Tonga

Deputy Prime Minister, Sēmisi Sika, Dr Saia Piukala and MP Mo’ale Fīnau joined the new Minister of Labour Dr Tu’i Uata in a meeting at the Labour and Commerce office.

They also joined new Internal Affairs minister ‘Akosita Lavulavu in her first meeting with her staff in her office.

Labour and Commerce CEO, Edgar Cocker has confirmed to Kaniva News he and his staff met their new Minister Dr. Tu’i Uata this morning.

It is understood other cabinet ministers held meeting with their staff this morning.

Kaniva News understands letters of appointment were delivered by the palace office to the Prime Minister and all his proposed new cabinet ministers over the weekend.

The appointment was made after Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva submitted his cabinet lineup to the king on Thursday.

It is understood the king was expected to have an audience with the Prime Minister sometime soon.

The Prime Minister’s office is expected to officially announce the new cabinet positions this week.

The two are the only Pacific countries on the list of 70 nations which Ukraine defines as being at migration risk.

The new vetting measures don't apply to heads of state and government, members of parliamentary and government delegations.

Cruise ship visitors are also exempt.

The new measures target Russian citizens who are now subject to a tighter registration process.

The list of 70 includes large African, Middle Eastern and Asian countries, such as Nigeria, Egypt and Pakistan as well as all former Portuguese colonies in Africa.

Soane is 20-year-old and is actively avoiding Police.

Kaniva News reports he has ‘Tonga’ tattooed on the outside of his right calf.

Any sightings of Soane should be reported to Police immediately and he should not be approached.

Information on Soane’s current whereabouts can be shared with Constable Daniel Ross of the Glen Innes Criminal Investigation Branch on 04 212 3534.

Alternatively information can be shared anonymously via CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

Dr. Uata is not an elected Member of Parliament.

According to the Constitution, the Prime Minister may appoint no more than four cabinet ministers from outside Parliament.

Pōhiva named Tongatapu 2 MP Sēmisi Lafu Sika as Deputy Prime Minister when his lineup was submitted to the palace office yesterday.

Appointment of Prime Minister

The submission was made after His Majesty King Tupou VI appointed Pōhiva as Tonga’s Prime Minister until 2021.

One of its buses was carrying 53 members of the brass band from Mailefihi Siuʻilikutapu College in Tonga, when it plunged down an embankment at State Highway 2, south of Gisborne.

It is believed the bus went through a barrier at Wharerata and crashed down the bank about 10.30pm on 24 December, 2016.

The band had been touring New Zealand to raise funds for the college’s 70th anniversary.

New Zealand Herald reports the charges were laid by WorkSafe at the Waitakere District Court on 21 December 2017, just days before the one-year anniversary of the crash.

Fiji’s Seismology Department said the earthquake occurred at a depth of 21km.

The seismic activity was located 282 km South southwest from Alofi, Niue and 467km East Southeast from Nukualofa.

The announcement has been made in the government of Tonga gazette.

It said Viliami ‘Unuaki-‘o-Tonga Mumui Lalaka-mo e-‘Eiki Tuku’aho was entitled to the hereditary estate belonging “to the title to which he has succeeded together with the rents and profits thereof and all other rights and privileges attached to the title as from 25 September 2006.”

The king’s order comes after he sent former Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakanō and some royal guards to intervene in a baptism ceremony that would have made Prince Ata a Mormon three years ago.

Local reports said two vehicles collided in Hoi.

The details of the crash are still unclear.

Photos purported to show the incident seen by Kaniva News on social media showed men lying face upwards on the grass near the scene of the collision.

Some had been covered and lay on blankets while others were laid at the back of a Police pick up van.

Meanwhile, a 20-year-old Fua’amotu man died in hospital after a car crash in Tofoa on Wednesday morning.

Police have put the road toll for 2017 at 6 – down from 18 in 2016

The child died in the fire and his father succumbed to burns he suffered and died in hospital Friday.

Kaniva News reports it was unable to to confirm the details of the deceased and the incident.

Emergency Service authorities could not be reached for comment.

However, it is understood the father’s name was Siaosi Mo’unga.

A Facebook user who goes by the name Katalina Vahe uploaded photos to Facebook with a caption that read in Tongan: