With increasing State powers declared in most Pacific Island countries under national states of emergencies and public health emergencies, it is crucial that the processes of enforcement of these emergency measures always adhere to key democratic principles, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Tonga and other Pacific states said yesterday, on the International Day of Democracy. “Responsive, transparent and accountable COVID-19 responses are critical to democracy,” Mr Sanaka Samarasinha said.
You are here
Results for tag
Wednesday 16 September 2020
Premium content
Suva, Fiji
Premium content
Tuesday 15 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Toio Lauteau (42) was convicted today at the Supreme Court of serious causing bodily harm, when he hit his wife twice on the head with a hammer in ‘Ohonua, ‘Eua. He will be sentenced on November 10.
Premium content
Tuesday 15 September 2020
1 comment
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Talikivaha Palei Posoni was acquitted of possessing cocaine at Te'ekiu, after a Supreme Court judge found that the evidence was insufficient to prove beyond reasonable doubt the offence. There were discrepancies in the evidence because the analyst's report about the substance she received did not match the substance found by police at the accused's house.
Premium content
Tuesday 15 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The VOEA Neiafu on its final voyage from Tonga, arrived safely in Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia on 14 September, and will be handed over to the Australian Authorities for disposal.
Premium content
Tuesday 15 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Students at GPS Nuku’alofa, GPS Hoi, and GPS Talafo’ou, are now enjoying their new classrooms that were opened recently. The classrooms were repaired and reconstructed after they were damaged by Tropical Cyclone Gita in 2018.
Premium content
Monday 14 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's parliament has gone into recess again, after the Prime Minister withdrew 16 bills “to have another look” at them. The PM also told the House that Tonga’s State of Emergency to counter the Coronavirus Pandemic had been extended again from 12 September to 12 March 2021. From the House by Pesi Fonua
Premium content
Monday 14 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga will observe a public holiday on Thursday, September 17 for the 35th birthday of Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala.
Premium content
Monday 14 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Lord Chief Justice has remitted a traffic case to be retried at the lower court, after setting aside a Senior Magistrate’s decision who acquitted a man of obstructing a driver.
Premium content
Monday 14 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The verdicts on four men charged in the death of Sione Feimoeafi (49) trial will be delivered on Wednesday, September 16 at the Supreme Court.
Premium content
Monday 14 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An agreement to improve training and employment opportunities for students at the Tonga Institute of Science and Technology (TIST) was signed with the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) on 4 September, in Nuku’alofa.
Premium content
Monday 14 September 2020
Premium content
New South Wales, Australia
The Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship, scheduled for November in New Zealand, has been cancelled due to CoViD-19. However, Tonga is scheduled to play Samoa in a Rugby World Cup Repechage Qualifier match in November in Auckland.
Premium content
Sunday 13 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The commitment of the Asian Development Bank to finance the proposed USD$55 million Fanga’uta Lagoon Bridge, will be confirmed next year, according to Mr Masayuki Tachiiri, Pacific Regional Director of the ADB’s Office in Fiji.
Premium content
Friday 11 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An upgraded classroom building for the Technical and Vocational Education and Training facility at Queen Salote College was handed over today from the Government of Japan.
Premium content
Friday 11 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Drivers and all front seat passengers over 12 years old must wear seat belts while driving in Tonga, under a new Traffic Act 2020 that came into effect on August 31. New penalties will be enforced from October 1 for a range of traffic offences, including holding mobile phones while driving and causing loud noises while driving.
Premium content
Friday 11 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Medical supplies will arrive in Tonga on September 15 in a container onboard a Royal New Zealand Navy dive hydrographic vessel, HMNZS Manawanui, in a contactless port visit.
Premium content
Friday 11 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two repatriation flights are being planned for next month to return around 300 people from Christchurch, New Zealand and Brisbane, Australia, confirmed MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u today.
Premium content
Thursday 10 September 2020
Geneva, Switzerland
The World Health Organization is urging countries to eliminate industrially produced trans-fat (TFA), from the global food supply by 2023, due to its link to heart disease and death. In Tonga, 1.71 % of coronary heart disease deaths is due to trans-fat intake. Trans-fats raise our bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels. Examples of foods that may contain trans-fat include doughnuts, cookies, crackers, muffins, pies and cakes.
Thursday 10 September 2020
Dunedin, New Zealand
Former Crusaders’ utility back Fetuli Paea (26) has signed with the Highlanders in Dunedin.
Thursday 10 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Vilimoa Afu (35) was sentenced at the Supreme Court to six-months imprisonment, which was fully suspended, for possession of 0.11 gram of methamphetamine, at Ngele’ia.
Premium content
Thursday 10 September 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Vaipulu Ikamanu was discharged on charges relating to the importation of prohibited goods, a .22 rifle and 6,801 ammunitions alleged to have been smuggled in a box from the United States last year. He said, he was only asked to collect it. The judge said S.117 of the act was inconsistent with the Constitution “and I therefore find that S.117 is void.”
Premium content
