Tuesday, October 14, 2025
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Free education for Tongan fruit pickers, PM asked to help on import container tariffs  

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Tongan fruit pickers in Hastings happily told Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva they were lucky to get free educational courses while working at the Hawkes Bay’s orchards.

Group leader Sepuloni Feʻao who works at Mr Appleʻs orchards said he has been in New Zealand now for 10 years through the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme.

When he first came to Hawkes Bay he said he did not know how to speak English. He said he can now speak the language after Mr Apple enrolled them in a free educational and training courses.

He said that through this programme the Tongan fruit pickers can study English language, computer technologies, carpentry and many others depending on what courses the students wanted.

Feʻao said in May every year the Tongan groups in Mr Apple’s orchards send 10 container of goods to their families in Tonga.

He asked the Prime Minister on behalf of his co-workers if he can do something to help them in paying the import tariffs imposed on their cargoes.

He said they spent more than NZ$5000 to have their containers shipped to Tonga before they would return and they could afford it.

But when they had arrived in the kingdom and went to the wharf to clear their containers most of them could not afford the TP$3,000 custom duty.

The Prime Minister was in Hawkes Bay on Monday as part of his 5-day visit to New Zealand to meet the RSE Employers in Hastings and Kerikeri.

Response

The Prime Minister replied and said he could not promise he can do something about their request as there is a Minister who is responsible for the country’s Ministry of Custom and Revenues.

But he said he will talk to the Minister when he returns to Tonga and ask him to consider their requests.

His response was loudly applauded.

Hon Pohiva said the government struggled to get money to pay for its services and part of the annual budget relied heavily on overseas budget supports.

He said the tariff imposed on import cargoes is one of the significant sources of revenue which helped the government to be able to provide its services for the people.

He said there are duty-free goods such as building and educational materials.

He encouraged the pickers to send most of the duty-free materials.

The Ministry’s CEO Kulu ‘Anisi Bloomfield said food classified by the government as healthy is also duty-free.

He said the government has no control over other charges on import container goods such as freight, insurance, delivery and brokerage fees.

Queen Salote’s vision will be made real in performance of song and dance tomorrow

By
Philip Cass
-

The poetry of the late Queen Sālote Tupou III will be brought to life in a performance at Auckland Council’s Mangere Arts Centre tomorrow.

Dance group Pukepuke ‘o Tonga will give the first New Zealand performance of  Lomipeau Fika ‘Uluaki ‘o Aotearoa, an album based on the work of the late queen.

The album was developed as part of Auckland Council’s Taonga Pasifika pilot project to create an archive of Pacific music and dance.

Her Royal Highness Princess Mele Siuʻilikutapu Kalaniuvalu Fotofili will be a guest of honour on the day.

The Queen’s poems  were originally translated into music and dance by one of her composers, Lapaha Punake Vili Pusiaki.

Sesilia Pusiaki, the composer’s great-great-granddaugher ,told Radio New Zealand the late Queen had a vision of preserving the kingdom’s myths and legends through traditional song and dance.

“We’ve kept the songs and dances alive in our family for four generations, and this is the first time these historically significant songs have been professionally recorded and produced,” she said.

Pusiaki, who leads the Pukepuke ʻo Tonga group, said the album was created after the project received Lord Kalaniuvalu’s blessing.

The album launch will be part of what is expected to be one of the biggest gatherings of Auckland’s Tongan community to celebrate their community’s arts and culture.

It will begin with a kava ceremony followed by the live performance, talks and a film about how the album was made.

Pukepuke ʻo Tonga means to hold onto or uphold Tongan culture through dance and music.

The main points

  • The poetry of the late Queen Salote Tupou III will be brought to life in a performance at Auckland’ Council’s Mangere Arts Centre tomorrow.
  • Dance group Pukepuke ʻo Tonga will give the first New Zealand performance of Lomipeau Fika ‘Uluaki ‘o Aotearoa, an album based on the work of the late queen.
  • The album was developed as part of Auckland Council’s Taonga Pasifika pilot project to create an archive of Pacific music and dance.
  • Her Royal Highness Princess Mele Siuilikutapu Kalaniuvalu Fotofili will be a guest of honour on the day.

For more information

Album with royal connection shares stories of the ancestors

Tongan royal blessing makes music history

As PM turns 76, he talks about political life and religious inspiration

By
Kalino Latu
-

On the eve of his 76th birthday, Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva said his chronic asthma had been so bad that at times he thought he could bear it no longer.

But despite the illness he never gave up.

In an exclusive interview with Kaniva News this evening Hon. Pohiva reminisced about his political career and how he fought to bring democracy to Tonga and finally became the Prime Minister of Tonga.

He said looking back at the past 40 years when he and others began the democratic reformation in Tonga was something that could give him strength.

Hon. Pohiva said he was really happy with what he had achieved so far in his fight to bring a better political system for Tonga.

“I have come through so many problems,” the Prime Minister said.

He said his asthma had  been so serious that he did not think he would live long.

“When I was in my 40s I thought I will not reach 50s. When I was in my 50s I thought I would not reach my 60s,” Hon.Pohiva said.

“Now I am 76 tomorrow I do not know where are all these lives come from,” he said smilingly.

The Prime Minister said he knew his government and how he led it was not perfect.

He was elated at what he had done for Tonga in politics.

He said he compared his government to former governments and how they were operated and he could tell the difference. He said he had achieved most of what his political supporters wanted and he knew they were happy.

He said the most difficult situation in any successful political change like what Tonga has gone through was the transitional period.

“It is because we have to do a lot of things to change the mindset of the people from what they used to in the old ways and how they were led so they could live and get used to the new system”, he said.

He said his government was through that period.

During the interview he mentioned two church leaders who he said were vital in his political battle. Without them he thought he might not be at this stage and position he has today.

They were the late Bishop Patelesio Finau of the Catholic church and the late Dr ‘Amanaki Havea of Free Wesleyan church.

The Prime Minister’s revelations about his religious inspiration follow an incident during a reception in Hastings on Monday night when he shared verses from his favourite hymn with Tongan fruit pickers.

He asked a minister who was about to say the closing prayer at the reception in Hastings if he could share his favourite hymn with the Tongan fruit pickers who attended the event.

Hon. Pohiva then read out three verses of the Free Wesleyan Hymn 550 known as ‘Eiki ke ke me’a mai.

He told the Tongan fruit pickers to think of the hymn whenever they struggled.

He said the hymn always helped him whenever he struggled and needed help.

The revelation of his favourite hymn was significant as he has sometimes been accused by his critics as being unreligious.

A letter released on internet last month, which police now are investigating, accused Pohiva of being anti-religious.

In the letter, the authenticity of which has been denied, he supposedly told Chinese authorities that “in Tonga The church has too much  power and  the people  are too religious as a result. They listen to the church, the King and the monarchy,  who are  the “protectors” of  the  church. They hold  on  to outdated beliefs that only serve to hurt Tonga.”

‘Eiki ke ke me’a mai in Tongan and English

Eiki ke ke me’a mai e anga ‘eku nofo

Ko e fili ‘oku tu’u takai ‘o loki au ‘i loto

Lord look at how I live

The enemy stands and surrounds me

Po ko enau ngahele mai na’a ‘ikai te te le’o

Pe ha’u he aho  kuo ‘ai ‘a e anga ‘angelo

Every night they crawl in to see if I am not watching out

And at day time they come pretending like an angel

Eiki ke ke fakatupu ha  atamai vavalo

Ke u le’o pea tali tu’u ‘o teke ke mama’o

Lord create in me a pondering mind

So I can guard and resist the enemy

The main points

  • On the eve of his 76th birthday, Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiova said his chronic asthma had been so bad that at times he thought he could bear it no longer.
  • But despite the illness he never gave up.
  • In an exclusive interview with Kaniva News this evening Hon. Pohiva reminisced about his political career and how he fought to bring democracy to Tonga and finally became the Prime Minister of Tonga.
  • He said looking back at the past 40 years when he and others began the democratic reformation in Tonga was something that could give him strength.

PM Pōhiva reaffirms his “no casino” for Tonga stance to church leaders

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tongan Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva this evening reaffirmed to a group led by church leaders in Auckland, New Zealand that he will not allow casinos to be built in Tonga.

Pōhiva said he made a public statement early this week that there was no room for a casino in Tonga and he still stood by it.

His statement was made to Kaniva News in Hastings on Monday night.

The peaceful meeting with the group was held in the Holiday Inn’s lobby in Mangere after the Tongan delegation tried to secure a room, but was told the hotel was full.

The group, which was led by Rev. Tevita Finau of the Methodist Church, community leader Salote Heleta Lilo and Rev. Tevita ʻIloa Tuʻineau of the Church of England petitioned the Prime Minister to not allow casinos to be built in Tonga.

Also in attendance were former Tongan solders Sione Tosi Kelekolio Tapueluelu, Tamale Faleafa and Melino Maka of the Tonga Advisory Council.

After they presented their petition, the Prime Minister said in Tongan: “I would like to make it short. I will never allow a casino to build in Tonga.” The group members nodded in approval.

Hon. Pōhiva told the petitioners he would take their letter back to Tonga for his cabinet to discuss.

He told the group his cabinet would make a formal reply to their petition.

Before the group arrived Kaniva News told the Prime Minister that after we released his statement on Tuesday quoting him as saying no to a casino in Tonga  a reliable source sent us documents including a letter that appeared to contradict his stance on casino.

The letter has also been widely shared on social media.

The letter, which appeared to have been written by Finance Minister Tevita Lavemaau on November 24, 2016 while he was then Minister of Custom and Revenues said the government has already approved the application by the Red Warrior company to build casinos in Tonga.

In that unconfirmed letter, the Minister wrote:

“I refer to His Majesty’s cabinet decision No. 1104 made on the 4th November 2016 whereby the proposal from the Tavake Tamafua Tourism Investment Project was approved and given full support by the Government of Tonga,” the letter said.

“I am pleased to inform you that the Government of Tonga will grant and guarantee an exclusivity right for a casino and gaming license to the Red Warrior Group LLC under the precondition that an appropriate infrastructure is being built in Tonga within the next two years.”

But the Prime Minister denied it and said his cabinet had never approved any application to build a casino in Tonga.

He said the first time he looked at the application from the Red Warrior and its Tongan stakeholder, the Tavake Tamafua the wording was vague and it appeared the applicants were trying to hide their intention to indirectly trick the government into approving the proposal to build a casino.

He said he told the Minister in charge to review the application to make sure anything they approved did not include a casino.

Kaniva News also talked to his Chief Secretary who joined the meeting shortly after it began and asked her about the Finance Minister’s letter.

Dr Palenitina said whether the letter was written by the Finance Minister or not, the only thing she could confirm was that there had been no cabinet decision to allow a casino.

Suspicious letter

We have asked Hon. Lavemaau to confirm whether or not he was the one who wrote and signed the controversial letter. He has yet to respond.

But Kulu ‘Anisi Bloomfield, his CEO at the Ministry of Customs and Revenue, at which Lavemaau was the former Minister, and a member of the Cabinet sub-committee screening the Red Warrior Entertainment’s application, said he was suspicious of the unconfirmed letter.

He said he was the one who supposed to write such a letter according to the Ministry’s procedure.

He also said the government seal in the letter head was not centred on the page, but was aligned to the left.

Dr Langaʻoi reiterated what Bloomfield told Kaniva News yesterday, that the cabinet only approved the Red Warrior Entertainmentʻs application to build a hotel and shopping mall “in principle.”

Bloomfield said before they could be approved the developers had to provide a map of the projects in compliance with the building code.

They were also required to deposit money required by the government for the project. When these were completed the government would consider the application.

“As far as I know the company has yet to complete any of these requirements,” Bloomfield said.

The main points

  • Tongan Prime Minister Ê»Akilisi Pōhiva this evening reaffirmed to a group led by church leaders in Auckland, New Zealand that he will not allow casinos to be built in Tonga.
  • Pōhiva said he made a public statement early this week that there was no room for a casino in Tonga and he still stood by it.
  • His statement was made to Kaniva News in Hastings on Monday night.
  • The group, which was led by Rev. Tevita Finau of the Methodist Church, community leader Salote Lilo and Rev. Tevita Ê»Iloa TuÊ»ineau of the Church of England petitioned the Prime Minister to not allow casinos to be built in Tonga.

For more information

Is the devil really coming to Tonga? Confusion reigns as pastors and soldiers prepare protest

Thieves target homes around Kolonga in spate of break-ins

By
Alpha Latu
-

Five properties in Kolonga were broken into between the evening of Sunday March 26 and yesterday Wednesday 5.

Fakaʻosi Maama of the Talaki newspaper said two church missionaries were also allegedly assaulted at the town.

It was not immediately clear whether or not the robbers were linked to the alleged assault.

Maama, who is from Kolonga, said it was a bizarre.

He warned neighbours to watch out for each other.

“If you see any strangers in Kolonga ask why they are coming there”, Maama warned.

We need to stop this odd incidents as fast as possible, he said.

NZ$350 for top picker, but PM hints changing selection criteria

By
Kalino Latu
-

Fruit picker ʻOnisena Kohinoa, 57, can earn NZ$350 a day, an amount that amazed Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva when he visited some of the orchards in Hastings on Monday.

This means Kohinoa can put more than NZ$1000 in his pocket on pay day every week after deductions for his insurance, accommodation and taxes are made.

There were older Tongans at the orchards than Kohinoa including Taʻofi Liutai, 63, but he was employed as one of the group leaders, who they no longer picked fruits.

Letiō ʻAho, 47, was one of the best pickers among the Tongan fruit pickers at Mr Apple.

He could earn about NZ$1200 – 1400 a week after making his deductions.

“Picking apples is the most hard picking work but that’s where they could earn the most money if they work hard”, Tongan co-ordinator in Hawkes Bay, Tevita Niulata said.

“Last year ʻAho earned about NZ$35,000 cross in six months”, Niulata said.

Hon. Pohiva said after he heard about these people he could see an opportunity that increasing the number of Tongan employees in that age group could have potential.

He said they worked hard compared for their ages, but they hardly caused any social problems such as drinking and violence.

Anyone in Tonga who is 18 can apply to come to New Zealand through the RSE programme.

But the employers mostly wanted to employ those who are 20 – 45.

The Prime Minister was told while meeting with the Taylorcorp officials on Monday that a Tongan employee in the company had to appear in court the following day for assault charges.

In the apple orchard Kaniva News talked to some of the Tongan fruit pickers, including Fa’aoa Save and Mateaki Kivalu.

Save said he was happy with the money he earned, which was NZ$350,  the maximum he can get a day.

When asked about the accommodation he said it was in a very good condition.

The Prime Minister also visited the accommodation at Mr. Apple and was happy with it.

Kivalu who has been in and out of New Zealand through his RSE contracts for 10 years, was a group leader.

He conceded there were problems in the past regarding the Tongan employees’ pay and accommodation, but there had been a big change now.

He said his group was happy with what they earned and their accommodation.

The Prime Minister did not have time to visit one of the accommodations in Hastings but Kaniva News was told that Tongan employees were living and sleeping in a dormitory-like building, implying the employees did not enjoy the comfort their colleagues at other orchards enjoyed with their Individual rooms.

In the last five years it was estimated that TOP$12 million pa’anga was sent to Tonga by the RSE employees in the form of cash and domestic materials, Sefita Hao’uli, the Tongan RSE Coordinator in New Zealand said.

Selection of Tongan employees

During a press conference at the Scenic Hotel in Napier the Prime Minister and his CEO at the Ministry of Internal Affairs were questioned about how they selected fruit pickers that had caused social problems in New Zealand.

Hon. Pohiva said the process was dependent on the church leaders’ and the town officers’ reference letters supporting the potential employees.

When he got such letters supporting RSE applicants from his constituency he would, as an MP according to the policy, sign the contract allowing them to come to New Zealand.

But he said after a Tongan fruit picker arrived and absconded from the Auckland international airport early this month without going to his employer he thought the selection process should be “reviewed”.

He said he was thinking of extending the process from relying on the town officers, district officers and church ministers’ references to arranging interviews with the employees and their parents if they are still young before signing their contracts.

CEO Ana Bing Fonua said the Ministry was looking at the selection process.

The main points        

  • Fruit picker ʻOnisena Kohinoa, 57, can earn NZ$350 a day, an amount that amazed Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva when he visited some of the orchards in Hastings on Monday.
  • This means Kohinoa can put more than NZ$1000 in his pocket on pay day every week after deductions for his insurance, accommodation and taxes are made.
  • There were older Tongans at the orchards than Kohinoa including Taʻofi Liutai, 63, but he was employed as one of the group leaders, who they no longer picked fruits.
  • Pohiva said after he heard about these people he could see an opportunity that increasing the number of Tongan employees in that age group could have potential.

As Easter approaches, concern over typhoid outbreak in wake of funeral

By
Philip Cass
-

More information about the Auckland typhoid outbreak is needed before Easter services and gatherings  begin, the Labour Party says.

The call for more information comes after the death of a Samoan woman from an outbreak of typhoid that appears to have originated in a Samoan church in Auckland.

Auckland District Health Board Chief Medical Officer Dr Margaret Wilsher said the woman was extremely unwell when she was taken to hospital.

“It was soon apparent that she had some sort of severe infection on top of pre-existing important medical problems,” Dr Wilsher said.

The patient died 24 hours after  being admitted.

“I’m saddened for this family’s loss and extend my condolences. I particularly want to reassure the fanau that she got the very best treatment possible, and that no one who visited her in hospital was at significant risk of infection.”

The Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) said it was checking people who had been in contact with the church group.

The number of cases of typhoid has risen to 16, with 12 people still in hospital and another two probable cases awaiting test results.

Typhoid is spread by human faces in contaminated water where there is poor hygiene around food preparation.

Samoan lawyer Olinda Woodroffe said she wanted to know who prepared the food for the funeral in Manurewa, as knowing the leftovers would have been taken home.

Woodroffe said people who attended the woman’s funeral may return home with the disease.

“This woman would have had relatives from throughout New Zealand,” Woodroffe told Radio New Zealand.

“She would have had relatives from Samoa. She would have had relatives probably from Australia.

“The issue is that we also need to get this story to Samoa to try and get people who may have been here. They may not be, but prevention is better than cure.”

The Labour Party’s spokesperson for Pacific Island affairs, Su’a William Sio, echoed her concerns.

“We have a case of people who have travelled from outside Auckland have met have embraced have been in contact with those with typhoid, and they’ve left,” Sio said.

“We don’t know how fast the health services are able to track that number of people. But my concern is, if we don’t contain this, it will spread.”

Typhoid is present in several Pacific countries. Several outbreaks of typhoid were reported in Tongan villages last month.

Typhoid

Typhoid is an illness caused by infection with a specific bacteria called Salmonella typhi.

It is found in the faeces of infected persons and spreads to others through faecal contamination of food and water.

This occurs in situations where there is poor hygiene related to food preparation, where there is poor sanitation with inadequate ablution facilities and where drinking water is drawn from sources like wells and streams.

The symptoms mimic those of other infectious diseases. Symptoms include fever, headache, abdominal pain, cold shivers, hot sweats and loss of appetite.

The main points

  • More information about the Auckland typhoid outbreak is needed before Easter services and gatherings begin, the Labour Party says.
  • The call for more information comes after the death of a Samoan woman from an outbreak of typhoid that appears to have originated in a Samoan church in Auckland.
  • The number of cases of typhoid has risen to 16, with 12 people still in hospital and another two probable cases awaiting test results.
  • Typhoid is spread by human faces in contaminated water where there is poor hygiene around food preparation.

For more information

Fears typhoid may spread after funeral

Treatment of typhoid patient

Villagers in typhoid hotspot banned from sharing food until end of month

Power, traffic lights out in south Auckland

By
Kalino Latu
-

A number of power outages are impacting traffic across Counties Manukau this afternoon.

Power is currently out in Papatoetoe, Manukau, Clendon, Manurewa and Wiri.

It is not expected to be restored until 7.30pm this evening.

The cause of the outage is not yet known by Police but does not appear to have occurred as the result of any vehicle crash said Inspector Dave Simpson of County Manukau Police.

The outage means that traffic lights are not operating and we ask motorists to avoid the affected areas if possible.

If you are driving through these suburbs then please have patience, be considerate and follow the give-way rules.

We will have officers carrying out point duty on a small number of intersections but for the ones that we are not on, please take extreme care.

King’s birthday, church events: blessings for Vavaʻu, Crown Prince says

By
Kalino Latu
-

Crown Prince ʻUlukālala Tupoutoʻa said His Majesty King Tupou VI’s birthday and two Free Wesleyan church  major events in June would be a blessing for Vavaʻu.

The Prince said in Auckland His Majesty’s birthday celebrations would begin in Vavaʻu during the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga’s 93rd conference.

His Majesty will turn 57 on July 12.

The Church will also celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Siuʻilikutapu Mailefihi college during the conference week.

The Crown Prince made his comments while he and his wife, Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tukuʻaho attending a reception at the Vavaʻu Lahi nightclub in Manukau.

The prince thanked his people by addressing his remarks to his heralds according to Tongan protocols.

He thanked Tapukemo, the heraldic name of Sione Tosi Kelekolio Tapueluelu, and Tokiʻukamea the heraldic name of Siosiua ʻUmulovo Toki and others.

He said he was proud of their performance during the Queen Mother’s funeral services.

The Prince said he had nothing to offer them in return, but his attendance at the reception with his wife was meant to show how appreciative they were for their part in his grandmother’s funeral services.

Tapukemo told Kaniva News during the function they really appreciated the royal couple’s humility and the fact they had accepted their invitation to join them at the night club for the reception.

The function was organised by the kāinga of the Prince from Vavaʻu as an opportunity to gather after their performance for the Queen Mother’s funeral services in February.

The kāinga presented gifts and pigs as part of a presentation at ʻAtalanga royal residence while the matriarch’s body was in Auckland. They also prepared about 4000 clamshell plastic bowls of food to feed people who attended the memorial service for the Queen Mother.

Salote Heleta Lilo told the Prince they had set up a Vava’u committee to look after his needs in New Zealand involving his kainga from Tu’anuku, Nomuka and ‘Utulau.

Lilo told the Prince the committee members were President Siosiua Umulovo Toki, Deputy Chair Sione Tosi Kelekolio Tapueluelu, Secretary and other members.

As Kaniva News reported earlier, Tongan Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva was in  Vavaʻu last month with a government delegation to set up a government-led cleanup and beautification campaign to begin in Neiafu as part of the preparation for the national events.

The main points

  • Crown Prince ʻUlukalala Tupoutoʻa said His Majesty King Tupou VI’s birthday and two Free Wesleyan church major events in June would be a blessing for Vavaʻu.
  • The Prince said in Auckland His Majesty’s birthday celebrations would begin in Vavaʻu during the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga’s 93rd conference.
  • His Majesty will turn 57 on July 12.
  • The Church will also celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Siuʻilikutapu Mailefihi college during the conference week.

Still no clarity on casino issue as documents present conflicting evidence

By
Philip Cass
-

Tongans are no closer to knowing whether their government has approved a casino, with the release of documents appearing to show that the government approved a gambling license for an American company in November last year and a government statement denying they had done any such thing.

The documents were provided to Kaniva News this morning Tuesday 4 after we ran a story in which we quoted Hon. Pohiva saying he would not allow a casino to be built.

If the documents supplied to Kaniva News are genuine they appear to show that the government has made a decision that would require the removal of Tonga’s strict gambling laws and allow a foreign company to build  casino in the kingdom.

But they also appear to show that the government backpedalled on the issue only two months later.

The casino story erupted over the weekend with church minister and former soldiers threatening to protest what they believed to be a decision to approve a casino in front of the official Tongan residence, ‘Atalanga in Auckland.

Last week Hon. Lavemaau told Tongan Radio and Television the government had not issued any license.

Translated:

“Some groups and businesses contacted the government to establish this type of industry to assist tourism and to attract people from overseas to come and spend their money in Tonga.

“I have just returned from Solomon. There were eight casinos in Solomon and I met with Samoa’s Minister of Custom and Revenues and after questioning him he said there are two casinos in Samoa. Only those who hold foreign passports can use the casinos”, Hon. Lavemaau told the Television in Tongan.

“So as I looked at it Samoa gets millions from these two ventures,

“So as I personally looked at it in my role as Minister of Finance of the nation I am happy to hear about these things and it is important for us to go and have a look and learn from it.

“And then we come back with what we have learnt, it is a good idea as it can open an opportunity for the rich people all over the world to visit our nation and assist our country’s economic development”.

The documents provided to Kaniva News appear to show that cabinet gave approval for the casino to Tavake Tamafua, part of the Red Warrior Entertainment Group.

A letter dated November 24 last year, apparently signed by Hon. Lavemaau and addressed to Dr Donald Pate, CEO of Red Warrior Entertainment, says:

“I refer to His Majesty’s cabinet decision No. 1104 made on the 4th November 2016 whereby the proposal from the Tavake Tamafua Tourism Investment Project was approved and given full support by the Government of Tonga.

I am pleased to inform you that the Government of Tonga will grant and guarantee an exclusivity right for a casino and gaming license to the Red Warrior Group LLC under the precondition that an appropriate infrastructure is being built in Tonga within the next two years.”

A registration document for Tavake Tamamafua Ltd supplied to Kaniva News shows it was incorporated as a company in Tonga on November 29, 2016, almost two weeks later. It is understood the chief shareholders and directors are Havea Luigi Gatti and Epeli Taione.

However, more than four months later, neither the company name nor the names of the directors appear on the Business Registries Office website.

Red Warrior Entertainment issued a statement on January 23 this year saying it has been granted the first gaming license in Tonga. It said the Minister for Customs had made an official proclamation about the license in a letter dated November 24 and that the license agreement was completed on January 9.

In response, the Tongan government issued a press release on January 25 denying it had issued an exclusive gaming license to Red Warrior Entertainment.

“In November 2016, the Cabinet received a proposal for a Tourism Facility and Investment to be known  as the Tavake Tamafua Tourism Investment Project (TTTIP) from a foreign company called the Amira-Unison-Gatti LLP,” the press release said.

“The complete investment included three main projects, a Pearl Airport Hotel and Shopping Mall, a Frangipani Luxevillas and Aria Tourism Entertainment Gaming Resort. On 4th November, 2016 Cabinet supported the TTTIP subject to facilitation of legal documents and relevant plans, and the conduct of appropriate due diligence.

After due consideration, the Cabinet on 11th November 2017 supported only the first two projects i.e the Pearl Airport Hotel and Shopping Mall and the Frangipani Luxevillas but NOT the Aria Tourism Entertainment Gaming Resort. The Cabinet further directed that the full plan for the Pearl Airport Hotel and Shopping Mall and the Frangipani Luxevillas are to be submitted for final consideration and approval.

“The Government wishes to inform the public that under the Laws of Tonga, specifically, the Criminal Offences Act 1926 in sections 82, 83 and 83A, gambling is prohibited. Therefore any intention from Red Warrior Entertainment or any Casino Company to apply for a gaming license would be futile.

“The Government also wishes to reassure the public, that the national interest is of utmost priority to the Government and any proposal that will be deemed to disrupt the peace and harmony of the society will be given careful scrutiny and consideration.”

CEO of the Ministry of Customs and Revenue and Immigration, Kulu ʻAnisi Bloomfield, told Kaniva News this evening Red Warrior Entertainment had applied for permission for a hotel, airport, shopping mall and casino.

He said the cabinet only approved the hotel and shopping mall “in principle.” Before they could be approved the developers had to provide a map of the projects in compliance with the building code. They were also required to deposit money required by the government for the project. When these were completed the government would consider the application.

“As far as I know the company has yet to complete any of these requirements,” Bloomfield said.

The main points

  • Tongans are no closer to knowing whether their government has approved a casino, with the release of documents appearing to show that the government approved a gambling license for an American company in November last year and a government statement denying they had done any such thing.
  • If the documents supplied to Kaniva News are genuine they appear to show that the government has made a decision that would require the removal of Tonga’s strict gambling laws and allow a foreign company to build casino in the kingdom.
  • But they also appear to show that the government backpedalled on the issue only two months later.
  • The casino story erupted over the weekend with church minister and former soldiers threatening to protest what they believed to be a decision to approve a casino in front of the official Tongan residence, ‘Atalanga in Auckland.

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Is the devil really coming to Tonga? Confusion reigns as pastors and soldiers prepare protest 

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