Tonga

Voting for Miss Pacific Islands pageant 2016 begins

The pageant week begins with a church service and over the course of the week will assess each contestants through various activities planned.

Contestants representing eight Pacific Islands - American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa and Tonga have all gathered in Apia, Samoa.

Contestants and their teams started arriving in Samoa last week for the 30th anniversary of the Miss Pacific Islands.

First P3DM completed for the island of ‘Eua, Kingdom of Tonga.

ʻEua is a small hilly island close to Tongatapu and is home to one of Tonga's four national parks and supports nationally rare and endangered species. 

The training was coordinated and delivered by the Tonga Department of Environment, Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Climate Change and Communications (DOE-MEIDECC) with support and assistance from the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA).

Burglary another blow for distraught family of Ellen Yu

Kaniva News reports Ellen Yu, 58, was in hospital and is now reportedly gaining consciousness after the assault on Thursday (November 17).

To make matters worse, their convenience store in Pahu was burgled last Sunday (November 20) the family was in hospital to see their mother.

Police said they have arrested a 33-year-old man from Kanokupolu with goods believed he had stolen from the store.

Police confiscated a laptop and cigarettes from the suspect.

He has been charged with theft and burglary and is expected to appear at Fasi Magistrate court this week.

Tonga launches world’s first solar powered Tuk Tuk

Solar Powered Tuk-Tuk is the first activity of the Mobile Applications of Solar Initiative (MASI) Project funded through a partnership between Kirchner Solar Group (the biggest installer in Germany) and the local Solar Island Technology (SIT) Ltd with close collaboration with the Energy Department under the Ministry of MEIDECC.

Acting CEO for MEIDECC Mr. Andrew To’imoana said the launching of solar powered Tuk Tuk would boost the economy and the transformation of Tonga’s fragile physical environment and ecosystem.

Four Tongans jailed for passport fraud

The Commissioner Steve Caldwell was commenting after four people convicted on passport forgery related offences were given jail terms on Friday last week. 

The four are 'Isileli Kaumavae, Sione Sosefo 'Ahohako, Sione Kivalu Heleta and Ola Tameifuna.

Mr Caldwell said the sentencing sent a very clear message about the seriousness of the offending and serves as a deterrent to people tempted to commit such crimes.

In August last year Tonga Police set up a Passport Taskforce headed by Deputy Commissioner Viliami 'Unga and staffed with 16 police investigators.

Tonga MP pushing for more women in politics

RNZ reports the level of women's representation in parliament in the Pacific is among the lowest in the world with women comprising less than 16 percent of all parliamentarians in the region.

The sole woman MP in Tonga's Parliament 'Akosita Lavulavu is one 40 Pacific delegates in New Zealand this week for the Pacific Parliamentary Forum.

She explained that while people in Tonga often believed women belonged in the kitchen, one of the biggest barriers was getting women to support each other.

Institutional Arrangements Key in Accessing Climate Finance: A Tonga Perspective

Referred to as the Joint National Action Plan (JNAP) on climate change adaptation and disaster risk management the five-year action plan outlines not only the aspirations but also concrete steps to ensure Tonga's resilient development.

The National Action Plan (NAP) approach is a requirement of global financing institutions such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF), European Union, Asia Development Bank and the German Agency for International Cooperation.

Tonga police arrest two men after cannabis haul

They said a police tactical team was sent to the island from the nearby main island of Tongatapu on Tuesday after a resident reported gunshots.

RNZ reports Police found the marijuana plants which they said had a street value of $US88,000 dollars.

The two men have been charged with possession of illicit drugs and an unlicensed firearm

     

Rise in reported child sex cases in Tonga

Police Superintendent Tevita Fifita told Radio Tonga there were 18 reported cases in the year 2014-2015, with most of the victims under the age of 12.

He says this is an increase over previous years as there has been a rise in the number of reported rape cases.

While 52 cases were reported, Superintendent Fifita says some rapes are dealt with between the parties and families involved before they are reported to police.

Chief Magistrate Salesi Mafi says carnal knowledge of a child carries a maximum sentence of imprisonment for life.

 

     

Tonga machete attack sends woman to Vaiola hospital

She was being treated at Vaiola hospital.

Kaniva News has attempted to reach those involved and Ministry of Health authority for comment and has not heard back.

Two weeks ago in Nukuʻalofa, bar bouncers and a non-uniform Police officer had fought off a machete-wielding man outside a bar shortly after a fight broke out in the bar.

Meanwhile four men accused in relation to the death of ʻAiveni Teisina, 36,  were in court after a machete attack in a parking lot in Vaini on October 23.

 

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