Liu Lirong who was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on Monday, May 30 is appealing both her conviction and sentence for people trafficking, trading in prostitution and keeping a brothel.
You are here
Results for tag
Wednesday 1 June 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Wednesday 1 June 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's first Tobacco-Free Village, Kala'au, is taking a stand against tobacco-related deaths by declaring itself to be a "smoke-free" area, and the village is being rewarded by the Ministry of Health.

Tuesday 31 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Another drugs charge has been filed against Lord Tu'ilakepa a former Speaker of the Tonga Legislative Assembly and a current Vava'u Nobles' Representative.

Tuesday 31 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Three students from the primary, secondary and tertiary levels in Tonga became the first winners of Westpac Women's Education Grants that assists with the cost of their local education.

Tuesday 31 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Since the end of the Cold War, the larger Western powers, the US and UK, started to lose interest in the Pacific. From a Western security perspective, the day-to-day management of the region was handed over to Australia and New Zealand. Unfortunately, in an increasingly multipolar world, all sorts of new foreign policy options are available. By Cleo Paskal.

Tuesday 31 May 2011
Premium content
Noumea, New Caledonia
Health workers throughout the Pacific region will raise their voices of warning about the dangers of tobacco smoking to a higher level today, May 31, as countries and territories mark World No Tobacco Day. - SPC.

Monday 30 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Ms Liu Lirong (45) a Chinese national who was found guilty on seven counts, including human trafficking, keeping a brothel and trading in prostitution was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by Justice Robert Shuster in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court this afternoon, May 30.

Monday 30 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Prominent Polynesian leaders including the Maori King, the Head of State of Samoa, the Paramount Chief of Samoa, along with Fiji's first lady, and a guest of Tonga's king, the Fijian Lt. Col. Tevita Mara, gathered at the Royal Palace in Nuku'alofa yesterday to celebrate the 85th birthday of HM the Queen Mother Halaevalu Mata'aho.

Sunday 29 May 2011
Premium content
Sydney, Australia
I read in the Matangi Tonga that the former Fiji military strongman Ratu Tevita Mara "wants a democratic government back in Fiji". Although I would like to see a return to democratic rule in Fiji, I will not be joining any opposition of which Ratu Mara is a part. - Rajend Naidu.

Friday 27 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Lieutenant Colonel Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara, one of the four Fijian senior military officers who with Commodore Bainimarama overthrew the democratically elected government of Fiji on 5 December 2006 has confessed that what they did was illegal.

Friday 27 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Thousands of students celebrated the Queen Mother's 85th birthday on May 27 with a colourful presentation of brass bands, marching and traditional dances.

Friday 27 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A Pasifiki Trade Fair Vava'u Lahi 2011 held in Neiafu for the first time on May 19, featured over 30 product and service booths, as part of the Forum Trade Ministers Meeting.

Friday 27 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A five-day celebration for the 85th birthday of the Queen Mother Halaevalu Mata'aho started this week with a colourful garden party at the Free Wesleyan Church President's residence in Nuku'alofa, on May 25.

Thursday 26 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Nine prominent artists from New Zealand visited Nuku'alofa after a voyage exploring the Kermadec Islands, documenting the unique natural wildlife there in order to raise public awareness.

Thursday 26 May 2011
Premium content
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Lt. Ratu Tevita Mara should file for a Tongan political asylum status. He is a victim of a repressive dictatorship under Dictator Bainimarama who usurped power in Fiji's 2006 coup de' tat from a democratically elected government. - Sione Mokofisi.

Wednesday 25 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
"Claims of Fijian sovereignty need careful scrutiny, with recent events leading to the destruction of the Minerva Reefs. At this lonely outpost a perfectly innocent navigational beacon, . . . faced the full might of Fijian Sea Power, on the instructions of the military regime, was deployed to attack a defenseless and inanimate object." Prime Minister's Office.

Tuesday 24 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
New Caledonia's accession to a full membership status in the Pacific Islands Forum was top in the agenda of a New Caledonian contingent to the Forum Trade Ministers meeting in Vava'u from May 18-19.

Tuesday 24 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An application by the Fiji government for the extradition of Lieutenant Colonel Ratu Tevita Mara back to Fiji to face a sedition charge was received by the Tongan government yesterday, May 23 Busby Kautoke, Tonga's Chief Secretary and the Secretary to Cabinet confirmed this afternoon, May 24.

Tuesday 24 May 2011
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Kindy Day 2011was celebrated by children ages three to five with colourful traditional dancing at the Tonga Institute of Education, Pahu on Saturday May 21.

Monday 23 May 2011
Premium content
Suva, Fiji
Bainimarama made a televised statement claiming that Tonga had breached Fijian Sovereignty. Remember, breaching a country's sovereignty involves international law. Accusations must be proven, diplomatic channels must be exhausted and above all, the rights of a person must be respected whether chief or commoner . . . - Fredetheon Kava.
