Illegal coral harvest was for noble's export, Kalonikali reports [1]
Monday, November 26, 2007 - 18:48. Updated on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 16:07.
Highlights from Tonga's newspapers, November 15-22, 2007. An English translation summary by Tevita Fonua.
The Kalonikali on November 20 reported that Chief Justice Anthony Ford sentenced Viliami Taungahihifo to two years probation for harvesting coral without a permit. The coral was to be exported by Noble Nuku and an associate. Viliami was told by the noble that he would take care of the paperwork. The noble, who is also the Minister of Works and a member of parliament, then applied for a licence and was turned down. But by then Viliami had already committed the offence. The defendant's lawyer told the court that Noble Nuku should have been indicted as well.
The Taimi on November 19 reports that the Vava'u Demo Committee have once again snubbed their more successful colleague, Vili Helu by not naming him in the committee's list of prospective candidates to the upcoming election. Vili ran as an independent in the last election, without the committee's endorsement, and won, while the Demos' strategy of fielding multiple candidates in Vava'u was a disappointment.
According to the Kele'a on November 20, Prime Minister Feleti Sevele had told a meeting in Ha'apai that he turned down a proposal from the defence services to avenge what happened on 16/11.
The Talaki on November 20 comments that the People's Committee for Political Reform celebrated on Friday the fruits of last year's 16/11, in particular, the consent of the Prime Minister on that day to implement political reform in 2008. The picture with the story shows seven people playing drafts.
The Kalonikali on November 20 reports that in a meeting at Nukunuku between the public and lawyers as well as other legal practitioners during the inaugural Law Week, a participant commented on the distinctiveness of the Tongans, they are more responsive to the whip above all other forms of punishment.
The Taimi on November 20 reports that a police sergeant who used to work in the Immigration Division, when it was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Police has been tried on five counts of forgery, relating to the unauthorized renewal of passports with invalidated stamps