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EDITORIAL: Tonga must prioritise improving its constitution and democracy over seeking a capable leader 

By
Kalino Latu
-

EDITORIAL: The sudden resignation of Tonga’s former Prime Minister, leading to the kingdom’s search for a new government leader, has revealed apparent ramifications previously predicted in a report by a Commonwealth expert a decade ago.  

It highlights the far-reaching negative consequences of a political instability interwoven with efforts to centralise power.

Since the implementation of democratic reform in 2010, considerable evidence suggests that the subsequent political upheavals have arisen from deficiencies within our constitution.  

Power struggle

The former Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku recently expressed concerns about his prerogatives as the prime minister provided by the constitution. In his speech announcing his resignation in the House, he implied that the king’s continued efforts to circumvent the constitution to intervene in daily government operations significantly impeded his capacity to govern independently. 

I have consistently maintained that the king is actively engaged in efforts to undermine the 2010 democratic reform initiatives, demonstrating a clear intention to restore his authority by seizing as many executive powers as possible. 

We have seen this in His Majesty’s recent letters to Hu’akavameiliku and his Cabinet, showing his loss of confidence and trust in their performance despite this not being addressed within the framework of the constitution.  

The former Hu’akavameiliku government, in one of its responses to the king’s concerns, mentioned advice from the king’s appointed Attorney-General Linda Folaumoetu’i that the Privy Council’s letter stating the King’s concerns was “unconstitutional”. 

There was also an incident of constitutional stalemate when the king reportedly chose not to appoint Hu’akavameiliku’s nomination of a new Minister of Fisheries.

Notably, the reform of 2010 was based on the agreement between the people and the late King George V to relinquish his executive powers to a people-elected government.   

Executive powers 

So, what is executive power?  

Executive power is simply the authority given to government officials to enforce laws, make policy, and manage the day-to-day operations of the government.  

When King George Tupou V announced the release of his authority, the media characterized this action as the king “voluntarily surrendering his powers to meet the democratic aspirations of many of his people.” 

The agreement reflects a significant transformation in Tonga’s governance, moving away from an absolute monarchy to a more democratic political system. 

 This shift aims to enhance political participation and representation so that taxpayers can run their government and hold its leaders accountable.  

Clauses 51 to 55 of our constitution clearly illustrate this significant transition in power, shifting executive authority from the monarchy to a Prime Minister who the people elect.  

Constitution reviewed  

Peter Pursgloves, a recognized expert in Commonwealth Constitutional law, was engaged in 2012 by Tonga’s inaugural democratic government, the nobility-backed administration of Lord Tu’ivakanō, to evaluate the nation’s first democratic structure. 

They undertook this course of action upon realizing substantial deficiencies in the constitution and its inability to facilitate the anticipated democratic framework.  

In his report to the Tongan parliament and a copy was submitted to the king, Mr Pursglove highlighted several important points: 

He said Tonga’s 2010 constitution is poorly written, promotes secrecy, has compromised the role of the judiciary and parts of it may be illegal. 

  • Tonga’s 2010 constitution does not uphold democracy 
  • The Privy Council lacks any democratic composition or accountability 
  • The judiciary lacks accountability and transparency. 
  • Changes to the judiciary are inefficient, ineffective, unaffordable and possibly illegal. 
  • No public discussions were held regarding the reforms to the judiciary or why they were considered necessary. 

“The present Constitution of Tonga can lay claim to being the most poorly structured and drafted Constitution of any Country in the Commonwealth,” the report says. 

A decade has passed since Mr Pursglove unveiled his groundbreaking findings, yet the issues he identified have only intensified in significance.  

The political landscape of the kingdom now faces a multitude of complexities. These interwoven problems remain increasingly unresolved, casting a long shadow over the government, which relies heavily on foreign donors for more than 50 per cent of its annual budget.   

As lawmakers grapple with these escalating challenges, particularly these series of questionable votes of no-confidence motions since 2010, it becomes increasingly evident that the ramifications of our poorly written constitution are more critical than ever, demanding urgent attention and decisive action from those in power. 

Tips of the iceberg 

Since the democratic reforms of 2010, all four Prime Ministers—including Lord Tu’ivakano, ‘Akilisi Pohiva, Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa, and Hon Hu’akavameiliku—have expressed similar concerns regarding the constitution’s inconsistencies and the implications of the monarchy’s ongoing involvement and influence in governance. 

Lord Tu’ivakano initiated the Pursgrlive review. ‘Akilisi Pōhiva accused the king of breaching the constitution, among others, by disregarding his requests to meet to update him about the daily operation of the government. Tu’i’onetoa asked the king that he, as the prime minister, become a member of the Privy Council so that he could update him directly on government operations, but the king declined his request. He also raised his concerns with the king about the Minister of Police’s lack of prerogatives, according to the constitution, to allow him to get involved in the Ministry’s daily operations. Earlier this month, Hu’akavameiliku implied that he was not independent of the king’s repeated influences and interventions.

It is crucial to understand that a capable leader cannot thrive or achieve meaningful results if their leadership operates within a flawed or inadequate constitutional framework.  

These issues represent merely the tip of the iceberg and require immediate attention before any other actions, including searching for an effective leader.  

A more pressing concern, however, is that our inadequate constitution has not only negatively impacted the political framework but has also, regrettably, provided avenues for our leaders to act opportunistically. This has led to engagement in activities widely regarded as unlawful and abusing people’s wealth. Unfortunately, the democratic system we currently have lacks the essential mechanisms to hold leaders accountable. This deficiency makes it difficult to bring those in power to justice. 

We have seen this in the Tu’i’onetoa government, whose handling of the government’s over $400 million road construction project had been mired in controversy since it was revealed that contracts had gone to friends of the government, including Tu’i’onetoa’s People’s Party (PAK – Paati ‘A e Kakai) bigwig and convicted criminal ‘Etuate Lavulavu. The current Minister for Infrastructure alleged millions of dollars remain unaccounted for.  

We also experienced this in the Hu’akavameiliku government after he was accused of brazenly rewarding his two outgoing ministers, who the Supreme Court had convicted of electoral bribery, with other government posts. He has also been charged with increasing the budget by more than 50 per cent to support his Cabinet Ministers’ global travels. He had also been accused of his involvement with Lulutai Airlines, which was linked to millions in loans that have been classified as imprudent due to the airline’s consistent financial losses, 

The new goverment  

The prospect of the new government’s potential to surpass the performance of the previous Hu’akavameiliku administration is somewhat discouraging. The reason for this is the inadequacy of our current constitution and democratic framework.  

The expected newly established government seems prepared to prioritize the preferences and directives of the monarch over the principles of democratic governance and the constitution.  

This style of governance will maintain and strengthen the political challenges experienced since the 2010 democratic reforms. 

We now need a leader who dares to approach the king to discuss Pursglove’s recommendations for our democracy and constitution.  

The country is in dire need of a leader who can uplift the government from its current state of turmoil and prevent a complete collapse.

Someone must take bold action, provide direction and strategy, and at the same time, communicate with the king efficiently in terms of our democracy and constitutional challenges.

This leader should be unafraid and never bow to our traditions of unnecessarily feeling intimidated (mālū’ia) by the king’s presence and authorities.  

Our current challenging political situation may endure for centuries if we continue our failure to fix the constitutional and democratic issues first. 

Turin Shroud IS the cloth Jesus was buried in, scientist claims – and says he has an ‘enormous quantity of evidence’ to prove it

By
Kaniva Staff
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By JONATHAN CHADWICK FOR MAILONLINE 

For centuries, Catholics have flocked to the Italian city of Turin to be in the presence of its famous shroud. 

The Shroud of Turin features the image of a man with sunken eyes, which experts have analysed under different filters to study it (pictured) 

The venerated piece of linen, measuring 14ft 5in by 3ft 7in, bears a faint image of the front and back of a man – interpreted by many as Jesus Christ. 

Believers say it was used to wrap the body of Christ after his crucifixion, leaving his bloody imprint, like a photographic snapshot. 

Despite repeated ‘hoax’ claims, a scientist is now convinced that the object really did wrap Jesus – and says there’s an ‘enormous quantity of evidence’ to prove it. 

Professor Liberato De Caro, a committed Catholic and a deacon in his local church, rubbished claims that it was produced in medieval times with his recent study.

Professor De Caro told The Telegraph: ‘If I had to be a judge in a trial, weighing up all the evidence that says the shroud is authentic and the little evidence that says it is not, in all good conscience I could not declare that the Shroud of Turin is medieval.

‘It would not be right, given the enormous quantity of evidence in favour of it.’ 

Professor De Caro’s recent x-ray study that found the Shroud of Turin does indeed date back 2,000 years – to around the time Christ lived and died. 

We also know from the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP) in the 1970s and 1980s that the holy fabric was indeed stained with blood. 

The STURP found that the stains have traces of hemoglobin – the protein in red blood cells that delivers oxygen. 

The stains also gave a positive test for serum albumin, the most abundant protein in human blood plasma. 

In 1981, in its final report, the STURP team wrote: ‘We can conclude for now that the Shroud image is that of a real human form of a scourged, crucified man.

‘It is not the product of an artist.’ 

So until his new study, ‘the only missing piece of the puzzle was dating’, Professor De Caro told MailOnline. 

He said that everything on the shroud is ‘highly correlated to what the Gospels tell about Jesus Christ’ and his death. 

The cloth appears to show faint, brownish images on the front and back, depicting a gaunt man with sunken eyes who was about 5ft 7in to 6ft tall. 

Markings on the body also correspond with crucifixion wounds of Jesus mentioned in the Bible, including thorn marks on the head, lacerations on the back and bruises on the shoulders.

Historians have suggested that the cross he carried on his shoulders weighed around 300 pounds, which would have left bruises.

The Bible states Jesus was whipped by the Romans, aligning with the lacerations on the back, who also placed a crown of thorns on his head before the crucifixion.

Research in the 1980s appeared to debunk the idea it was real after dating it to the Middle Ages, hundreds of years after Christ’s death – suggesting it was an elaborate medieval hoax. 

But the Italian academics using a new technique involving x-rays to date the material confirmed it was manufactured around the time of Jesus about 2,000 years ago. 

Professor De Caro and his team at the Institute of Crystallography in Bari, Italy used a technique called wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) on a tiny sample from the shroud, smaller than a grain of rice. 

WAXS can date ancient linen threads by ‘inspecting their structural degradation’ at a microscopic level. 

Part of the analysis looked at the linen’s cellulose patterns, the long chains of sugar molecules linked together.

These sugar molecules break over time, showing how long a garment or cloth has been around. 

Based on the amount of breakdown, the team determined that the shroud was kept at temperatures of about 72.5°F and a relative humidity of around 55 per cent for 13 centuries before it arrived in Europe.

If it had been kept in different conditions, the aging would be different. 

Researchers then compared the cellulose breakdown in the shroud to other linens found in Israel that date back to the first century.

They concluded that the structural degradations were ‘fully compatible’ with those of the other linen sample – dated, according to historical records, to AD 55-74. 

The team also compared the shroud with samples from linens manufactured between 1260 and 1390 AD, finding none were a match. 

The new findings lend credence to the idea that the faint, bloodstained pattern of a man with his arms folded in front were left behind by Jesus’s body. 

They also contradict findings in the 1980s that the shroud dates back nowhere near as far as the time of Jesus. 

At the time, researchers analysed a small piece of the shroud using carbon dating and determined the cloth seemed to have been manufactured sometime between 1260 and 1390 – during the medieval period. 

However, the authors of the new study claim carbon dating would not have been reliable because the fabric has been exposed to contamination through the ages that cannot be removed. 

What’s more, there is no way to explain how it could have been forged with medieval technology. 

‘While authenticity cannot be established, it should be fairly easy to determine if it is a medieval forgery,’ said Tim Andersen, research scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology who was not involved with the new study. 

‘Yet, despite decades of scientific testing and peer-reviewed articles on it, that conclusion has never been demonstrated. 

‘Rather, the evidence has continually pointed away from any known forging

Govt ends pilot programme for Māori and Pacific, sparking outrage

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By Mary Afemata

Pacific and Māori leaders say there is a need for community-driven health campaigns to address growing inequities in bowel cancer diagnosis and survival.

Bowel Cancer NZ medical advisor professor Sue Crengle, Tai Runga Takiwaa Māori Ward Councillor Tilly Turner, and doctor Rawiri McKree Jansen express concern over the sudden decision to end bowel cancer screening for Māori and Pasifika communities aged 50 to 60.

Photo: Supplied / edited RNZ / Bowel Cancer NZ / Waikato District Council

Earlier this month, the Government announced the end of a pilot programme that allowed Māori and Pacific people to access bowel cancer screening starting at from age 50, effective 5 December.

Health organisations were informed of this decision, which the Māori Cancer Leadership Network condemned as shocking, citing the disproportionate high bowel cancer death rates among Māori and Pacific communities.

However Tilly Turner, a Māori ward councillor, found the news unsurprising.

“Who’s the first one [that] they cut? Us. They’re cutting back on all of these things to do with Māori development or Pasifika… so I’m not at all surprised. It’s just going to be: keep cutting.”

Turner, the Tai Runga Takiwaa Māori Ward Councillor for the Waikato District Council, shared her concerns.

As a bowel cancer survivor, she described how early detection saved her life after she experienced a blackout during a flight that led to her diagnosis in 2013.

“I had no idea that that’s what was going on in my body. If I didn’t fly they would not have known. I just blacked out on the plane and it happened to be that I had bowel cancer,” she said.

“They found it fairly quickly, at a stage where I had to have quite a bit of my intestines cut out. And closer to the bowel. So they took that out and stitched me up, and I’ve been good since.”

Bowel screening

“Far too many Māori and Pasifika are dying that could have a fighting chance if they were screened from 50,” Bowel Cancer NZ medical advisor professor Sue Crengle said. Photo: Supplied/Ministry of Pacific Peoples

Turner encouraged everyone to get tested.

“What we need to do is just make sure that we get out, you know, if you belong to a Hauora of sorts, that you get those tests done, you know?

“Now, because before that education, we didn’t even know how to test. I had no idea that that’s the way that you could test. And I didn’t even know that I was suffering from it until after I was blacking out, and it was just by chance.”

Tilly Turner, a bowel cancer survivor, stresses the importance of early testing and making it part of regular health checks.

Photo: Supplied/LDR

Turner had no symptoms.

“There was nothing else other than from a child, I have always experienced quite a bit of constipation throughout my lifetime.

“But that was my norm. And so that was just the way it was with me. And so, nothing different. I didn’t see any blood in my faeces or anything, you know, anything like that.

“It was just went up on a plane, blacked out on a plane. I don’t know what that was all about.”

She said bowel cancer is not often discussed, but as a survivor, she felt it’s her responsibility to urge her family to get tested.

“Because I’m a survivor, I see it as my responsibility to make sure my daughters, my family and my community get tested by a certain age.”

Despite the programme being cancelled she remained determined.

“It comes down to each local hauora in each region to ensure a campaign. If the government won’t do it, we have to.”

Turner stressed the importance of community action.

“We’ve been educated enough to know how important this is. If we want to keep our families safe, this has to be part of our conversations.”

Hei Āhuru Mōwai, a national organisation focused on improving cancer care for Māori, described the Government’s decision as poorly informed and devastating for whānau.

The 50+ screening pilot in Waikato diagnosed six people with cancer and led to the removal of numerous precancerous polyps.

Without the pilot screening would not have started until age 60, leaving these cancers undetected and reducing survival chances.

Hei Āhuru Mōwai CEO Gary Thompson said the government's decision to axe the bowel screening programme will harm Māori and Pacific peoples, worsening the 7–8-year life expectancy gap.

Photo: Supplied/Ministry of Pacific Peoples / Hei Āhuru Mōwai

CEO of Hei Āhuru Mōwai Gary Thompson called for a pause on the decision, citing it’s conflict with current medical evidence and the lack of notice, which left no time to assess it’s impact or inform providers and whānau.

“Returning to the 60-year age limit for Māori and Pacific peoples means that the bowel screening programme will increase inequities in bowel cancer incidence, survival and death rates between Māori and non-Māori,” he warned.

“It will harm Māori and Pacific peoples and worsen the 7-8-year life expectancy gap.”

Doctor Rawiri McKree Jansen said most Māori diagnosed with bowel cancer are under 60, before the bowel screening programme begins.

Photo: Supplied/LDR

Doctor Rawiri McKree Jansen explained that most Māori diagnosed with bowel cancer were under the age of 60, compared to just under a third of non-Māori.

“Bowel screening detects small, potentially curable cancers and prevents cancer by removing precancerous polyps.

“Both Māori and non-Māori have a similar chance of getting bowel cancer, but over half of Māori who get bowel cancer are diagnosed before the age of 60 years (58 percent in females and 52 percent in males).

“This is compared to just under a third for non-Māori (27 percent in females and 29 percent in males).

“For non-Māori, three-quarters of people are diagnosed over the age of 60. Keeping bowel screening available to Māori and Pacific peoples from age 50 would make the national bowel screening programme fair.”

Additionally, Māori bowel cancer rates were on the rise, while non-Māori rates were decreasing.

CEO of Bowel Cancer NZ Peter Huskinson expressed his disbelief at the abrupt cancellation of the programme, especially without a formal statement in the House.

“This decision will mean unnecessary suffering and deaths among Māori and Pacific communities – deaths that could have been prevented with proper screening at the right age,” he said.

Medical advisor for Bowel Cancer NZ professor Sue Crengle said, “More Māori and Pasifika bowel cancer is diagnosed before age 60 years.

“As a result, these groups had less opportunity to benefit from bowel cancer screening than other ethnic groups.

“Starting screening for Māori and Pasifika people at age 50 years mean’t the benefit from the programme was equal across all ethnic groups. It would be incredibly disappointing if this has been stopped.”

Turner stressed the importance of empowerment and community action.

“We can’t do anything about what the government is doing, but it’s up to us to be responsible for our health. Make it an annual thing as part of your hauora check.”

Hei Āhuru Mōwai recommends that bowel screening starts at age 50 for Māori and Pacific peoples.

RNZ reported last week that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon refused to commit to lowering the age for bowel screening in the current term.

Te Whatu Ora was approached for comment.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

Secrecy surrounding Vava‘u Airport privatisation as PM election looms sparks concerns 

By
Kalino Latu
-

COMMENTARY: Acting Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu’s lack of transparency over the awarding of a contract to privatise Vava’u’s Lupepau’u International Airport is indeed concerning. 

Acting Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu

Hon Vaipulu said this week a New Zealand firm has received approval from the Tonga government to undertake the reconstruction and modernization of the airport. 

However, he refused to disclose the company’s name or the specifics of the project and gave no timeline for its completion. 

Kaniva News has obtained documents which raise serious questions about the project.  

We have attempted to verify the authenticity of the documents which appear to show that Cabinet has approved the New Zealand’s Intelligent Green Energy company to redevelop Vava’u Airport. 

The company was registered in Tonga on December 11, 2024 as Vava’u International Airport Ltd, according to the Tongan government’s Business Registry Office website. 

We believe this is a matter of serious public importance. 

The documents appear to show that package negotiated with the developer includes the “transfer of control and operation of the Lupepau’u International Airport to Vava’u International Airport”. 

The directors are listed as Shahroom Shah, Sandip Chopra and Liberio Riosa with registered address at Leimatu’a, Vava’u. 

Vava’u International Airport Ltd is 100 percent owned by the Intelligent Green Light. 

The company claims on its website that it provides “comprehensive airport management which ensures smooth functioning of aviation practices required for the safety of flyers, flight management and commercial operations”. 

Director fined in NZ 

One of the directors of Vava’u International Airport Ltd, Liberio Riosa, was fined tens of thousands of dollars in New Zealand, and his company, LZ Lighting Limited, went into liquidation three years ago. 

In 2021 a Disputes Tribunal hearing in Auckland ordered Riosa to pay NZ$30,000 as compensation after he was deemed to have defrauded a couple by providing failed products after they agreed for Riosa to install an off-grid power system in their home. 

Disputes Tribunal referee Sara Grayson found “Riosa engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct by selling turbines that did not work as advertised,” the New Zealand Herald reported. 

The Tribunal was told that the couple paid Riosa more than NZ$40,000, but immediately after the turbines were installed, they failed to work efficiently. 

As a result the New Zealand’s Sustainable Energy Association of NZ “terminated” Riosa’s membership. 

Raw Mana announcement 

In 2021 the government announced that a British company known as Raw Mana had announced a huge airport development of Vava’u airport. 

It said it would be fully funded by private foreign investors and had the backing of the king. It did not say where the money would come from. 

It said Raw Mana had plans to lengthen the runway of the airport, to allow large aircraft to fly directly into the hub of Tongan tourism. 

It said the company was also planning to upgrade the terminal and build a renewable energy power station to supply the electricity the expanded complex will need. 

It said the overall cost of the project was estimated at US$121m (NZ$213m). 

It said the project would replace the airport’s existing building with a new proposed new 8,000m2 terminal and a cargo facility. 

“The extended 2,700m runway will facilitate landing for large aircraft at the airport,” a report at the time said. 

“Upon completion, the airport will become the country’s largest international airport and is expected to attract more tourists and improve trade with neighboring nations such as Australia and New Zealand”. 

Documents filed with Companies House ny Raw Mana in the UK show that in 2021 the company’s assets were worth £100. It was described as being involved in the construction of domestic buildings. 

 A website under the name Raw Mana described the organisation as a leading contractor in the infrastructure and operations sectors. 

It claimed to offer customers a full, custom delivery service and manage programmes from the initial concept right through to ongoing operations. 

“Working with National and Local Governments, developers and private clients, we create bespoke infrastructure solutions,” it said. 

While it does not show any physical address and person to contact, it appeared the organisation has contacts in the United Kingdom , UAE , Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Tonga. 

The website displayed a copyright year of 2021, indicating that it has not undergone any updates or revisions since that time. This suggests that the content may be outdated. 

Kaniva News has contacted Hon Vaipulu and Tonga Airport Ltd CEO Edgar Cocker for comment. 

Vava’u International Airport could not be reached for comment. 

We look forward to their comment and clarification. 

It’s election time

While it is important to maintain an optimistic outlook regarding the redevelopment of Vava’u International Airport, it is equally important to critically assess any statements issued by the government, particularly in light of the imminent election of the new Prime Minister next week. 

Ironically, the 2021 government, in which Hon Vaipulu was a Cabinet Minister, admitted only a few days after confirming that Raw Mana would reconstruct the Vava’u airport, that a full proposal had not in fact been received.  

The then Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet, Edgar Cocker, told the media that their press release did not mean that the Government had granted approval for Raw Mana Ltd to undertake the project. 

It is noteworthy that when the media ran the story about the Raw Mana’s proposed project in October 2021, it was just a few weeks before the general election in which Hon Hu’akavameiliku was elected as Prime Minister. Hon Vaipulu became the Deputy Prime Minister in the December election. 

The timing should be a matter of concern since we have not heard any updates from the government regarding the project for about three years. 

Now claims about another proposed reconstruction project have emerged again and just as in 2021, elections are imminent. 

This sudden reappearance raises questions about the motives behind the timing and whether it is simply an attempt to influence public opinion during the election campaign period. 

According to Radio New Zealand Pacific, the Vaipulu cabinet is considering the nomination of MP Dr Viliami Latu of Vava’u 16, who also serves as Minister for Tourism, for the upcoming Prime Ministerial election. 

While the timing of the announcement may all be a remarkable coincidence, the parallels with what happened in 2021 are worth examining very closely. 

Auckland women see eye to eye on Tonga health trip

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By Christina Persico of rnz.co.nz

A non-verbal, severely myopic Tongan child, moved to say ‘wow’ when looking through glasses, was one of more than 200 people seen by two Auckland women giving voluntary eye care.

Janice Yeoman and Germaine Joblin have families and practices in New Zealand, but earlier this year planned a trip to Tonga, armed with glasses and equipment to make prosthetic eyes.

Janice Yeoman and Germaine Joblin have families and practices in New Zealand, but earlier this year planned a trip to Tonga, armed with glasses and equipment to make prosthetic eyes. Photo: Christina Persico/RNZ

Janice Yeoman and Germaine Joblin have families and practices in New Zealand, but earlier this year planned a trip to the Pacific kingdom, armed with prescription glasses and equipment to make prosthetic eyes.

Joblin worked with her Auckland-based Tongan colleague, Telusila Vea, a community eyecare coordinator, to organise the outreach clinic and raise awareness of the services among the local community.

Yeoman said the response in Tonga was “overwhelmingly positive”.

“There were a lot of happy tears,” she said.

“I think they were just very grateful that we were there and that we had the time to see them and to provide custom care to them.

“It wasn’t just a screening service – each person got a custom prescription and custom glasses and a full health check.”

They saw 210 patients in four and a half days. The work included a visit to Red Cross Tonga to check the eyes of children with disabilities.

The cases they encountered were varied and included uncorrected refractive error for which they prescribed 172 pairs of glasses. There were cases of cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, keratoconus, glaucoma and pterygia.

Janice Yeoman and Germaine Joblin have families and practices in New Zealand, but earlier this year planned a trip to Tonga, armed with glasses and equipment to make prosthetic eyes.

Photo: Supplied

In her Takapuna, Auckland, clinic, Yeoman makes about 10 prosthetic eyes in a month. In Tonga, she fitted nine in four and a half days.

“Prosthetic services just don’t exist at all. There are plenty of people who were walking around with no eye and physical disfigurement, and this was really quite life-changing.”

She said they were met with welcome and gratitude. One mother told her: Oh my goodness, now he can go back to school and feel normal.

“I think it goes so much further than the individual. It’s about the families; it’s about the communities.

“It really makes a big difference in terms of how people interact with their environments, and how they learn, and all these sorts of things.”

Joblin recalled one boy, about 12 or 13 years old, who was non-verbal.

He had no glasses on, and when she checked his eyes he needed a very high prescription – 10 diopters.

“If you’re myopic (short-sighted) or familiar with myopia, you’ll know this means he was effectively living in a world of clinical blindness,” she said.

“And when I put those lenses in front of him, he said ‘wow’.

“He could finally see our faces – mine and his friends.

“I still [get] tingles down my spine when I think of that.”

Joblin said the trip gave her a great sense of purpose.

“If you ask people, what is the most precious sense? I think studies have suggested at least 90 per cent of people suggest their eyesight.

“And so to be able to give that to them in a very immediate [way] – like ‘here are your glasses’ – in a tangible way, it’s extremely satisfying. And then to see the reactions.”

The pair also met Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni who was then the Prime Minister, who sent the Minister of Health and his team to meet them at the hospital to discuss the eye care situation in Tonga.

And they want their project – Eyes for Good – to be more than a one-time thing. They worked with local nurses offering some training, and they say they’d love to volunteer there again, possibly in a different part of the country.

“I think it’s really meaningful to go back to the same place where you’ve really established some connection,” Yeoman said.

“The last thing we want to do is just do something that doesn’t have any traction and momentum.”

Tonga approve Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide high-speed internet services throughout the Kingdom 

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The approval of the license for Starlink internet provider marks a significant milestone in expanding internet services throughout the Kingdom of Tonga, says Tonga Communications. 

In a statement this morning, the Ministry of Communication (MEIDECC), as a Regulator for Communications, said this decision allows Starlink, a satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, to provide high-speed internet access to residents and businesses across the islands.  

“This initiative marks a pivotal step in improving telecommunications infrastructure in Tonga, ensuring that all citizens have access to reliable internet services,” it said.  

Tonga had faced multiple challenges with its internet connectivity due to a series of natural disasters that had disrupted its undersea cable infrastructure. 

In 2022, following a devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami that severely impacted the country’s internet services, Billionaire Elon Musk extended a helping hand by offering to send Starlink internet terminals.  

Starlink is considered a reliable internet service worldwide, especially in areas with limited or unavailable traditional broadband options.  

Users have reported that it provides decent speeds and stable connections.

However, performance can vary based on location, obstructions such as trees or buildings, and the density of users in the area.  

Starlink have authorized resellers to acquire their services locally through: TokoWireless Ltd (Wantok Tonga), Digicel Tonga Limited, and Tonga Communication Corporation (TCC). 

Community asks for prayers after members of Tongan family hospitalised  in NZ crash  

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A Tongan family, including children and cousins, are in hospital following a serious crash in New Zealand yesterday. 

It follows reports that one person has died and four others were injured the night before in a three-car pile-up south of Auckland.

The identity and ethnicity of the deceased have yet to be released.

It happened just a few hours before a serious two-vehicle crash forced the closure of the Waikato Expressway overnight.

In Auckland, a police spokesperson confirmed one person died after a crash on Karaka Rd at 5.20pm.

A St John spokesperson sent 11 vehicles and treated six people at the scene – three were seriously injured, two moderately and one only suffered minor injuries.

The police spokesperson said inquiries into the crash are ongoing and three people remain in hospital.

In the Waikato, a police spokesperson said they were called to the two-car crash in Meremere just before 10pm.

One person was seriously injured while another was moderately injured. Both were transported to hospital.

SH1 was closed for a period but has now reopened.

The Tongan online community in New Zealand has come together to ask for prayers and support following the tragic car crash. 

“To all my Family & Friends out there, please keep my Brother Antonio Liuono’s family, Sister Qween Esther& my niece Mary Paea in your prayers. They had a big car crash”, a poster said on Facebook.

As missile hits Israeli school, IDF pounds Yemen, believes it paralyzed all 3 Houthi ports

By
Kaniva Staff
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The Israeli military carried out a series of intense airstrikes that shook Yemen’s rebel-held capital and a port city early Thursday, in a preplanned operation that coincided with the Houthis firing a missile that hit a school in central Israel.

No one was injured by the ballistic missile, which the Israel Defense Forces said was partially intercepted outside Israeli airspace by the long-range Arrow air defense system. However, the warhead didn’t explode in the air and crashed into an empty school building in the city of Ramat Gan, with nobody hurt. It was the second missile from Yemen fired this week, along with a drone attack.

According to a statement by the Israel Defense Force, dozens of Israeli Air Force (IAF) aircraft participated in the strikes in Yemen, including fighter jets, refuelers and spy planes, some 2,000 kilometers from Israel. The Houthi targets were struck at the Hodeida port — which Israel has struck twice before — and for the first time, in the rebel-held capital Sana’a, the IDF said.

The IAF had been preparing for the strike for several weeks, military sources said, and the planes were already on their way to Yemen when the Houthis launched a missile at Israel.

The projectile set off sirens in central Israel communities due to concerns about falling debris from the interception, and millions of people were forced into bomb shelters due to the attack, the IDF said.

According to an initial probe by the military, the missile was likely partially intercepted, with the intact warhead causing extensive damage to a school in the Tel Aviv suburb Ramat Gan, where a building collapsed.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch visited the site of the Ramat Gan school on Thursday morning. He said that the students had been temporarily relocated to a nearby school, where they would remain for the next two weeks before they return to a newly constructed building, which was already completed prior to the strike.

Modiin Mayor Haim Bibas said that shrapnel, apparently from IDF interceptor missiles, had also fallen in two places in the central city, causing minor damage but no reported injuries.

Sirens didn’t sound in the city during the attack, and Bibas said he was in contact with the IDF’s Home Front Command to understand why.

Two small fragments of an interceptor rocket were also found outside the Knesset building in Jerusalem, a spokesman announced.

“No damage was caused and the fragments of the interceptor were removed by the scene by Israel Police sappers,” he added.

In a statement published mid-morning on Thursday, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed that the group had fired two missiles, not one, at “specific and sensitive military targets” in the Tel Aviv area, which he referred to as the “occupied Yaffa area.”

Houthi ports said paralyzed

Israeli military sources said the strikes in Yemen were aimed at paralyzing all three ports used by the Iran-backed Houthis on the coast of the country.

All of the tugboats used to bring ships into ports were struck in the Israeli attack, as were power stations.

In Israel’s previous attack on the Hodeida port, the cranes used to unload shipments were struck.

Israel now believes that all activity at the ports controlled by the Houthis is paralyzed, sources said.

Shortly after the Houthi missile fire, the rebel group’s satellite channel al-Masirah reported strikes in Sana’a and the coastal Hodeida province, some of which it said targeted power stations in the capital as well as the Ras Isa oil terminal on the Red Sea.

It said the strikes killed nine people.

Unverified video shared on social media purported to show the aftermath of the attack, showing buildings ablaze.

The overnight airstrikes marked the first time the IDF has hit targets in Sana’a, and the third time it has struck Yemen in response to Houthi attacks, including a July strike after a Houthi drone killed a civilian in Tel Aviv.

Tonga centre Kata extends Leicester stay

By
Kaniva Staff
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Tonga international Solomone Kata has extended his stay with Leicester Tigers.

The 30-year-old dual-code international has made 25 appearances for the East Midlands side since arriving for last season.

Kata joined the Tigers after a short stint with Premiership rivals Exeter, having previously played for Super Rugby sides ACT Brumbies and Moana Pasifika after forging a professional career in rugby league with NRL side New Zealand Warriors.

“I think my best days as a player are ahead of me and I’ll always give my all for the fans and for my team-mates while I’m here,” Kata told the club website.

Kata, a versatile back who has established himself at centre with Tigers, has featured seven times so far under Michael Cheika this season, scoring three tries to take his overall club tally to seven.

“Sol is a big talent and also a big character inside the squad,” Cheika said.

“We really welcome his decision to stay with the club as I know he is a player in demand.”

Kata is the third Tigers player in as many days to sign a new deal with the club, following England lock Ollie Chessum and Scotland prop Will Hurd.

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More serious accusations against Tonga Development Bank highlighted in Vote of No Confidence motion 

By
Kalino Latu
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The motion of no confidence against former Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku has alleged that the Tonga Development Bank (TDB) had violated the established loan limits for clients.

‘Emeline Tuita, TDB CEO

It also claimed that the bank’s financial status remains uncertain due to the inability of companies with government-guaranteed loans to fulfil their repayment obligations.

The former Hu’akavameiliku administration has been accused of legal violations due to its failure to present evidence of the loan guarantee to the House. It has also been accused of failing to prevent the two banks, TDB and Tonga National Reserved Bank (TNRB), from entering into a legal dispute, which is currently awaiting a court decision.

The allegations come at a challenging time for TDB as it faces a court battle while also confronting a wave of misinformation that it claims is damaging to its public image on social media.

Earlier this month, the bank urged its clients in an effort to maintain their trust following police executing a search warrant at the bank for the second time within a few months.

Vote of no confidence motion

One of the seven motions presented to the Parliament as part of the vote of confidence accuses Hon Hu’akavameiliku of failing to uphold the rule of laws which govern TDB and TNRB.  

The motion, which had been listed as number four, raised concerns among the Opposition MPs after it had been reported that in 2022, the TDB allegedly breached the lending limits set for the bank when processing a loan application. As a result, a subsequent agreement was established in which the government eventually acted as a guarantor in 2022 with a mission to resolve this matter by May 2024, the loan guarantee’s end date.

The motion said the government has yet to submit any proof of the guarantee.  

As seen by Kanivca News, the motion and a copy of the TDB 2022 Annual Report have been submitted as an appendix. It specifically referenced page three, item 39, paragraph two of the report as supporting evidence for the claims made by the movers.

Government as owner

The motion emphasised the legal obligation of the government to appoint the two banks’ boards of directors and chief executives.

It also said that the government failed to manage a dispute between the two banks, which escalated to legal proceedings that resulted in substantial fines and costs.  

It said the Lord Chief Justice had ordered that TNRB and its Governor pay TOP$15 million to TDB as part of the dispute between the two banks. It appeared that the defendants subsequently initiated a legal challenge against this ruling.

“The costs incurred will be financed through the banks’ proceeds, which may have been reserved for their development projects intended to benefit the people”, the motion said in Tongan of the banks’ legal dispute.  

The motion said that this was the first time in the history of Tonga that the two banks had engaged in a conflict that ended up in court.  

In his response, Hon Hu‘akavameiliku said in Tongan: “It is important to note that the two banks operate as separate legal entities that function independently from government decision-making processes”.

Regarding the bank’s court disputes, the former Prime Minister said waiting for the court decision would be wiser since they were still in progress. 

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