Tonga

A 63 year old Tongan woman, a former Police Officer was arrested following the police search warrant on Wednesday. She has been charged with one count of perjury contrary to section 63 of the Criminal Offences Act.

The accused was released on bail on 28 January 2016 and will appear at the Magistrate’s Court on Monday 1 February 2016.

Deputy Police Commissioner Viliami ‘Unga Fa’aoa confirmed that 12 accused persons have been charged so far in relation to the passport investigation and are now pending trial in courts.

Confusion over who was responsible for the organisation of the 2019 Pacific Games, arose after well-publicised verbal exchanges between the Prime Minister, ‘Akilisi Pohiva and Lord Sevele.

Recently the Prime Minister made an official visit to Papua New Guinea “to further strengthen the economic and social cooperation between the two countries in the sports arena.” But it raised questions over who is organising the games.

‘Amanaki Mafi, 25, married Azusa Arita, 27, after flying in from Japan.

Arita’s parents, Tetsuya and Kanako Arita, accompanied them and ‘Amanaki’s parents, Uilini and Tevita Puli Mafi, travelled from Tonga for the ceremony.

Mafi told Kaniva News he was happy to be in New Zealand with his wife.

The Palace Office and Ministry of Infrastructure confirmed to Radio Tonga News an agreement was made with the Prime Minister on the specific area for the field as part of the preparation work for the Pacific Games 2019 - but Tufumahina was not part of the agreement.

Both Ministries decline further comments but the Prime Minister's Office says they will release more details on the issue later.

Visiting Nuku’alofa this week a team of three researchers were building up a profile of Tonga’s strengths and weaknesses in its ability to govern itself and respond to challenges of many kinds.

The proposed Va’epopua National Park is constructed at the site, previously used and known in the past as the Tukutonga Rubbish Dump, situated along the seafront of Popua. 

The works to date are subject to planning and design led by the responsible ministries of Government and involves clearing, filling and leveling of ground surface, drainage, and transformation of the once-environmentally hazardous site into a recreational public park for the people of Tonga including tourists.

Secretary General of Tonga Red Cross Society, Sione Taumoefolau told Radio Tonga one tank will hold five thousand litres of water.

He said the people of Niuafo’ou have been without water since last year due to the effects of El-Nino phenomenon.

Taumoefolau said every household in Niuafo'ou will receive a water tank.

The Tonga Red Cross is considering supplying similar water tanks to Vava'u, Ha'apai and 'Eua as well as outer villages in Tongatapu.

The assistance costs about $300,000 pa'anga (US$128,105)

Radio Tonga reports Dr Seini Kupu, a specialist from Vaiola Hospital's Non-Communicable Diseases Division says the confirmation was determined tests done in Tahiti.

The Zika virus is spread through mosquitoes and symptoms include mild fever, rashes and joint pain.

The Ministry of Health is also concerned about the health of pregnant women after an outbreak in Brazil affected most pregnant women causing babies to be born with abnormal small heads, a condition associated with incomplete brain development.

Tonga’s Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva has noted in his recent brief that PNG plans to build or upgrade 800MW of hydro-electricity and more than 500MW of geothermal generating capacity within the next 10-15 years to provide a reliable and affordable electricity supply.

He said his Government has suggested that both Papua New Guinea and Tonga can establish an understanding in working towards building and encouraging the use of geothermal source of energy in the Pacific.

"You can do that in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf Marine Park," I hear you say. Well that's true, but there's something special about the tropics. The sun is constant, the temperature never varies, the sea is tepid and there's that inescapable feeling that you're living a castaway island fantasy.