Linda Filimoehala is one of the busiest musicians in Auckland.
A euphonium player, she currently plays in three brass bands and is the music director of a fourth; she teaches at her family’s Music Academy and in schools.
Recently she came to our Auckland studio to talk with Tim Dodd.
Last year, after responding to a Facebook post, Linda was selected to represent New Zealand in an online performance of ‘Simple Gifts’ for the United Commonwealth Covid Music Project – a ‘never-before-attempted musical feat to combine the voices of musicians from the 54 member countries in one powerful virtual performance’.
You can see Linda in the video below at 3:55 – she’s fourth row from the top, second from the left.
Music details
HOROVITZ: Euphonium Concerto, excerpt – Linda Filimoehala (euphonium), University of Auckland Symphony Orchestra/Uwe Grodd (RNZ)
BRACKETT arr Michael Higgins: Simple Gifts, excerpt – Dionysus Ensemble & Commonwealth musicians (Leonie Adams LA2020)
SYKES: Carnival Cocktail, excerpt – Linda Filimoehala (euphonium), Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery Brass Band / Steven Booth (private recording)
The Minister of Tourism Akosita Lavulavu told whale watching and swimming operators in Vava’u if they do not pay their licence fees and insurance on time their licences would be cancelled.
Hon ‘Akosita Lavulavu
“The Minister has no authority under the Whale Watching and Swimming Regulations to waive the fees or roll it over”, a letter from the Ministry last week April 9, seen by Kaniva News, read.
The Minister was responding after the operators requested to waive the fees for 2021 season because their businesses never gained any profits due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The operators also requested that the payment of licence fees for 2020 be deferred until Tonga opens its border.
The operators also requested that the three year licence term be extended by another year cancelling out year 2020.
They asked the Minister to exclude 3rd party insurance as a requirement for whale watching licence renewals until borders open.
In another request they asked that the whale watching guide tickets 2020 be extended at no cost.
It is understood each operator must pay TOP$1500 per boat licence fee and TOP$2000 for third party insurance.
The Ministry said these licences were valid for three years.
Minister’s response
The Minister declined the requests on all fronts saying there was no authority under the law for the Ministry to waive the requirements for which the operators have asked.
She said “all issued licences continue to be in effect despite Covid-19. Any fees required to be paid in accordance to the law must be paid”.
She said the law says the licences “shall be valid for 3 years”.
The Minster said the licence period cannot be extended to more than three years, “for any reason”.
She reminded the operators that all licence applications must beaccompanied by a third party public liability insurance and a copy of insurance policy.
“As an option, please note if applicants and licence holders do not pay their licence fees, their insurance, or fail to provide any other requirement for licences, that this will be deemed a breach of licence conditions. The licence will be cancelled, although you will be encouraged to re-apply for your licence whenever you decide to begin operating again”.
Akosita also said the government’s “priority as of now is the safety and health of its people and is currently concentrating on repatriating thousand of Tongans who are still getting stuck overseas”.
Operators’ reactions
The Minister’s response “frustrated” the Vava’u operators.
They asked whether the country’s state of national emergency allows authorities to consider and make special decisions when their businesses suffered economically.
“Does Govt expect us all to pluck this money out of thin air?, one of the operators, who we choose not to identify, told Kaniva News.
“Basically, if we do not pay we won’t get a license despite the fact that we will not have a season and have not had income since Nov 2019,” they said.
“We are in a state of emergency and special circumstances apply to these times yet the industry that provides so much for this Kingdom is going to be run into the ground.
“A gazette order could be made to ensure that fees are waivered”.
They said the King in his parliamentary closing speech said “that Tourism was one of the industries that needed to be looked after yet as you can see our Minister of Tourism has no desire to do that and wants to cripple the industry instead”.
Police have today charged three people with the murder of Auckland woman Meliame Fisi’ihoi.
Meliame Fisi’ihoi, 57, died when she was shot at her home on Calthorp Close, Favona. Photo/Facebook
Three men aged 19, 22 and 28 have been jointly charged with murder and are expected to appear in the Manukau District Court today.
They have been charged with Fisi’ihoi’s murder, as well as intending to cause grievous bodily harm to three others by shooting a gun at them, two weeks prior to her death.
The 57-year-old mother of seven was watching TV in her Calthorp Cl home in Favona, south Auckland, when something drew her attention to a window at the front of the house, in the early hours of January 15 last year.
She got up out of her chair, peered through the window and was fatally shot.
“Police’s commitment to this investigation has never wavered and we were always confident that arrests would ultimately be made, however some investigations are more complex and challenging than others and can take a significant amount of time and effort to resolve,” Police Detective Senior Sergeant Karen Bright said.
“Today’s arrests are a credit to the hard work and dedication shown by the Operation Truro investigation team.
“We hope the arrests today provides Mrs Fisi’ihoi’s family with some degree of comfort following what has been an extremely difficult time for them.
“We want to thank the Favona community for their cooperation during this investigation and hope they are also comforted by these developments.
“We are unable to comment further as this matter is now before the courts”.
The Australian experienced seafarer whose name was well-known in Tonga for decades has died after his boat capsized on the Mid-North Coast.
Captain Warner wrote in his memoirs, “the boys had set up a small commune with food garden, hollowed-out tree trunks to store rainwater, a gymnasium with curious weights, a badminton court, chicken pens and a permanent fire, all from handiwork, an old knife blade and much determination.”
Emergency services were called to Lighthouse Parade, in East Ballina, at 8.45am on Tuesday following reports two people were in the water after a boat had capsized while crossing the Ballina Bar, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
A short time later, a 17-year-old boy assisted Mr Warner, 90, to shore.
A member of the public started CPR on Mr Warner, but he died at the scene. The boy was not injured, the Herald said.
Officers from Richmond Police District established a crime scene and commenced inquiries into the circumstances of the incident.
Warner’s trilogy, Ocean of Light, said the celebrated sailor lived in Tonga for 30 years.
He arrived in the islands in 1966 after he rescued six Tongan boys who were marooned on the desert island of ‘Ata.
The boys had gone missing for 15 months after a misadventure before Warner rescued them.
These were students who were boarders of the St Andrew School in Nuku’alofa, before they had stolen a boat, and set sail for Fiji, only to be put off course by a storm, eventually washing ashore at ‘Ata.
In Tonga “Peter was proclaimed a national hero,” the Guardian reported.
As a reward for his rescue, late King Taufa‘āhau Tupou IV allowed Warner to trap lobster in the kingdom’s waters and started a business which employed many locals for years.
A disabled driver who killed a 76-year-old mother in Tongatapu admitted he did not know about the traffic rules because he did not sit any driving tests before his license was given to him.
Sitela Fungavaka. Photo/Supplied
It appears the licensing officers had been bribed to fake his tests before the driver’s mother picked up his license over the counter.
Siolosi Hu’akau, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous driving causing death and one count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
He was convicted of dangerous driving causing death and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
For dangerous driving causing bodily harm, he has been sentenced to one year imprisonment, to be served concurrently with his sentence on causing death count.
The final 12 months of the head sentence is to be suspended on conditions for a period of two years from the date of his release from prison.
A court document said the prisoner “was speeding and driving in a manner dangerous to the public.
“He admitted to Police that he was not aware of the speed limits because he
did not obtain his driver’s licence validly – it was given to him over the
counter through his mother”.
The tragedy
The court was told that on Sunday, 25 October 2020, ‘Arnone Fungavaka was driving with his wife, Stella Fungavaka, to Kolonga to visit their son.
As they approached a sharp turn towards Navutoka, a red vehicle was also approaching the turn from the opposite direction. It was being driven by Hu’akau.
There were two other passengers in his vehicle. As he approached the turn, he lost control of his vehicle, swerved onto the right lane and collided head on with the Fungavakas’ vehicle.
Stella sustained multiple fractures, including a collapsed lung. As a result of her injuries, she was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
The prisoner
The prisoner was born with a medical condition affecting his lower limbs rendering him unable to stand for long periods of time.
He was physically and emotionally dependent on his mother and is attached to her.
Hu’akau was unable to read or write, having only completed class 1 at school. He is described as having the mind of a child .
No medical evidence was provided during his trial. His disability caused him great pain throughout his childhood. He did not have a normal teenager’s life.
Notwithstanding, his local parish priest and town officer reported that the prisoner was happily involved in church youth activities and is treated by his peers with understanding, as a child, in order to make him feel comfortable
The trial of the Minister of Infrastructure and Tourism Akosita Lavulavu and her disgraced husband ‘Etuate Lavulavu began yesterday Monday 12 as prosecutors try to prove the couple knowingly dealt with forged documents and obtaining credit by false pretenses.
Hon. ‘Akosita and her husband ‘Etuate Lavulavu
The trial arises from an investigation of the government grants intended to top up private and church schools teachers’ salaries.
The amount of money granted to each school was based on the number of students being enrolled.
As Kaniva news previously reported, the Auditor General’s office claimed hundreds of students supposedly attending the Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute could not be identified and that the Institute should repay TP$553,800 to the Technical Vocational Education and Training fund (TVET).
‘Etuate was the president of the school while Akosita was the director. They previously denied all charges.
The nation has been waiting five years for the case since the couple was first arrested on March 2016.
It has been delayed several times before the Lord Chief Justice ruled earlier this year that the case must be heard in court yesterday, April 12.
Akosita was dismissed from cabinet in April 2018 as a result of her charges but she was reappointed by the Tu’ionetoa government.
Yesterday she has been criticised for reinstating the Tonga Tourism Authority board with a budget of $1.5 million while it was clear that international travel will not resume anytime soon. Critics believed the move was a waste of money because tourism in the kingdom is being crippled by the impacts of COVID-19.
Separate fraud charge
Last week, the couple appeared at the Magistrate Court on separate charges after their land lord in Vava’u filed a lawsuit accusing the Lavulavus of allegedly forging a letter on his behalf telling the Ministry of Lands and Survey he allegedly agreed to allow ‘Etuate to quarry rocks on his land.
The Magistrate court has yet to decide on that court case.
The political engineer
‘Etuate publicly claimed the current government of Tu’i’onetoa managed to topple the former PTOA government because of a successful political campaign he engineered. He was later referred to by his critics as an “engineer”.
He was the mouthpiece of the Prime Minister he has his own newspaper and radio station in which he uses to attack the government’s critics.
He has been accused of overstepping his political roles outside government and attempted to interfere with the Prime Minister’s office.
He was the deputy chairman of Tonga People’s Party. Prime Minister Tu’i’onetoa is the Chairman.
The Lavulavus were under pressure recently after calls for Akosita to resign over her court cases.
Controversial backgrounds
‘Etuate Lavulavu is no stranger to courts, controversy or convictions.
In 2003 he was arrested by the FBI while trying to board a flight from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles. He was charged with falsifying immigration papers for Tongans to become American Citizens as part of a scam carried out with his brother. He pleaded guilty to two counts of illegal use of a birth certificate, but only had to pay costs.
In 2004 he began referring to himself as “professor” and said he had a doctorate from an American institution, which turned out to be a notorious “mail order” university which essentially sells degrees.
The Director of Education said at the time that the Ministry did not recognise his “professorship.”
In 2016 Tonga’s Supreme Court convicted him of bribery and spending over the legal limit on his 2014 election campaign.
The judge said Lavulavu was not a credible witness and that his evidence was implausible, evasive and untruthful.
As a result of his conviction he was kicked out of Parliament. His wife Akosita won the by-election in his electorate.
In a case in 2000, Lavulavu was sued by the Late Prince Tu’ipelehake for damages and unlawful cultivation of his land. In his summing up of the trial, Lord Chief Justice Ward said Lavulavu “was willing to say almost anything that seemed to suit the moment with a repeated disregard for the truth.”
Last year the Supreme Court ordered ‘Akosita to pay the plaintiffs’ costs after Lord Chief Justice Whitten quashed her decision to deny their whale watching and swimming licences.
Mr Whitten said the Minister’s decisions were infected by errors of law.
A car dealer who took more than $59,950 in deposits for cars he never delivered has been jailed for three years.
The final 12 months of the sentence was suspended on conditions for a period of two years from the date of her release.
Malia Selupe was charged with five counts of obtaining money by false pretenses and taking large deposits for cars he had advertised for sale and never supplied the goods.
Selupe operated a car dealer business called “Tavatu’utolu Motors”.
She held the business out as being able to import motor vehicles from Japan through online bidding and sales.
Between May 2016 and August 2017, Selupe received a total of $59,950 from four complainants for the purchase of motor vehicles.
None of the vehicles ordered ever arrived in Tonga. At the time, the prisoner gave the purchasers a raft of different excuses mostly concerning difficulties with or delays caused by the supposed Japanese supplier.
Despite assurances to some of the purchasers that they would receive refunds, none eventuated.
NSW Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a woman wanted on two outstanding warrants.
Salome Taufahema. Photo/Supplied
Salome Taufahema, 33, was wanted by virtue of two warrants in relation to drug-related offences, a statement said.
She is described as being of Pacific Islander/Maori appearance, about 150-160cm tall, with a thin build, brown hair and brown eyes.
Salome is known to frequents the south-western suburbs of Auburn, Lidcombe, Bankstown, Liverpool and Fairfield Greystanes, Blacktown, Ropes Crossing, Claymore and Pendle Hill.
As police continue to conduct inquiries into her whereabouts, they are urging anyone who may have information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Anyone who sees the woman is urged not to approach her but to instead call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
In 2015 Police tried to track down a six-day old boy and his parents, whose behaviour was described as erratic when they were last seen in Western Sydney.
The parents were Salome Taufahema and Steven Kennedy.
A former gang leader who spent time in prison before he turned his life around and ended up receiving a Master’s degree from the University of Hawai’i was shot dead in Aiea, Honolulu.
Malakai Maumalanga
The 45-year-old Malakai Maumalanga was killed in his residence on March 29. His funeral and visitation services have yet to be announced.
Witnesses reportedly said one, maybe two suspects were involved in the shooting. No further details were available, the Hawai’ian Star Advertiser reported.
The ex-gang leader, who was also goes by the name of Mo, has been described as heavily involved with gang while “he was 13 years-old … and very angry, very violent.”
He was jailed when he was 18 for a drive-by shooting.
That journey takes him to the stage to receive a master’s degree in social work.
“I didn’t realize how far I came until right after finals then I realized I’m getting my masters”, Hawai’i News Now reported Maumalanga as saying.
Maumalanga was such a success story that he was hired by Adult Friends for Youth in 2002 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work.
At the time of his death, he directly reported to Deborah Spencer-Chun, his former Adult Friends for Youth counselor.
“We worry about all the kids that we work with. Mo was no different,” Spencer-Chun told the Star-Advertiser on Sunday.
For the last 20 years, Mo has been giving back – working at Adult Friends for Youth, the Hawai’ian Khon2 reported.
“His passion was helping other kids who were just like him get a better future”, the paper said.
