Tonga

RNZ reports noble MP Lord Vaea has been warning of a vote of no-confidence for two months but was stymied by the September adjournment of parliament until today.

Lord Vaea is out of the country until the end of the week but said he is surprised by reports that the Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva is contemplating naming a noble to replace the sacked minister Fe'ao Vakata.

Mr Pohiva told Kaniva News he is considering a noble representative to replace Mr Vakata who was fired over a clash with one of his female directors.

BIMA, a world-leading mobile micro-insurance provider, and the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP) have launched their second major joint initiative that will provide microinsurance products to underserved communities across five Pacific Island Countries.

PFIP has provided a grant to BIMA to bring simple, affordable microinsurance products to low-income, rural and underserved communities in Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa and Nauru.

Aerial searches were being conducted as search continued into its second day.

Kaniva News reports Police and HMAF Tonga Navy were searching the northern seas of Vava’u and surrounding areas, where Fetcher is thought to have escaped in his yacht, Sea Oak.

International police alerts are in place and active inquiries are underway, Police said.

“A full investigation into the circumstances of the escape has been ordered by Commissioner Steve Caldwel”.

Fletcher is alleged to have murdered his Canadian wife in Vava’u in June this year.

Having lost their opening two matches of the tournament, Samoa won three straight to join Fiji and the Cook Islands as the top three teams in the Pacific.

The local Manager of Pacific Energy has told Matangi Tonga the tanker is currently in Nuku'alofa and would be in Neiafu today.

Escaped prisoner, Dean Jay Fletcher had fired several flares at the police boat in a 5-hour standoff.

A police statement said Fletcher was believed to be holding a bottle of benzene liquid and threatened to set fire to the police boat with the use of the inflammable benzene and flares.

The police were not in a position to counter the threat and did not have the capacity to maintain the pursuit in open water.

CEO of Information and Communications (MEIDECC) – Paula Ma’u says, these challenges include the misuse of Facebook to defame others as well as uploading inappropriate videos.

Paula Ma’u told Radio Tonga News they’re currently working with a special team of officials from the Attorney General’s Office and Tonga Police to draft regulations to be submitted to Parliament once it resumes deliberation next month.

54 year old Dean Jay Fletcher escaped from police custody at Vavaʻu Police Station at approximately 3.30am yesterday, 29 September 2016, a Police statement said.

Police confirmed Fletcher has used his own yacht to enable his escape.

“At 06.00am Police on board the Police Boat “Kapakau ‘O Tafahi” located the escaped prisoner and his yacht at approximately 6 – 10 miles Northwest of Vavaʻu and are attempting to apprehend him”, the statement said.

He said the matter was mentioned in Parliament apparently for the MPs to consider because it was evident Tongan children as young as 15 were pregnant. He said the statistics was significant and there was a problem.

Pōhiva said the government has no proposal to allow child marriage and as far as he understands there was nothing submitted into Parliament on it.

He said he understood those who were behind the idea have taken into consideration the condition in which young girls who fell victims to their perpetrators suffered severe consequences as a result.

They would toil in the JV (Junior Varsity) squad starting from their freshman year (Grade 9). They could be called up to the Varsity Team (academically qualified) in their sophomore year (10th Grade), or their junior year (11th Grade). But most do make up the core of the Varsity Team in their senior year (12th Grade).