Catholic priest named in ‘Ikale Tahi’s Churchill Cup Squad

Fr. Tomasi Sili of the Marists Brothers, called to the Ikale Tahi squad for the Churchill Cup

© Tevita Motulalo

It’s been usual practice that men of the cloth accompany national sports teams when they embark on foreign tour. They help in spiritual guidance, and are a central figure of respect that unite the team.

But, sometimes there’s always an exception to the rule.

The selectors of the ‘Ikale Tahi have called on Father Tomasi Sili of the Marists Brothers, not to be the chaplain for the upcoming Churchill Cup tour to the UK, but as a spearhead for the ‘Ikale Tahi backline, playing as outside centre.

Father Sili was only recently ordained in December last year after graduating with a Bachelors of Divinity from Marist College in Bomana,PNG.

Marists Regional Superior in Tonga, Fr. ‘Anaua Finau says he is awaiting approval of Fr. Sili to join the team, from the order’s directors in Fiji.

“But it is highly likely,” he told Tonga Chronicle.

He also said it is also an opportunity for Fr. Sili to extend his missionary work on the international rugby arena.

At 28 years of age, Fr. Sili has a notable rugby record. He played the same position in ‘Api Fo’ou College’s reputable team of 2000, that thrashed rivals with airtight goal line security against formidable foes like Tonga College and Toloa, allowing only one try for the whole inter-college season.

Fr. Sili has also represented Tonga internationally.

“Its great, I think I can take it,” Fr. Sili told Tonga Chronicle.

He is currently recovering from a mild knee injury when the Marists Longoteme recently clashed with the Kolofo’ou Lions the week before last.

During a break from his studies in 2004, Sili was in Tonga and played for the Marists in the Lavengamalie Cup.

He was approached to join the ‘Ikale Tahi squad then, but he couldn’t leave his studies.

According to Ikale Tahi Coach Isitolo Maka, Fr. Sili was the second best option after the expected second five ‘Amanaki Kefu was taken down with injury.

“Tomasi [Sili] still retains his calibre as a top class player,” Maka said.

Fr. Sili is from Haveluliku.

The Churchill squad is also included in the Coach’s full squad for the World Cup in September.

Ambassador to visit Tonga with Israeli Speaker of Parliament

Israel's Ambassador to Tonga, HE Shemi Tzur

By Tevita Motulalo

ISRAEL’S Ambassador accredited to Tonga, HE Mr. Shemi Tzur says he will return to Tonga next week with the Speaker of the Israeli Parliament or Knesset, Reuven Rivlin, on a first official tour of Tonga.

“I am coming back next week with something very, very important with the Speaker of the Israeli Parliament visiting officially Tonga,” revealed Tzur in an exclusive interview with Tonga Chronicle last week.

It will be the first official tour of Tonga by an Israeli Speaker of Parliament, and for Rivlin. He will be the highest official of the Israeli government to ever visit Tonga.

Tonga and Israel are very close friends, according Tzur, and the last King, Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, solidified the relationship, and even the present monarch in their frequent visits to Israel.

Tzur is Israel’s Ambassador to New Zealand, now also accredited to Cook Is, Niue, Samoa, and Tonga.

He arrived Monday last week and presented his credentials to His Majesty, and met senior officials of the Tongan government including the Speaker of Parliament Lord Lasike, Deputy Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu, and Health Minister Hon. ‘Uliti Uata.

Speaking to the Tonga Chronicle, Tzur says Israel and Tonga are natural friends with huge prospects in development cooperation, specifically in the areas of health, agriculture, and energy.

Progress in Police grievances, Commissioner meets petitioners

By Tevita Motulalo

THERE has been progress in addressing grievances voiced by a significant portion of Tonga Police to Cabinet about the leadership of Police Commissioner Chris Kelley, as he has met with some of them to discuss their concerns and a way forward.

Last Tuesday he said it was unfair for members of Police to make accusations of him without revealing their identities.

“Its like dealing with phantoms,” he said to Tonga Chronicle, “I still don’t know who they are. Not one."

Kelley said to Tonga Chronicle it has been helpful that some of the petitioners surface to talk to him directly, last Thursday, yesterday, and another meeting pending for today.

Chinese telecom is architect of Tonga’s e-government infrastructure

By Tevita Motulalo

CHINESE telecom enterprise Huawei Technologies is the architect of Tonga’s central and national electronic infrastructure.

“The aim of e-government is to create a Tonga National Information Network to connect multiple arms of government through a central electronic system,” stated the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC).

According to the Secretary of MIC, Paula Ma‘u, Huawei is undertaking a survey of the infrastructure construct, and will make recommendations in a report to government on how to further the initiative.

Ma‘u says the network will exclusively be for government departments, while another project on the pipeline is to facilitate community wide utilization.

The project has the ability to cut out inter-departmental communication that could have otherwise circulated the globe before reaching their destinations, given the departments’ relative proximity.

A delegation from the company has presented a proposal for “a ground-breaking e-government system” to the Prime Minister, Lord Tu’ivakano, before the proposal was discussed with Cabinet on Thursday.

Scrap metal for recycling heap ablaze

By Tevita Motulalo

The flames devouring slowly through the carcasses of scrapped cars

A lone fireman hosing the pile hoping to slow down the blaze from the neighbours

A pillar of thick, dark smoke alarmed residents of Kolofo‘ou and Ma’ufanga as it rose like smog in an otherwise clear Tuesday morning sky.

It originated from a furious fire ravaging through the GIO Recycling’s stock of scrapped vehicles at the Nishi Quarry in Pili.

GIO Recycling Manager ‘Ofa Tu‘ikolovatu is irritated because of the dangerous risk the fire could have been to the community.

Apparently this is not the first incident of a fire at her property.

“It is really frustrating,” ‘Ofa told the Tonga Chronicle.

The fire is blamed on arsonists, and she has an idea of who they might be.

“We believe they are kids around the age of 7-9 from around the neighbourhood, who burn the innards of the vehicles to detach and steal copper components so they can sell to the Chinese recyclers up the road,” she said.

“It is easier for us when they burn the vehicles. But that’s not the point. The point is the community’s safety from the toxic fumes from the burning the vehicles. The thieves are lucky they were not trapped inside the piles.”

A security guard at the quarry alerted the fire services of the ensuing flames early Tuesday morning.

Fire fighters from Tonga Fire Services were fighting to contain the blaze as residents in the immediate vicinity of the dump stood by concerned for the safety of their homes.

The dump fills the quarry to within meters of the nearest homes.

Quarry Manager Minolu Nishi Sr. says the fire “didn’t start from nothing.”

“This is no accident,” Nishi said to Tonga Chronicle.

Roads reconstructed with China loan

By Tevita Motulalo

THERE are now completed sections of roads in Nuku’alofa reconstructed with a RMB 291 million loan from China.

China’s Ambassador to Tonga HE Mr. Wang Donghua officially handed over to Deputy Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu three completed sections of the 64 road segments throughout Tonga reconstructed with the loan.

He commended the initiative- the “National Road Improvement Project”- will assist the economic recovery of Tonga through safer and quicker access for business and customers, but also through the provision of jobs and activity by the project itself.

Mr. Wang says China has engaged in extensive road construction in the last thirty years, and was one of the key contributions to its economic development.

He says that like China, Tonga is a developing country.

Kelley responds to calls to end tenure

By Tevita Motulalo

Commissioner of Tonga Police Chris Kelley

TONGA’S Commissioner of Police, New Zealander Christopher Kelley has made a public response to the allegations of a petition submitted to Cabinet.

“I am aware of the ‘petition’ document…I have not seen a photocopy of the original document,” said Kelley.

“Change may be at the ‘heart’ of these perceived grievances, change to merit based promotion, change to a new Police Act, and change in the way in which we manage disciplinary proceedings.”

And change it may be, as the petition also calls on Cabinet for his removal.

But Kelley continues, “What I can say is when I came to Tonga…my brief from the Tonga government was to initiate reform in the Tonga Police with the help of the tripartite government partners of Tonga, Australia, and New Zealand.”

Japanese Ambassador risk political trouble, still giving out assistance

By Tevita Motulalo

Japan’s Ambassador to Tonga HE Mr. Yasuo Takase gave away in excess of US$246,000 of assistance despite the burden his country is suffering as a result of the earthquake and tsunami.

The grants are to help build or extend training facilities for three technical institutions in Tonga, in support of the government’s development visions.

Sister Finau signing a contract to receive upgraded facilities to AHopanilolo, from Japanese Ambassador Takas

After a minute of silence for the victims of the fateful earthquake last week, and ambitious statements of development for Tonga by the officials and recipients, Takase stated that he was still considering giving out the grants.

He apparently did not read the usual prepared speech for such an occasion, as is usual of him.

“Up to now I am still wondering if I am to sign this grant,” he said.

But he waved on the occasion and the contractors were commissioned to construct the requested facilities.

Afterwards the ceremony, Takase was not subtle about his statements as he talked to the Tonga Chronicle.

Seabed minerals’ benefits to be maximised for the country

By Tevita Motulalo

Members of the Tonga Police's Special Armed Squad receiving Australian-donated badges from Parlaimentary Secretary Richard Marles last week

Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary of Pacific Islands Affairs, Richard Marles thinks the benefits of seabed minerals should be maximised for the benefit of the Pacific country they are taken from.

Marles was in Tonga last week to reaffirm Australia’s support as a Pacific partner and a friend of Tonga, wrapping up a region-wide tour to all the small states in the Pacific.

“We see ourselves as very close friends and we want to be the best of friends that we can be to Tonga,” he said toTonga Chronicle in a doorstep media conference just before departing Nuku‘alofa.

“The Gillard Labour government regards the Pacific as absolutely crucial to Australia’s Foreign Policy. Whatever else happens around the world our neighbourhood will always be our neighbourhood. And for that reason the Pacific is our collective neighbourhood,” he said.

But the issue of seabed minerals had been a key point in discussions with the Tongan Cabinet, amidst the exchange regarding the ‘partners in development’ program for Tonga.

In Tonga, Australian companies are involved in the prospecting for underwater commercial mining and Marles thinks there are two key issues to be looked at.

Another petition against Police Commissioner Kelley

By Tevita Motulalo

THERE has been a second petition by members of Tonga Police against the leadership of Commissioner Chris Kelley, signed and submitted to the Minister of Police Hon. Viliami Latu.

The Minister of Police Viliami Lātū

Petitioners assert outright that the position of Commissioner of Police should have been given to a Tongan.

“What has happened to those who have acquired enough high degrees and renowned in the Department, are they bad and unworthy?” is the question asked in the petition.

The letter states that if nothing is done to address the matters raised in the apparent grievances, the morale, complacency, and corruption within the force will not get better.

The writers state confidently that “If the issues we raised were asked individually to all the members of the police, at least 95% will agree and believe the same as we do,” and signed by about 150 members of the force.

Police “illegally” imposed incomplete regulation

By Tevita Motulalo

It seemed that Tonga Police hastily put in place regulations that had not passed through the full legal process, and so were “illegal”.

The Cabinet had recently revoked an earlier decision to increase firearms licensing fees on the basis that not only was it illegal, but also it was ineffective in realising visions of a safer community.

Ministry of Finance will now refund holders who registered their guns under the increased fees. The total cost of the refund is estimated to be more than $30,000 pa’angas.

Police Commissioner Christopher Kelley apologises for the error.

“I take full responsibility,” he said.