Important fish stocks in Tongan waters are dwindling and fishermen need to be better educated on ways to preserve numbers, a major international report has recommended.
The report by the Khaled bin Sultan
Living Oceans Foundation was part of a five year long investigation of fish and
reef conditions around the world.
This was the largest coral reef
survey and mapping expedition in history.
The study was designed to assess the
impact of man-made and natural disturbances on reef ecosystems, including
runoff, climate change, storm damage, and Crown-of-Thorns Starfish outbreaks.
The survey was undertaken in September-October
2013 and concentrated on 58 dive sites in Ha’apai, Vava’u, and Niuatoputapu.
The survey report said fish
populations had suffered badly since the 1950s when dynamite fishing was
practiced.
Although dynamite fishing had been
banned, other fishing practices, such as spear fishing, long line fishing, and
net fishing were introduced, the human populations grew and the numbr of fish
landed continued to increase.
Fishing regulations had not been able
to keep up with the demand from both local subsistence fishers and fisheries
exports.
The combined effects of overfishing
practices and other pressures could lead to a drastic decline in the overall
health of the coral reefs and fish communities.
The report said the Tongan Ministry
of Fisheries had done substantial work to protect the country’s fisheries
resources.
“We recommend substantial effort be
dedicated to educating the people of Niuatoputapu on the importance of
sustainable fishing practices, as well as to protecting the marine resources
and reefs surrounding the northern Niua islands from larger fishing vessels,”
the report said.
“These reefs are of critical
importance in providing new reef fish to the southern island groups that are
exposed to increased pressures.
“Overall, the reef fish species that
are particularly important to local fishers, such as parrotfish, emperors,
snapper, and groupers, all of which play an important economic and ecological
are at critical low.
“It is critical that accurate
documentation of the number of fish landings, as well as their size and species
distribution, be recorded and provided by local fishermen as there is limited
information being collected on this currently.
“It is important to continue engaging
with local fishers to establish quota and size restrictions that will best
protect and improve the populations of economically important reef fish
species.”
The
main points
For
more information
Global
Reef Expedition: Kingdom of Tonga Final Report
A prominent Catholic priest regrets the “silly mistake” that forced him to leave the church, after he admitted possessing semi-nude photos of a girl under 16.
Sosefo Sateki Raass was parish priest of St Mary’s, in Mt Albert, Auckland, but was convicted in March 2019 of indecent communication with a person under 16. He was told to serve 100 hours of community service for his offending. He was not placed on the sex offenders’ register.
Raass had been considered a rising star of the church, was principal priest of the Auckland Fijian community and was also the celebrant at Japanese rugby international Amanaki Mafi’s wedding.
It’s understood a relative complained to police after a 15 year old girl sent semi-nude selfies to Raass over Facebook.
Raass claimed he hadn’t solicited the photos from the girl, and hadn’t realised her age. He said he pleaded guilty to “get it out of the way, I didn’t want to hang on and waste time.”
He agreed it had ruined his career. “It did, yes, but I have to let it go. It was a silly mistake but.. We all make mistakes…. I believe things happen for a reason.”
Raass has left the priesthood and is now in a relationship with a woman with whom he shares a West Auckland home.
After he was convicted, reporting his case was delayed because his lawyer, Steve Bonnar QC, successfully opposed applications from Stuff to read the court file which detailed his offending.
Bonnar told Stuff his client hadn’t made enquiries of the victim’s age and believed she was over 16. But he said that was “no defence to the charge”.
“There were inappropriate communications…it wasn’t a situation of grooming,” Bonnar said.
After leaving the priesthood, Raass became a director and shareholder of a memorials business, but he said that venture hadn’t worked out and he was now employed in a family business.
The case has caused a change in how the censor’s office views potentially objectionable ‘selfies’, said the chief censor, David Shanks.
At the heart of the case appears to be whether or not Raass asked for the images to be sent to him.
Police originally sent the images for review by the Office of Film and Literature Classification in early 2018, which ruled them objectionable. But on appeal by Raass, the decision was overturned by the office’s Board of Review.
The review board said while the way in which the images “appear to have been brought into existence are highly objectionable (if ultimately proven in a court of law) and in no way to be condoned” and depicted a young person nude or partially nude in a way which could be viewed sexually, they were not “injurious to the public good”.
There had been discussions by prosecutors about appealing that decision to the High Court, but that process halted when Raass entered a guilty plea.
Shanks said the review decision was, in part, because the board decided that there wasn’t enough evidence before them to make a firm decision on the issue of solicitation. The office would now prefer agencies supplied all ‘chatter’ around an image, “to make it more straightforward and clearer, so we can take into account contextual matters in considering the publication.”
Shanks said the law was written in 1993 before digital selfies were considered, and his office didn’t want to criminalise teenagers – so their decisions were interested in the circumstances in which selfies were made: “It is quite a different scenario in terms of the public impact and public harm in a situation where an adult male is essentially procuring or exhorting a young person to provide these sorts of images.”
Virginia Noonan, director of the Catholic Church’s National Standards Office – the church’s policeman – directed comments to the Auckland Catholic diocese.
Their spokeswoman, Lyndsay Freer, said in a statement that Raass left the priesthood by his own choice and the formal laicisation process was underway.
She said once the diocese learned of the allegations, they had asked Raass to take leave from his parish, notified the principals of both schools in the parish, told parishioners he was on leave and co-operated with police. She said parishioners were never formally told of the reason for Raass’ departure.
Freer said she understood the complainant was not a parishioner, but from overseas and visiting family locally.
Marist College principal Raechelle Taulu said she was unaware of Raass and the offending was “before her time” at the school. However, she said she was sure the diocese would have been open and transparent with the school at the time.
The man who married Princess Pilolevu Tuita’s eldest daughter has been accused of dealing illicit drugs, according to reports.
‘Epeli Taione, 40, was reportedly arrested after police executed a search warrant and took several people into custody in Tongatapu last week, reports said.
The former ‘Ikale Tahi player and former chair of the national rugby union board, was held in custody and was expected to appear in court on Monday.
The revelation came after Police released a statement on Tuesday saying they arrested four men on Saturday, January 25, with illicit drugs from a mechanic’s workshop at Umusī.
Police said this was part of an “ongoing drugs
operation targeting drug dealers and
suppliers.”
Police seized two packs of cocaine weighing 1.04 grams, 1.43 grams of cannabis, two live .22 bullets and over TOP$5000 in cash.
The four arrested included a 40-year-old man from Kolomotu’a,
40-year-old man from Kolofo’ou, 49-year-old man from Fangaloto and 41-year-old
man from Vainī.
Police did not formally identify Taione as one of those arrested, but his arrest has been widely reported on social media since Monday.
Kakalu ‘O Tonga newspaper reported in its Thursday editions that
Taione and his lawyer unsuccessully applied to bail him out after the arrest.
‘Epeli is the husband of Hon Lupepau’u Taione. She is
a niece of King Tupou VI.
The revelation came after Sione Filipe Jr was expected to appear in
court next week. Filipe married Princess Pilolevu and Lord Tuita’s second youngest
daughter, Hon. Frederica Fatafehi ‘O Lapaha, who is another niece of king Tupou
VI.
As Kaniva News reported last week, Filipe,
34, faces counts of illicit drug importation, possession of firearms and
ammunition without a license and making a false declaration on arrival card.
Filipe was charged after Quarantine Officers at
Fua’amotu International Airport intercepted 242.22 grams of cannabis seeds and
an execution of a search warrant at his residence in Tofoa.
The main
points
The man who married Princess Pilolevu Tuita’s edest
daughter has been accused of dealing illicit drugs.
‘Epeli
Taione, 40, was reportedly arrested
after police executed a search warrant and took several people into custody in
Tongatapu last week, reports said.
For more
information
Trial
date set for Sione Filipe Jr and co-accused in illicit drug cases
The animal that had been butchered and stolen last week had been the latest in a number of similar cases occurred in Houma recently.
While the death of the cattle is a financial loss, the family of Lu’isa
and Livai Fe’ao have difficulty in coming to term with the situation after they previously lost a cow to stock thieves.
Their daughter ‘Ana Halatoa has appealed on Facebook to the public for information to help get these ruthless rustlers.
She told Kaniva News Livai went to his allotment on Monday morning and found the skin and the intestine of the cattle.
She said a formal complaint had been lodged with police.
As we reported in
July 2017, a cow had been butchered and removed leaving its head and
intestine behind in a tax allotment in Houma.
One
of the three passers-by who came across the incident said they also found the
cow’s rope lead still attached to a coconut tree by the scene.
Police are appealing for help from the public to locate a missing baby in need of urgent medical attention.
The one-year-old girl was admitted to hospital with a serious burn on her foot and is believed to be with her parents who were last seen with her at a hospital in Concord.
Police are urging the baby’s father, Sifa Talakai, 35 and her mother, Heilala Sulunga, 33 to contact authorities immediately, or take the child to the nearest hospital to prevent the foot from becoming infected.
The Tongan family may also be travelling with another five-year-old child.
It is unclear whether they are using a private vehicle or public transport but police urge anyone who knows their whereabouts to contact CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.
Israel Folau will be considered for Tonga selection if he performs well for Catalan Dragons, according to coach Kristian Woolf.
The former Wallabies fullback, who has not played since being sacked by Rugby Australia for making homophobic comments on social media, has signed a one-year contract with the Super League club.
Folau is due to arrive in France next week, and the 30-year-old could make his debut for the Dragons against Wakefield in round two on Sunday week.
Woolf, who also coaches St Helens, says Folau is passionate about his Tongan heritage.
“Israel is a real professional and in any meetings or dealings I have had with him he has been really good,” Woolf told NRL.com.
“If he is playing footy that warrants picking him in the side, he will be considered along with everyone else.
“He wouldn’t get selected because of who is, he would only be selected because he is the best player.”
Tonga, who beat Australia and Great Britain last year, are scheduled to meet New Zealand and Fiji in the Oceania Cup later this year, with dates and venues yet to be confirmed for the tournament.
Woolf says Tonga are in regular discussions with Samoa over a Test match between the countries, which could potentially see Folau facing off against Toronto Wolfpack’s star signing Sonny Bill Williams.
“I’m not sure what Sonny’s interest is in playing for Samoa but he would have a very good influence on them both internally and the team.”
Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa has announced the government will evacuate Tongans from the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in China.
The government has asked New Zealand and Australian
governments to help quarantined the returrnees in their countries despite the
fact these Tongans do not hold arrival permits into their countries.
It is expected the Tongan sport teams and students in Wuhan will return home next week or as soon as possible and they will face 14 days quarantine.
Hon Tu’i’onetoa said the Government is considering suspending China incoming flights which were scheduled to fly to Tonga through New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and Samoa amid an escalating death toll from the new coronavirus.
The Government has allocated funding for the Ministry of Health to fund facilities and equipment as part of its preparation for a potential arrival of the deadly coronavirus, the Prime Minister said in a statement.
There have
been no confirmed cases in the kingdom, despite critics saying on social media
the Government has been slow to take action to prepare if it does land on our
shores.
Meanwhile, the New Zealand Government has announced any seats not taken by Kiwi evacuees on its chartered flight to bring New Zealanders from China would be offered to Pacific Island and Australian citizens as a matter of priority, Stuff reported.
New
Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said the Government will charter
an Air New Zealand aircraft to assist Kiwis leaving coronavirus hit
Wuhan.
He
said the aircraft will have capacity for around 300 passengers and will fly
from the Chinese city to New Zealand.
Kiliki ‘i he halangaope ‘i ‘olunga’ ke ke fanongo ki he fakataha ‘a e kāinga Ha’apai’ mo e ‘Eiki Palēmia’ ‘i he lea fakaTonga’. For our Tongan readers here is the audio in Tongan Language
Sponsored:
An audio of the Prime Minister’s meeting in Ha’apai was provided by the Prime Minister’s office and transcribed and translated into English by Kaniva News. Some parts of the content of this article had been abridged and rephrased (in English) to make them clearer to our English readers.
Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa undertook to rebuild and repair damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Tino within 100 days during his visit to Ha’apai.
He said his government had changed the normal procedure in which previous governments used to address damage caused by natural disasters to make sure people’s needs were addressed as soon as possible.
He reminded the Ha’apaians at the meeting in Pangai
that Tonga has been identified as the country with the second highest disaster
risk in the world.
Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said this meant the possibility of
more natural disasters affecting Tonga in the future was high.
The Prime Minister and a delegation of five cabinet
ministers and government officials as well as People’s Party members got a
ground-level view of the havoc wreaked by Cyclone Tino as it smashed across the
northern outer islands and into main island Tongatapu last week.
He said he had been to the damaged roads, the wharf
and the foreshore and he understood what to do.
The Prime Minister said his government was the
people’s government and his party was known as People’s Party.
He said he wanted to make a difference by helping
address people’s most urgent needs.
During the meeting he talked about the government’s
new roads and repair projects for all of the 17 constituencies.
Ha’apai resident Fīnau Uata told the Prime Minister and his delegation they were happy that they came to Ha’apai to look at the damage.
He was concerned at the order of the constituencies and how they were organised for the road project and asked if the Ha’apai roads can be brought to the front of the queue.
Uata said when it was rainning the conditions of the road were really poor and it was a pity.
The Prime Minister told Uata the New Road Project must
come to Ha’apai.
The Minister of
Finance said a group from the World Bank was supposed to visit Tonga this week.
The World Bank offered countries like Tongan insurance
cover against natural disasters, he said.
The Minister said the government was expected to start
spending a US$28 million World Bank grant in March. The money would be spent
over three years. The wharves and community roads would be funded from this
grant.
He said the construction of the ‘Eua wharf began in
December in preparation for this year’s Free Wesleyan Church’s annual
conference.
After ‘Eua the construction process would move on to
Ha’apai and Vava’u.
He told Uata it was better for the Ha’apai community
roads to wait for this project because it was handled by World Bank.
He said the World Bank engineers would make sure these roads were well constructed and would last for up to 25 to 30 years.
The CEO for the Ministry of Finance said the government has also allocated $20 million to fund constructions of selected community roads. She said there was also $6 million grant from ADB.
The CEO for Ministry of Infrastructure said Ha’apai has 35.4 kilometres of road to be constructed or repaired in the Prime Minister’s New Roads Project.
He said the Prime Minister’s 100-day pledge was a big challenge for him but he will do his best to make it happen.
The MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u said the foreshore in Lifuka was priority and there was plan to continue its construction starting with 400-500 metres from Pangai and will continue on from there until it reached the Foa-Lifuka causeway.
Miss Thorhilda Abbott-Watt OBE has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Tonga as they reopen their resident High Commission in Nukuʻalofa.
She will succeed the current, non-resident High Commissioner, Ms Melanie Hopkins, who will remain British High Commissioner to the Republic of Fiji, a statement said today.
Miss Abbott-Watt will take up her appointment during
February 2020.
As Kaniva news reported last
year, the British announced its embassy in Nuku’alofa has reopened, nearly 13
years after it was closed down in 2006.
Mr
Robin Ord-Smith MVO has been appointed High Commissioner to the Kingdom of
Tonga, a statement said.
Tonga’s diplomatic relationship with Britain could be traced back to 1880 after
the Treaty of Friendship between Great Britain and Tonga was signed in 1879.
Kiliki ‘i he halangaope ‘i ‘olunga’ ke ke fanongo ki he fakataha ‘a e kāinga Vava’u’ mo e ‘Eiki Palēmia’ ‘i he lea fakaTonga’. For our Tongan readers here is the audio in Tongan Language
Sponsored:
An audio of the Prime Minister’s meeting in Vava’u was provided by the Prime Minister’s office and transcribed and translated into English by Kaniva News. Some of the content of this article had been abridged and rephrased (in English) to make them clearer to our English readers.
Prime Minister Hon Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa pledged to help areas
affected in Vava’u by Tropical Cyclone Tino.
Hon Tu’i’onetoa toured the damaged areas in ‘Otu Motu Lalo –
Talihau, Ovaka, ‘Ōtea, Falevai, Kapa and also Vava’u 15 and Vava’u 16 in
Neiafu.
The storm brought winds of up to 180 kmh and torrential rain to
the island group.
It destroyed wharves in Ovaka, ‘Ōtea and Falevai’s wharf was
partly damaged.
The Prime Minister said the Ngū hospital in Neiafu had been
damaged. He said the building was previously affected before Cyclone Tino hit.
Hon Tu’i’onetoa also visited the foreshore in Talihau which was
built in 2015.
New bridge
The Prime Minister told a meeting in Vava’u a proposal to build a
new bridge to connect ‘Ōtea and Falevai was approved by Parliament after it was
submitted by former MP ‘Etuate Lavulavu in 2003.
He said it was now 17 years since its approval and his government
and the People’s Party undertook to build the bridge.
Hon Tu’i’onetoa said he was happy that he visited the proposed
site for the construction.
He said the project has been included in his Party’s priorities
and talks had been held with Chinese authorities to include it in their aid
provided to Tonga.
He said this was not a complicated project and was part of his
government’s long-term policy.
He said his village roads policy included sealing roads with tar.
He said these roads were important because villagers mostly used them. The
Prime Minister said sometimes people and town officers wanted these roads’
directions changed to make them more convenient. He said the government agreed
and would follow accordingly.
He said the community roads were funded by the World Bank.
A strong delegation, including seven Cabinet Ministers, government
CEOs and some members of the People’s Party, was with the Prime Minister
while he was visiting Vava’u.
Safe water tanks
The Prime Minister told the meeting all towns and villages needed
safe water tanks and filters.
He said 50 percent of this project was expected to be completed by
2021.
“The plan was to make sure eight constituencies have these clean
water supplies during our two-year term and leave the remaining nine
constituencies for the following two years,” he said.
Flush toilets for all households
Hon Tu’i’onetoa said a new project was created to make sure every
household in Tonga had a flush toilet.
He said the plan was to eliminate the use of traditional pit
toilets.
The Prime Minister said this would ensure the living conditions were
cleaner, more civilised and people in Tonga were healthier.
He said typhoid fever had struck Vava’u in the past and that was
of concern. Hon Tu’i’onetoa said this project was one of his attempts to make
sure the outbreak could not happen again.
“The People’s Party wanted to change the old procedure and for the
government to stand up and help the people and the towns and assist the
families so they could have clean water to drink,” the Prime Minister told the
meeting.
“There is a need to change our toilet system so we will be
healthier in the future.”
He said the government was looking for funding for this project.
Beautiful Vava’u
He said his government’s policy to keep Tonga cleaner was given a
slogan – Beautiful Tonga.
“When it comes to Vava’u it will be Beautiful Vava’u,” he said
The Prime Minister told the Vava’uans in the meeting and listeners
of a live broadcast of the meeting that he was extremely elated after he was
welcomed by their kāinga.
He shared with them what he said was information he received after
he asked why Vava’u was nicknamed as the
Fatafata Māfana. He said the phrase described the people of Vava’u as people
who loved and were warm-hearted.
They were people who lived a life of tranquility, were courageous,
encouraging and nothing was difficult for them.
He said Vava’u people were unique when compared with the rest of
the people of Tonga.
Brief report on cyclone damages
Lucy Fa’anunu from the Ministry of MEIDECC, Vava’u said a team of surveyors consisting of members from NEMO, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries, His Majesty’s Armed Forces and the Tonga Red Cross assessed 11 islands in Vava’u after cyclone Tino.
She said the damage to Ovaka and Otea wharves meant they could not be used by the public at this stage
She said the people of the islands now docked their boats directly
on sand beaches.
The cyclone damaged part of Falevai wharf, but the people could still use it. Parts of Matamaka wharf and a teacher’s house at its primary school had been damaged. The Noapapu wharf was previously damaged before Cyclone Tino hit.
The Fale Hufanga’anga and the Church of Tonga hall in Hunga were
also damaged. Three families in Ovaka moved to the primary school buildings and
one family moved to the Free Wesleyan church’s hall during the cyclone, she said.
In Falevai a verandha was damaged after an ‘ovava tree fell on it.
His Majesty’s Armed Forces helped cut fallen trees into pieces and
removed them from roads.
Produce and trees at beaches had been hugely affected. The Pangai
area is still dependent on generators for its power. Kava plants at Vahe Hihifo
and Leimātu’a had been affected.
