands”. A person who has not performed his part of bargain cannot ask that the other person be ordered to perform his part instead.

The plaintiff has failed to prove that he had performed his obligations under the contract, or that he had been prevented by the defendants from performing his contractual obligations”.

Covid-19 update: 109 new community cases

By
Kaniva Staff
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By RNZ.co.nz. Republished with permission.

There are 109 community cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand today.

Of the new cases 103 are in Auckland, 4 are in Waikato and there are two new cases in Northland.

As at 10am, 47 of these cases were linked and 62 remain unlinked, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

There are 35 people in hospital, down from 50 yesterday. Of those in hospital, 7 are in North Shore, 13 in Middlemore, 14 in Auckland, and 1 in Waikato.

In the last 24 hours, 24,343 tests have been processed.

Blenheim case

The ministry has confirmed the case who recently travelled to Blenheim spent the night at a residential address in Tokoroa before flying from Rotorua Airport.

Residents in Marlborough, Nelson and Tasman with symptoms, even if they are mild, are asked to be tested despite vaccination status.

The ministry says people living in Tokoroa and Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough, in particular are asked to monitor the locations of interest.

Public Health officials are investigating whether there are any potential exposure events in the area, associated with this case.

Testing is available today and tomorrow in Blenheim at Horton Park, off Redwood Street until 5.30pm, in Nelson at the Saxton Field parking area in Suffolk Road in Stoke today and tomorrow until 4pm.

New Waikato cases

There are two new cases in Waikato other than the two Ōtorohanga cases first reported last night. One of the new cases is in Hamilton and one in Te Awamutu/Kihikihi.

They are known contacts of existing cases.

Anyone in Waikato with symptoms, or who may have been in contact with a case, is urged to get a test.

Ōtorohanga cases

Last night, the Ministry of Health also reported two new cases of Covid-19 in the Waikato town of Ōtorohanga and that early indications were they were close contacts of a previously confirmed case from Te Awamutu.

The ministry says they are now isolating locally in dedicated accommodation, with public health oversight.

Yesterday 80 community cases of Covid-19 were reported, but prior to that cases had been in the triple digits for three days with 104 community cases reported on Saturday, 129 cases on Friday and 102 cases on Thursday.

Of yesterday’s 80 cases, 25 have exposure events.

Tongan coach who died at sea remembered as ‘a giant of the Waka Ama’

By
Kaniva Staff
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Kafoa Latu was a coach at Portage Crossing Outrigger Canoe Club.

The death of the Tongan coach at Auckland’s Portage Crossing Outrigger Canoe Club devastated the canoe racing community in Auckland.

Kafoa Hala Latu, was laid to rest after his body was recovered from the water off Waikowhai Beach on Auckland’s Manukau Harbour on Sunday 10.

Known as a successful paddler, a soccer and tennis player and was also a Surf Life Saver,  he had been a coach for the club since 2014.

Latu also co-founded the Tu’i Tonga Canoe Club in Hawaii before moving to New Zealand more than a decade ago. He was a huge supporter of the Tu’i Tonga Mafua team in Tonga, investing both his time and money in the team.

In a bereavement  note by the club it said:  “It is with immense sadness that Portage Crossing Canoe Club announces the passing of our beloved gentle giant, our huge-hearted man mountain, our larger-than-life-itself guy with the loudest laugh, Kafoa Hala Latu – aka Coach!

“We will miss you heaps, Coach. Toka aa ihe nonga moe fiemalie”.

Another tribute said:

“Friends, Family and loved ones are extremely sad and currently grieving as the news of Kafoa Hala Latu death was made known to the public.

“We hope this living tribute will bring comfort to you and your family.”

Justice Minister Sāmiu Vaipulu sues anti-drugs campaigner for defamation

By
Kaniva Staff
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The Minister of Justice  Sāmiu Vaipulu is suing Anti-Drugs campaigner Afemeimo’unga Hola over a Facebook livestream post  that he claims has defamed him.

Hola alleged Vaipulu has been one of drugs ring leaders in Tonga.

The Minister and MP for Vava’u 15  had described the allegations as lies and is suing Hola for TOP$10,000.

The legal action came after Princess Pilolevu and Lawyer William Clive Edwards Senior sued Hola for $10,000 each for the same allegations.

Hola has been widely supported and he recently received TOP$22,000 to pay for his lawyers and legal fees.

Hola has been the centre of media attention this year as a former user who has become an anti-drugs campaigner, working with school children and warning them of the evil nature of the trade.

He has been described as the first major crusader against drugs in Tonga

However, he has also been a divisive figure and has received death threats following his allegations. One person from Tongatapu, threatened to kill a member of his family. Another, apparently living in Hawai’i, went online and threatened to send hitmen after him.

It has been claimed that both people were royalists.

Despite initially vowing to kill the person in Tongatapu, Hola later said he had forgiven him.

The threats were made in the wake of Hola’s claims about Princess Pilolevu.

Princess Pilolevu’s two sons-in-law, Sione Filipe Jr and ‘Epeli Taione have been arrested and charged in relation to illicit drugs. Taione, who was charged with possession of Class A drugs, received a 12-month suspended imprisonment sentence early this year.

Hola is expected to re-appear in court on September 24.

He has been banned by the courts from using Facebook and the internet because his case is before the magistrate’s court.

Father in court after son died after falling from moving vehicle in Tongatapu

By
Kaniva Staff
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A father is expected to appear in court tomorrow Monday 25 after his 7-year-old twin son who fell from a moving vehicle died, local news media reported.

Va’ati Vailea, 36, who had been driving the vehicle, was charged with criminal negligence causing death. However, police reportedly said they were considering dropping the case due to the nature of the incident.

It has been reported the deceased and his younger twin were sitting at the back of the vehicle before he fell and died on October 2.

The family have lamented their loss on Facebook.

“My heartbeat,” a post which appeared to have been posted by one of the parents says.

“I will never ever forget you.”

Covid-19 update: 80 community cases reported in NZ today

By
Kaniva Staff
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By RNZ.co.nz. Republished with permission.

There are 80 community cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand today – 77 in Auckland, two in Waikato and one in Northland.

There were also five cases reported in managed isolation.

There was no media conference today. In a statement, the Health Ministry said 46 of today’s cases are unlinked. There are now 287 unlinked cases from the past 14 days.

There are 50 people in hospital, including four people in intensive care. The Ministry said the average age of those in hospital is 44.

Yesterday the Ministry of Health reported 104 community cases of Covid-19.

The two new cases in Waikato – one in Te Awamutu and one in Hamilton – remain unlinked, along with five other cases in the region.

The Ministry said the Waikato DHB was continuing to carry out testing throughout the region, to help determine any undetected community spread of Covid-19.

“We are urging anyone in Waikato – in particular, people in Te Awamutu – to get tested if they have any symptoms that could be Covid-19.”

One of yesterday’s cases was in Blenheim. The person tested positive after arriving on a flight from Rotorua via Wellington. This is the first community case of Covid-19 in the South Island since the current outbreak began.

The Ministry said today that the Covid-19 positive case in Blenheim is unvaccinated, but that two household contacts have returned negative results.

The Ministry is still asking residents in Marlborough, Nelson and Tasman with symptoms – no matter how mild – to get tested, even if they are vaccinated.

The new Northland case reported today is linked to the four cases already confirmed in the region.

“This individual was tested as a close contact of the previous cases confirmed yesterday.”

Until today the number of community Covid-19 cases reported has been in triple figures for three days running, with 129 cases reported on Friday and 102 cases on Thursday.

There have now been 2572 cases in the current outbreak, and 5278 since the pandemic began.

There were 42,482 vaccinations given yesterday – 11,777 first doses and 30,705 second doses.

“It remains our number one protection against Covid-19,” said the Ministry. “The Pfizer vaccine is safe, will help stop you getting seriously ill, and could save your life.”

The next media conference will be held on Tuesday.

Covid-19 wrap: Traffic lights, spreading cases and third doses

By
Kalino Latu
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By RNZ.co.nz. Republished with permission.

A broad outline of the new system for managing Covid-19 restrictions has been delivered, but critics say it’s confusing; there’s 129 new cases; some hospitals are still rushing to prepare for the virus, and a third dose of vaccine is now available.

Vaccination Centre Sign
Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver

New ‘traffic lights’ response system for Covid-19

The government unveiled its plans for the nation to move on from the alert level 1 to 4 lockdown system once a high vaccination target is achieved.

The new ‘protection framework system’ describes the rules that will apply under red, orange and green settings.

It will come into play once all 20 DHBs across the country have vaccinated 90 percent of their eligible population.

Those with a vaccination certificate will be entitled to more freedoms, and businesses with vaccination certificates be able to operate at all levels under the new guidelines.

However localised lockdowns could still be used if cases grow in any areas.

The new system was criticised for being confusing and slow, by the National and Act parties, while the Greens and Māori parties said more protections were needed for vulnerable people.

Under red, the strictest scenario, regional boundaries apply. Businesses, schools and public facilities can open following capacity and distancing rules, but working from home is encouraged. Contact tracing must continue, and people must wear masks in public places.

Whereas in the green setting businesses, schools and public facilities can open with no extra measures for those with vaccination certificates. Masks will be required on flights and encouraged indoors, and contact tracing will still be required.

Today’s cases numbers: 129 new cases, plus two Northland cases

Another 129 people tested positive for Covid-19, the Ministry of Health reported – the second triple-digit day (102 cases were reported yesterday). Nine of the new cases were tested in Waikato, the rest were all in Auckland.

Two new cases were later discovered in Northland, after the official count for the day was delivered (they will be among tomorrow’s figures).

The pair are contacts of a diagnosed Auckland case, and authorities said they weren’t linked to earlier Covid-19 positive travellers who visited Northland.

The two newly diagnosed people had been allowed to travel to Kaikohe from Auckland under alert level 4 rules, and are now isolating there.

The Parua Bay Tavern, near Whangārei, has closed because of a connection to the cases.

There were no more signs of Covid-19 in Hawke’s Bay wastewater or from testing after news yesterday that a person had travelled to Hawke’s Bay while infectious with the virus, but more testing will be done next week.

The Ministry also restated its call to anyone from the Auckland suburb of Redvale to get tested if they have symptoms of Covid-19, a cold or flu, following a large party held there in the weekend – as well as residents of New Lynn, North Shore, Rosedale and Bayswater.

Net widened for financial help, and more help for businesses

More people can access hardship support from the start of November until February, after the government relaxed some criteria for qualifying for financial assistance from Work and Income.

Those working 40 hours a week on the minimum wage will be able to get grants to pay for food and other bills.

The government also announced a boost to the Covid-19 Resurgence Support Payment, to help businesses hit by lockdowns.

From 12 November, the available payment will double to $3000 per eligible business and $800 dollars per full time employee, with a maximum of 50 employees, each fortnight until the country shifts to the traffic light system.

However there were mixed reactions in the business community, with the extra payment welcome, but frustrations over the unknown length of time before the traffic system would come into play.

No caption
Two people are isolating at a Kaikohe property in Northland after testing positive for Covid-19. Photo: RNZ/ Sam Olley

Hospitals still scrambling to prepare for Covid-19

RNZ revealed that none of Auckland’s hospital emergency departments have finished their Covid-19 preparations, more than nine weeks into the outbreak and with patient numbers set to surge.

Building work is continuing at hospitals to create more negative pressure rooms – the gold standard for safely isolating Covid-19 patients, but that some would not be finished until the end of the year.

Third dose of Covid-19 vaccine made available

Doctors can now prescribe a third vaccination dose against Covid-19 to some immunocompromised New Zealanders who meet “complex” criteria.

The Ministry of Health said this group of people may not be able to form a strong immune response against the virus with the standard two primary doses. But after reviewing research, their advisors believed a third dose could help provide better protection for some.

This third dose is different to booster vaccination doses against Covid-19, which are not yet available in New Zealand.

The Ministry said its technical advisory group would made a recommendation on booster vaccinations in “coming months”, and an assessment was being carried out by Medsafe. The final decision would rest with Cabinet.

Third Covid-19 vaccination dose now available for some

By
Kaniva Staff
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By RNZ.co.nz. Republished with permission.

Doctors can now prescribe a third vaccination dose against Covid-19 to some immunocompromised New Zealanders.

Ministry of Health Covid-19 vaccination programme director Jo Gibbs said the third dose is for severely immunocompromised people who fit a “complex” set of criteria, and have a prescription for it from their GP or specialist. They must be 12 years old or older.

A third dose is different to getting a booster vaccination dose against Covid-19, which is not yet available in New Zealand.

It was recommended by the Ministry’s Covid-19 Technical Advisory Group, after “carefully reviewed a number of studies,” Gibbs said.

“Individuals who are severely immunocompromised are at a higher risk of severe outcomes from Covid-19, and might not produce a sufficiently strong immune response after two doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.

“A third primary dose may be beneficial, and can be administered at least eight weeks after the second dose.”

Gibbs said the people in this group of the population are particularly vulnerable to the Covid-19 virus, and it was important all of their close contacts and household contacts get their own two doses of the vaccine, to act as ‘indirect protection’.

The Ministry expects a recommendation to be made on booster vaccinations “in the coming months” by the Covid-19 Technical Advisory Group.

It said Medsafe must also complete an assessment, and the agency was currently awaiting more data from Pfizer.

After those reviews are completed Cabinet will make the final decision on if booster vaccinations would be made available.

More details about who can access the third Covid-19 dose, and how, is available here.

Cardinal’s message to world leaders at COP26 climate conference: Listen to the Pacific

By
Kaniva Staff
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Cardinal Soane Patita Mafi has a message for the politicians who will soon gather at the COP 26 conference, regarded by many as the last chance to avoid the worst that climate change has to offer.

Cardinal Sōane Patita Mafi. Photo/Victorina Kioa (Facebook)

The Tongan-based prelate’s message is simple: Listen.

“We want those big nations to really see and to really hear,” he said in an interview with the British Catholic magazine, The Tablet. 

“Not to pretend. Not to turn away. We want them not to be deafened to the cry of reality by other agendas. Can they turn an ear of love, not of political expediency? Are they prepared to hear the voice of the voiceless?”

For the senior Catholic church leader in the Pacific, it is important that peoples of the Pacific are not overlooked in Glasgow. The islands are among the most vulnerable in the world and Cardinal Mafi has emerged as one of their most eloquent advocates

Mafi told The Tablet that when young Tongans question their role in the church and ask “Who are we?” their question is bound up with questions about the fragility of the environment.

Cardinal Mafi was consecrated just three months before the publication of Pope Francis’ widely influential encyclical, Laudato Si, which calls for a widespread rebirth of spirituality and social and environmental awareness to combat climate change and redress the horrendous imbalance of power and wealth in society.

The Cardinal is a member of the executive of Caritas Internationalis and, since March 2021, the president of Caritas Oceania, which has seven member organisations: Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Zealand and Australia. Across the Pacific he sees climate change-induced problems in many Island states, including deforestation in Solomon Islands, people in Kiribati losing their homes, villages in Fiji forced to relocate owing to rising sea waters, vanishing foreshores and erosion.

He is worried about effects of climate change, which have brought severe cyclones more often. His own house floods on a regular basis. However, he believes it is important that the huge challenges facing the Pacific do not reduce people to fear and passivity.

He told The Tablet that he visited people after storms and was always lifted by their resolve to help each other.

“They are always smiling. But when you visit them privately in their homes, they will share their real emotions. There is a lot of pain and many tears,” he said.

He fears that the loss of a traditional communal lifestyle would deprive people of the one resource they had to cope and prosper. “This is worth more than so-called economic development and foreign-owned infrastructure.”

This is an abridged and edited version of an article by Michael Girr, which appeared in The Tablet on October 21, 2021.

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