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Commentary: Prime Minister should leave it to people to decide whether they want to fast or pray

By
Kalino Latu
-

Kaniva Commentary:

Every year in Tonga the first week of January is devoted to a prayer service conducted by the Free Wesleyan Church call Uike Ha’amo ‘o Tonga or, in English, the churches ask God to carry Tonga over His shoulder.

PM Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa. Photo/Kalino Lātū (Kaniva News)

It ran for the whole week and people have to prepare polas every day from Monday to Sunday to welcome people who attended the churches. The Free Wesleyan Church prayer service was later joined by other Tongan protestant churches like the Free Church of Tonga. It was a big week for Tonga and it has been running for many years now.

The pastors and whoever is attending have the chance to speak in the church and during the feast they asked God to protect Tonga from any natural disasters or any types of crisis. This was the gist of the prayer service.

But as we can see, Tonga continues to face tropical cyclones and the government’s annual budget continues to rely heavily on foreign countries’ donations. More than 50% of the budget has to come from its overseas counterparts.

Tonga continues to suffer from one of the highest levels of non-communicable diseases and obesity.

Statistics from the Asian Development Bank show about 22 percent of the Tonga population lives below the poverty line. The high cost of living means many people struggle to meet basic needs.

Last year Tongan police said that drug use, especially that of methamphetamine, is spreading in the kingdom and increasingly affecting young people. According to police statistics, among those arrested recently for drug use, the youngest is a 13-year-old, while the oldest is aged 67.

The pattern is the same with the Prime Minister’s National Fasting and Prayer services programme, which he said was to combat Covid-19. It is flawed and detracts from the Christian religion. He told the media Tonga was still safe because of the prayer programme. Is he trying to let us ask questions like, who was responsible for the tropical cyclones which have caused severe damage throughout Tonga almost every year, the drug epidemic, the level of poverty and Tonga’s struggle to fund its annual budget?

Hon Tu’i’onetoa, according to his Covid-19 prayer campaign, believes that God has been showing favouritism towards Tonga in particular and did not treat the other countries who have more Christian followers  the same way. Italy, where Catholicism originated, suffered hugely and many of its people have died from Covid-19. Are we going to say that God hated Italy and only protected Tonga?

The Prime Minister needs help with his logic and reasoning.

Sensible

Logic would suggest that Tonga has kept Covid-19 at  bay because of the Prime Minister’s very sensible decision to follow scientific advice and close the borders to aircraft, as well as having the navy keep watch for ships entering the kingdom’s territorial waters. These were good policies and they have worked. There was no  need for the Prime Minister to claim the country was free of the virus because of his campaign.

Italy was overwhelmed with Covid infections because it did not close its  borders in time and doctors and nurses have worked heroically since then to stem the tide within the country’s borders. From the Vatican, in the heart of Italy’s capital Rome, Pope Francis has prayed for an end to the Covid-19 pandemic, but also praised the work of scientists for working together  to find a cure.

The Prime Minister’s fasting has been a bizarre twist in the Covid-19 pandemic given the level of expenditure taken from taxpayers’ money to fund it while at the same time Tongans who are stuck overseas have not received any help, unlike citizens from some other countries.

The melon growers and civil servants have complained about their plight, but the Prime Minister and his entourage have busied themselve in travelling to collect food, Tongan handicrafts, fish and travelling allowances, all paid for by taxpayers’ money.

Why didn’t Hon Tu’i’onetoa asked the churches in the outer islands to do the fasting and prayers on their own? That would save government money. In Vava’u last week, the Free Wesleyan Church Superintendent told the government’s tour in a welcoming programme that when he saw the number of government staff who had joined the tour he asked himself what would happen if the government stopped the tour and used that money to create a budget to pay the pastors. He said he was just making a joke, but Facebook users quickly took to Facebook and shared their views. They said the pastor was joking in the Tongan way of trying to make a joke but at the same time speaking seriously about the issue in a way the government would understand.

We saw during the Prime Minister’s visit to Vava’u last week that the level of cultural and social welcoming ceremonies expected was too much. Obliging people to donate polas caused some to complain because they could not afford it. That’s not how Christianity is supposed to work and there seems to be no logical link between fasting and enjoying huge feasts.

Religion should be respected, so it would have been better to leave the churches to provide such services for the people. Tonga’s coat of arms includes two olive branches tied around a crown, symbolising church and state. They are inseparable and at the same time they have to watch over each other. Some church ministers have expressed their concerns over Hon Tu’i’onetoa’s expensive fasting campaign and Kaniva News has reported this previously. The Prime Minister should respect people’s religious beliefs and leave it to them to decide whether they want to fast or pray.

Democrats may only need two extra votes to topple Tu‘i‘onetoa in no confidence ballot

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Democrats could topple the government of Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa with less than a handful of votes when Parliament reconvenes in January.

Deputy PM Vuna Fā’otusia, PM Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa and PTOA Leader Sēmisi Sika

Deputy Prime Minister Vuna Fā’otusia, who helped PTOA Leader Sēmisi Sika tabled the motion of no confidence in Hon. Tu’i’onetoa, said there were Cabinet Ministers who supported the PTOA (Democrats), but did not name them, implying these ministers would only come out in the secret ballot when the vote took place next month.

The motion of no confidence was signed by 10 MPs.

That means the Democrats may only need to obtain two more votes to win.

The Parliament consists of 26 MPs. When it comes to the day of the vote the Speaker will not participate in the ballot as he will act as the chair of the process.

That leaves the House with only 25 MPs to cast their ballots. Ten MPs have already demonstrated their support for the Deputy Prime Minister by signing the motion.

Lord Fusitu’a was airlifted to New Zealand last year after becoming seriously ill and it appears he will not be able to return to Tonga soon. Lord Vaha’i is stuck in the United States because of the border closures.

Unless the government charters a repatriation flight from the US to bring Lord Vaha’i home, the PTOA will only need two government MPs to join them.

Confident

Deputy Prime Minister Vuna Fa’otusia is confident of victory.

“I believe that once the vote of no confidence is cast, only Hon. Tu’i’onetoa, and Akosita Lavulavu will be on the other side,” Hon. Fa’otusia told Kaniva News.

It is understood that Hon. Fa’otusia was discontented with Hon. Tu’i’onetoa’s relationship with  convicted former Cabinet Member Etuate Lavulavu. Hon. Fa’otusia blamed Lavulavu for being the “mastermind” behind the Prime Minister, who appeared to do whatever he was told.

We have asked the Prime Minister for a response.

Hon. Tu’i’onetoa has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks over his government’s prayer and fasting tours of the outer islands. These are estimated to cost hundreds of thousands of pa’anga at a time when melon growers are facing a financial crisis because their crops have been banned from New Zealand. The politicians are seen to be amassing piles of expensive handicrafts and gifts

As we reported earlier this week, people and officials in the outer islands have begun to revolt at demands that they pay for huge, expensive feasts.

It has also been hard for many people to see how the Prime Minister can be promoting fasting if he and his fellow tourists are eating so much.

Because the motion was tabled on the last sitting day of parliament for the year the Speaker, Lord Fakafanua, ruled that a tentative date for the motion to be tabled in the house would be the next sitting day, January 12.

Opportunity

The vote of no confidence in Prime Minister  Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa is a golden opportunity for the Democratic Party and its supporters to have an honest look at themselves and make sure they are fit to take up the reins of power again.

This gives the Democrats just over three weeks to forge a unified front, make sure they have the numbers to win the vote and to convince the public they can rule wisely and effectively so they will  win the next election

However, the Democrats have work to do.

Once upon a time they were supported  by the majority of Tongans.

In recent years many former supporters and members of the public have become disenchanted because the party was in disarray and Party MPs were blamed for undermining the PTOA by being hungry for power.

The Speaker has referred the motion to the Privileges Committee to ensure it complies with rules and has invited the Prime Minister to respond.

The motion and any reply will be tabled together to Parliament.

PM Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa “has to go” says Deputy PM Vuna Fā’otusia as he and others submit vote of no confidence motion against PM

By
Kalino Latu
-

In a surprising political twist, the Deputy Prime Minister Vuna Fa’otusia has revealed his discontent with his boss, Prime Minster Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa.

Deputy PM Vuna Fa’otusia (L), PM Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa

He told Kaniva News this morning he was not happy with how Tu’i’onetoa runs the government and the involvement of ousted Cabinet Minister ‘Etuate Lavulavu.

Hon Fa’otusia made the startling revelation after a vote of no confidence motion in Hon Tu’i’onetoa was submitted to the House yesterday.

He and the nine other Democratic MPs known as the PTOA Party have signed the motion.

“The move for a vote of no confidence in our government was submitted yesterday, and those signed are the nine members of the party, PTOA, in parliament, including myself from cabinet,” Hon Fa’otusia said.

“We are not happy with the government of Lavulavu and the PM Tu’i’onetoa.

“They have to go, and now is as good a time as any!”

Hon Fā’otusia claimed there were members in Cabinet who supported them and  will vote for them. He said these Cabinet ministers did not agree with what the Prime Minister and Lavulavu have been doing for Tonga.

“I also know that once the members of the nobles in Parliament know that the king is not happy with the government of PM Tu’i’onetoa and Lavulavu, they will vote for us!

“I believe that once the vote of no confidence is casted, only the now PM Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa, and Akosita Lavulavu, will be on the other side.”

All in the interests of the country, and the people of Tonga!”

MP Siaosi Pōhiva, the PTOA Party Secretary General has confirmed to Kaniva News they have submitted a Vote of No Confidence motion in the Prime Minister and his Cabinet to the Parliament yesterday.

Every motion for a Vote of No Confidence tabled in the house required to be signed by at least 10 MPs, a number the PTOA nine MPs could not get without the help of an MP from the nobility or Cabinet.

The VONC rules also stipulate the motion be put to a vote within five working days from the time it is tabled.

Island residents, officials, complain about having to provide feasts for fasting and prayer tours; PM gifts villagers

By
Kalino Latu
-

Residents of Tonga’s outer islands are beginning to revolt at demands for elaborate feasts to be provided for the government’s prayer and fasting tours.

Reliable sources have told Kaniva News that the government’s heads of departments in Vava’u were told to provide polas.

PM Tu’i’onetoa’s mokopuna Loseta (right)  performing a tau’olunga with a tekiteki of $1000 donated by the Prime Minister and his family to the Tu’anekivale village development projects. Photo/Television Tonga (Screenshot)

A pola is originally a long tray made of coconut fronds plaited together. It can be used to serve up to 30 types of dishes, which can include chicken, crayfish, octopus, pork and vegetables steamed in an umu, suckling pig, and several varieties of tropical fruits.

However, the Vava’u officials are reported to have complained that they could not afford to buy the food.

In the end the government team led by Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa were provided with huge meals at the expense of the Vava’u locals.

Town officers in some districts, including Hahake and Leimātu’a, rejected requests by the governor’s office to provide polas for the tour. They said they did not believe people should be obliged to bear such expenses.

The Governor of Vava’u, Lord Fakatulolo, has been contacted for comment.

There were complaints from Longomapu locals about the programme which had been announced to be attended by the Prime Minister.

The locals gathered at the Maamamo’onia hall and waited, but they were finally told the programme was cancelled because the Prime Minister and his team were travelling to the island of Ofu, an estate of Lord Tu’ilakepa, the Minister of Agriculture, Forest and Food

Prime Minister’s donations

Meanwhile, during a celebration in Tu’anekivale on Saturday to open a new weaving hall and centre for women it was announced the Prime Minister and his family have donated TOP$1,000 to help the village’s development.

Another donation was presented to the Governor of Vava’u from the Prime Minister and his entourage but the total amount of money was not announced.

A Tongan tau’olunga item was performed as part of the donations with Tongan handicrafts were also presented as gifts for the locals.

Cabinet ministers and officers attending the celebration were seen at the tau’olunga spot rewarding the dancer and the tu’ulāfale people with pa’anga notes.

The Tu’anekivale villagers also presented a hā’unga which was a hog and kava plant for the Prime Minister and his government retinue.

As Kaniva News reported since last week, the controversy surrounding the use of hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ money for the national fasting and prayer programme has drawn a strong response from the Prime Minister, who said it was one of his policies to fight against Covid-19.

Kaniva News was told a protest was staged and ready to welcome the Prime Minister on his way from the airport last week, but was cancelled after the governor, Lord Fakatulolo, arrived at the scene and pleaded with the protestors to please cancel it as it would affect his relationship with the Prime Minister. The protestors agreed.

We have reported photos of a number of vehicles being draped with banners, including one which accused the Prime Minister of duping the people of Vava’u. Those photos were taken at the scene.

As we reported, another banner demanded the Prime Minister resign and another read “Stop the Kefeu Palemia ke Sesele” (Stop imposing curfews are you foolish Prime Minister).

“You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool Vava’u all the time,” another banner read.

Tongan fruit picker charged with murder in Australia after Vanuatu man’s death

By
Kalino Latu
-

A Tongan man has been charged with murder after a male Vanuatu fruit picker was killed at a Riverland farm in Adelaide on August 2.

Kaniva Tonga News

Manu Vi, 25, faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday by video link, and has yet to plead to one count of murder, the Queensland Times online has reported.

The charge arises from an incident at Paringa, 260km north east of Adelaide, on August 2.

Vi was originally charged with manslaughter after his alleged victim, a 29-year-old Vanuatu national, did not show up for work the day after the incident.

The Vanuatu man was found unresponsive in his cabin that night and rushed to hospital, but died two days later.

On Tuesday, police prosecutors said the charges against Vi were subsequently upgraded to murder, the paper said.

The Magistrate Court has postponed the case until May to allow the investigators to complete their tasks including getting people to do translation works.

“There was a fight, the victim intervened and has taken a blow to the face which has, ultimately, killed him,” the report said.

Commentary: PM uses economic model to explain cost of island trips, but cannot justify other decisions.

By
Kalino Latu
-

Kaniva commentary:

Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa has claimed his government’s fasting and prayer tours to the outer islands are justified by what he calls the economic multiplier effect model.

Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa. Photo/MOI

Under this model, he claims, the visits, which are estimated to be costing hundreds of thousands of pa’anga, are helping the kingdom because the money that is spent will benefit the people.

Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said the expenditure on travel benefitted the local tourism businesses, the local stores, the people in the villages who sold handicrafts, food and dancers in celebrations. He said the money was returned to the government in the form of taxes and in that way kept Tonga’s economy afloat during the border closures.

That may be how the Prime Minister sees it, but many people would question the logic of his reasoning. There have already been accusations – which have drawn a strong response from the Prime Minister –  that government spending on the fasting and prayer tours only benefit his Cabinet Ministers, their wives, his People’s Party members and supporters.

The former Auditor General now has defended the government’s actions by saying his critics do not understand economics.

Yesterday, Kaniva News reported that Tongan civil servants have complained after being told their annual salary increases, known as increments, would not be paid before the Christmas holidays as usual. After the issue was revealed in Parliament, the Minister of Finance said the money was ready, but that he would talk to the Public Service Commission CEO to see if the civil servants could be paid half of their increments before this Christmas Holidays.

After Kaniva released this story readers and social media users heightened their criticisms of the cost of Prime Minister Tu’i’onetoa’s fasting and prayer tours and asking why he was treating the civil servants so badly.

It seems  the Prime Minister has not applied his multiplier effect model to the civil servants. There are more than 3000 civil servants in Tonga. His tour team to the outer islands only has about 20 members. If he was genuine with his economic model he would have made sure the civil servants were paid on time to make sure that during the Christmas holidays they used the money according to his multiplier effect model.

On Sunday night Kaniva reported that shipments of 10 consignments of watermelons, which were expected to be transported to New Zealand on December 5, had been cancelled because of a problem that could have been avoided if the government stepped in before it happened.

The issue needed immediate intervention from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture, Lord Tu’ilakepa, but they were in Vava’u as part of the Cabinet’s tour to promote its controversial Covid-19 fasting and prayer service.

This was another incident that really called into question the Prime Ministers’ multiplier effect model. Although there are only a small number of melon growers in Tonga, the millions of pa’anga that would be generated when their melons were sold in New Zealand would benefit the country as a whole. However, the Prime Minister and his entourage busied themselves in praying and fasting while these growers’ complaints about the problems they were facing appear to have fallen on deaf ears.

Hon. Tu’i’onetoa’s  multiplier effect model is unfair as it only seems to be used to justify the expenditure on government politicians, family members and  the party faithful.

What about the rest of the country? There were no benefit wages for the rest of the country including the single mothers, unemployments, the youth, orphans, school leavers, or the sick. The only benefits payment was TOP$65 for the elderly once a month. The king has an annual budget of about TOP$5 million and the nobles have received controversial salaries with no job descriptions to justify their cost for many years now.

The Prime Minister’s economic multiplier model sounds fine in theory, but is deeply flawed. It might be used to justify – in a very narrow sense – the cost of the outer island excursions, but it seems unable to justify the economic decisions outlined above.

Reckless driving conviction quashed; Supreme Court rules magistrate ignored evidence

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The Supreme Court has overturned a conviction for reckless driving in the magistrate’s court.

Lord Chief Justice Whitten, presiding, criticised the magistrate’s ruling.

The judge said the Magistrate had failed to take into consideration relevant evidence.

On July 20, 2019, Sepastiano Mikaele was driving with his wife in Neiafu in Kameli about 1am. Their vehicle swayed onto the right hand side of the road and collided with a parked vehicle owned by Lupeni Tupou, causing TP$15,000 damage. Mikaele pleaded not guilty to a charge of reckless driving.

In February this year he was convicted by Principal Magistrate Mafi and fined TP$200.

Police officer Mo’unga Koluse told the magistrate’s court that Mikaele told him he had had a coughing fit which continued while his vehicle left the road and hit the parked car.

Mikaele repeated the evidence in court, saying: “I started coughing and I thought it would be alright and we just continued on going and the coughing just escalated.”

Argument was put on his  behalf that he could not be guilty of reckless driving because of the  coughing fit.

However, the Magistrate favoured evidence from the police that Mikaele smelt of alcohol, was drunk and had been speeding.

Lord Chief Justice Whitten was critical of Magistrate Mafi’s reasons for finding Mikaele was guilty.

“Unfortunately, the Magistrate’s reasons reveal a circumscribed view of the evidence and reasoning which failed to take into account not only the appellant’s own evidence about the events leading to the collision but, more importantly, the police officer’s account of the appellant having told him about the coughing fit leading to the collision,” Judge Whitten said.

He ordered that the conviction be quashed and the sentence set aside.

The matter was remitted to the Magistrates Court for a retrial before a different Magistrate.

Civil servants complain after salary increments not paid before Christmas holidays as gov’t admits fault

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tonga civil servants have complaint after being told their annual salary increases would not be paid before this Christmas holidays as usual.

Finance Minister Tēvita Lavemaau. Photo/Kalino Lātū

Known as Performance Management System (PMS), the public servants were entitled to an annual pay increase based on their performance.

The complaint was raised in Parliament last week by the Opposition saying the civil servants wanted answer.

In response, the Minister of Finance Tevita Lavemaau said there was a problem.

Hon Lavemaau said the delay came after the Public Service Commission CEO has revealed there were works still needed to be completed.

He said the CEO has asked to postpone it until January next year.

Hon Lavemaau said the money was ready and he would talk to the PSC CEO again to see if there was a chance to pay the civil servants parts of their increments before the holidays.

He said it has been for three years now the civil servants have been paid their increments before Christmas holidays.

He said this year there was a problem because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the CEOs were busy with other duties.

Vava‘u protestors say tour breaches the government’s own Covid-19 emergency laws

By
Kalino Latu
-

There were protests in Vava’u this weekend as the Prime Minister arrived for another fasting and prayer service.

This photo is a screenshot of a live Facebook video clip shared by Television Tonga showing the Prime Minister Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa (second to left) , His Health Minister Prof ‘Amelia Tu’ipulotu (left)  and Chief Secretary Edgar Cocker (second to right), Vava’u Health Superintendent Dr Sa’ale Lākai (right)  during a visit around Ngu Hospital in Vava’u on Thursday. They appear to have breached the 1.5 social distancing restriction.

Prime Minister Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa also opened new weaving houses and community centres for women.

Protestors said the government tour contradicted the official curfew laws.

They said the government should stop imposing curfews.

Videos seen by Kaniva News appear to show the government officials and the Prime Minister breaching the 1.5 metre social distancing in the way they visited places and mixed and mingled with people after arriving in Vava’u last week.

Hon. Tuʻiʻonetoa and his entourage were welcomed to a “houa ‘ilo,” which is Tongan for the hour (“houa”) of feasting prepared for nobles and high class people, at Tu’anekivale this afternoon. The food for the houa ‘ilo was prepared and provided by the locals.

At the same time protests were staged in Neiafu, with a number of vehicles being draped with banners, including one which accused the Prime Minister of duping the people of Vava’u.

One of the protests’ banners calling on the Prime Minister to stop imposing curfews. Photo/Facebook

Another banner demanded the Prime Minister to resign.

The protesters criticised the Prime Minister’s recent new laws requiring drivers and front passengers to wear seat belts.

Banners read:

“Fu’u mamafa mo’ua faka’uli ta’eleta” (The seatbelt legislation is costly)

“Fie ma’u ke ke fakafisi”(You need to resign)

“Stop the Kefeu Palemia ke Sesele” (Stop imposing curfews Prime Minister are you foolish)

Another banner asked the Prime Minister why he made laws to punish the people.

“You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool Vava’u all the time,” another banner read.

Another banner from Vava’u protesters last week. Photo/Facebook

Protesters also criticised the move by the People’s Party Deputy Chair Etuate Lavulavu to submit a Bill to control kava sales and exports.

It was unclear who was behind the banners and the protests, but photos taken of the vehicles and banners were  shared to Facebook by several users, including former Vava’u parliamentary candidate, PTOA Supporter and business operator Tomifa Paea.

He wrote a caption on the photos thanking the protesters for enlightening the people and helping to build the nation

In Tongan he said: “Malo e fakamaama mo e ngaue lahi tokoni kihe tau langa fonua.”

Tonga’s Declaration of a State of Emergency has been renewed from 8pm on November 23 to 8pm on December 21, due to the continuing spread of CoViD-19 around the world.

Night-time curfews  from midnight to 5am will be enforced by the Tonga Police, His Majesty’s Armed Forces and relevant authorised officers.

It said all activities and gatherings in Tonga shall comply with social distancing, keeping 1.5m from any other person at all times.

In April Police have arrested 568 people since a state of emergency was declared on 28 March to try and counter Covid-19.

357 of those arrested had allegedly breached the lockdown rules or obstructed officers.

The lockdown includes a night time curfew.

Power out in parts of Vaheloto after car crash in Tongatapu

By
Kaniva Staff
-

About 100 homes in the area of Pea and Veitongo are without electricity this morning after a vehicle crashed into a power pole.

Electricity is not expected to be restored until after 9.30am when a broken pole be replaced, Tonga Power Board was quoted by local media as announcing.

Photos of the crash had been posted to Facebook by Broadcom FM Broadcasting.

It did not provide the details of the crash or where did it happen.

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