The 10-piece band has been working hard in the studio recording its latest hit, She’s My Woman, featuring none other than the American star, who is of Samoan descent.

Spawnbreezie, whose hits include Don’t Let Go, Nobody and If It’s You, is currently in New Zealand, where he has fast become popular with both young and old.

Fans can look forward to hearing some of Spawn’s own flavour in the jam, when he sings the chorus: “She’s my BFF, my everything. My teddy bear, my sweetest dream – she’s that morning coffee that I need.”

Three Houses Down, made up of Tongan and Samoan members, has become a popular force on the New Zealand reggae scene; making regular appearances at top reggae festivals Raggamuffin in Rotorua and at Parihaka.

The band has also played alongside reggae royalty throughout the years, including former UB40 frontman Ali Campbell. The band regularly tours and performs to crowds in Australia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Utah and Hawaii, where they have a particularly strong following.

She’s My Woman will be available on iTunes from Friday, May 18, 2012.

How many times have you actually sat down and thought of your family: its composition or its beginnings or how often you meet your siblings? If you had to think about that question then the answer is most likely ‘not so much’.

Regardless of how often you do interact with your family, it can be safely assumed that generally-speaking, most of us take our family units so much for granted that we do not give merit to its central role to how we organize ourselves as a species and how much potential these units represent, as far as driving development and the general improvement of our lives is concerned.

Since 1994, member states of the United Nations (UN)have observed May 15 as the International Day of Families (IDF): a day when one of the most fundamental ways humanity organizes itself in, is celebrated albeit differing definitions we may have of what constitutes a family.

In a way, we can safely assume that its progeny stems from the way clans or family groups met regularly in a corroboree to basically have a party, accompanied by ceremonial and often colour full appearances and metaphorical associations with what’s striking in their natural habitat. These gatherings would include knowledge sharing, marriage arrangements, etc. But even these meetings began to dwindle when the industrial revolution systematically isolated people into production units, sometimes costing them their languages and thus their sense of belonging.

Perhaps the one element that has managed to fend off the inevitable changes brought on by new economic and social values is the family unit.

Family units have been the mode of existence for humanity as long as we can remember which is why the widest possible protection and assistance should be accorded to it as empowerment to carry out their responsibilities within their communities to ensuring that the Convention of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) starts from within the family, for example.

The Division for Social Policy and Development(DSPD) is part of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the United Nations Secretariat cares about the family as the basic unit of society, and it’s also one of the key principles to the Programme of Action (PoA) of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). It should be strengthened as such and is entitled to receive comprehensive protection and support.

“In different cultural, political and social systems, various forms of the family exist. Marriage must be entered into with the free consent of the intending spouses, and husband and wife should be equal partners”, so continues Principle 9 of the PoA adopted at the ICPD in 1994.

For island communities, the very definition of family does not restrict this unit to the text book notion of nuclear or extended family. The amount of ‘cousins’ an individual can have can be a source of mirth for the overseas visitor discovering the country and exploring its villages.

It is however fascinating that iTaukei will find a link among themselves, wherever they are, regardless of the province they’re from. Everyone’s ‘family’s’ strengthened by that peculiar provincial relationship, addressing each other by affectionate designations like tau between the people of Nadroga and Kadavu.

In the sugarcane belt, children of landowners and tenants grow up together as palwar (family in Hindi). Speaking the dialect is natural for both groups as one will experience sitting in the Labasa or Sigatoka markets.

Similar to the wantok system of Papua New Guinea, these ‘relationships’ aren’t perfect but they are our island communities’ idea of family, they are our unique social capital. Our region has therefore extraordinary reasons to celebrate IDF.

The theme for this year’s celebration is Ensuring Work-Family Balance. It is hoped that this theme will promote impartiality, bringing forward a fuller sharing of household responsibilities and opportunities in equity and equality. To commemorate the day, UN member states can adapt the theme but ideally, efforts would focus on empowering family members in executing their duties.

For the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the theme of work and life balance is a matter of internal as well as external policy. In our work areas, there is a deliberate attempt to integrate and reconnect to structures like traditional chieftainship, faith-based organisations and government’s leadership: at the centre of these structures are the family units.

In relation to this year’s IDF focus on sharing household responsibilities, the concept of Integrated Household Resource Management (IHRM), which I have already discussed in this column, is apt.

 The processes of integration constitute a main force in achieving individual well-being and societal development. In this context, the family can be this remarkable force, if adequately and appropriately empowered, and for example contribute to the ever-growing importance of inter-generational dialogue in a society such as Fiji where both young and the oldest old age groups are growing in numbers.

IHRM is an approach which seeks to avoid the depletion of natural resources; the neglect of indigenous knowledge; the waste of money; and seeks to avoid processes which undervalue age-old communal self-reliance.

The concept, as if tailored for island communities, prefers the use of ‘households’ to refer to family units when discussing rural development, an inclusive reference that dismisses the prerequisites of kinship.

In every household, all of us manage resources to a certain extent: rural women, men and youth make decisions daily on how they use the resources around them, be it knowledge, labour, money, livestock, crops, fish, forests, land, religion, taboos, water, machinery, social belonging and so on.

While good management of household resources often depends upon access to other resources such as markets, transport, credit, education and health care, this concept of IRHM returns us to the family unit and its critical role in improving our lives through an optimal use of all those resources available, be they of a natural, social, economic or community-based order.

Family units are a force to be reckoned with; we just need to reflect on its possibilities, and 15 May of each year is an excellent occasion for all of us to do so.

Happy International Day of the Families.

*Dirk Jena is the UNFPA Pacific Sub-Regional Office Director and Representative, based in Suva.

Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihiko Noda

On the 25th and 26th of this month, I am hosting the sixth Pacific Island Leaders Meeting (PALM6), a triennial summit between Japan and PICs since 1997. It will take place in Okinawa, an island prefecture in southern Japan, which shares unique but similar characteristics with PICs. In PALM6, we will discuss five major issues for our further cooperation: response to natural disasters, environment and climate change, sustainable development based upon human security, people-to-people exchanges, and maritime issues. I look forward to having frank discussions with Lord Tu’ivakano and other PIC leaders. These issues are of vital importance to the well being of the people of our region and are areas where Japan and PICs can jointly contribute to the international community. I am determined to work with the PIC leaders to make this summit a true success.

Japan, as a development partner on an equal footing, has been working together with PICs in their nation building. We cannot deny that Japan is still faced with enormous challenges including reconstruction from the disaster. I intend to declare at PALM6, however, that we will never let this fact undermine our commitment to the region. Hardship at home should not be an excuse for drawing back from the engagement in the region. Rather, hardship taught us the importance of “kizuna,” or the bond of friendship. The kizuna between Japan and PICs is deeply rooted in the fact that we share the same Pacific Ocean and the common spirits of islanders nurtured by this great Ocean. Your heartfelt support during our national crisis gave us the conviction that we should carry on.

This “kizuna” of course extends to Fiji, too. Fiji’s ongoing process to build a firmly based democracy is of great importance to the stability and prosperity of the region. Japan’s message is clear and consistent. We are friends of the Fijian people as we are of other PICs. We hope that Fiji will continue to take concrete actions towards free and fair elections no later than 2014 and, to this end, we intend to maintain close dialogue with the Fiji Government. We look forward to further positive developments.

It is “kizuna” that binds us all together in the Pacific and motivates us to keep on working hand in hand towards the future. I sincerely hope that Japan and PICs, based upon long-lasting friendship and cooperation, will continue to act together to achieve peaceful and prosperous future of the Pacific.

Yoshihiko Noda

Prime Minister of Japan

Young PALM with H.E Mr. Yasuo Takase.

Two High School students from the Kingdom of Tonga have been selected to participate in the first Young PALM meeting hosted by the Okinawa Prefecture Government from May 21^st to 27^th, 2012 in Japan.

Mr. Mosese Uili from Tonga College and Miss ‘Ilaisaane G. Namoa from Queen Salote College paid a courtesy call on H.E Mr. Yasuo Takase, the Ambassador of Japan on May 9^th, 2012 prior to their departure. They were accompanied by Mrs. Manatu Samani Maile a teacher of Tonga High School who will also attend the Young PALM meeting as a supervisor, and also Ms. Lucy Moala-Mafi from the Ministry of Education, Women’s Affairs & Culture.

In their meeting, His Excellency wished them a safe trip and hope their participation in Young PALM would extend their knowledge towards environmental issues. “I hope your stay will be enjoyable and your experience, your knowledge should be shared with all your friends.” Both Mosese and ‘Ilaisaane shared their excitement to visit Japan for the first time and showed their interest to learn and discuss environmental issues with other participants.

Young PALM will be held in Miyakojima City in the Okinawa Prefecture, to support the Sixth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting, PALM6 and be part of the 40^th year anniversary programs of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan. 64 high school students are invited to participate in the program, 32 of which are from Pacific Island countries.

Their meeting point will be environmental issues with suggestions proposed to leaders in the PALM6. Young PALM aims additionally to provide opportunity to foster mutual understanding and friendly relations through participants with activities including home-stays at local citizen’s houses, traditional site visits to; Outer Gardens of the Imperial Palace, “Kuicha” a traditional local dance workshop and exchange programs with local students.

SPC CETC Students

Greater food value, economically viable, local resource material: these features make flour production at the Community Education and Training Centre (CETC) anything but ‘run-of-the-mill’.

“We have been working with women at the grassroots level, showing them how to make flour from kumala, breadfruit, dalo and cassava – homemade flour from homegrown crops – instead of being dependant upon imported flour, which may be expensive, or unavailable in more remote places,” said Dr Lia Maka, Head of CETC.

“We try to encourage people to plant these crops in their back yard to use for their own benefit as a part of the training in Food and Nutrition.”

As many as 36 women at a time, from 22 Pacific Island Countries and Territories, attend the seven-month courses that are held once a year at CETC in Narere, on the outskirts of Suva City, Fiji. CETC is a part of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) Education, Training and Human Development Division. .

The women, who are first selected for the course by their governments and then short-listed for final selection by the CETC management team, also tend their own gardens at CETC for the Integrated Agriculture segment of their studies, growing the dalo, cassava and kumala that will be made into flour.

Once the crops are ready for harvesting, they are collected, cleaned, and cut into very thin slices. These chips are then placed in a large, outdoors container with a hard, clear plastic cover, a solar food drier. In hot sunny weather, the slices will become dried chips half a day, but could take up to two or three days if it is cloudy.

The chips, which will keep for up to two years, are then ground into flour, using a Chinese-manufactured Disk Mill machine that turns a kilo of dalo, kumala or breadfruit chips into 900 grams, and cassava chips into 800 grams, of flour in two minutes.

The same effect can also be achieved with a minimum of technology. Chips can be placed outside on mats in the sun and will dry within a week. These can be ground into flour using a mortar and pestle or lentil grinder, or by pounding in the same way that yaqona is prepared, and then sifted.

During the course, the women experiment with the homegrown flour, substituting it for wheat flour in familiar recipes, turning out cassava flour chocolate cakes or dalo flour pancakes.

“Apart from the economic advantages of making flour from home-grown crops, food prepared from these home grown flours have an enhanced nutritional value, especially breadfruit, which contains carbohydrate, fibre, vitamin B, potassium, iron, calcium, copper and magnesium,” said Dr Maka.

“They are also useful substitutes for people with wheat allergies or a gluten intolerance. And because the chips have a long shelf life, it is also possible for the women to teach others in their home communities how to provide food for their families, not only as apart of daily life, but also in times of extreme weather events such as flood, cyclone or drought.”

“The flour production is part of a food processing training module in the CETC’s Health and Nutrition course, which includes recipe and product development using appropriate technologies suitable for coping with climate change and/or natural disaster phenomena, increased costs of processed food, and changing livelihood demands in our fragile Pacific communities.”

- SPC Press Release

Participants at the Workshop.

A USD 1.7 million dollar project to conserve island biodiversity in the Cook Islands, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu was launched at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in Apia, Samoa.

Under this three year initiative the island nations will carry out a range of activities with their local communities to produce and strengthen management actions to save threatened species and ecosystems; and to help ensure sustainable use of natural resources.

The Integrated Island Biodiversity project is funded by the Global Environment Facility, Pacific Alliance for Sustainability (GEF-PAS), implemented by UNEP and executed by SPREP.

Representatives from the Cook Islands, Nauru, and Tonga have gathered to further develop results based plans to strengthen the implementation of their national projects as well as to learn more about the administration, monitoring and reporting arrangements for the project in an inception workshop in Apia, this week.

In his address to the participants, the Director-General of SPREP highlighted three key points to guide the progress of the project to success; learn from the past and look to the future; develop synergies and partnerships and to; ensure the work plan and budget for this project is focused and achievable.

“It is important that you focus on priorities and that actions identified in work plans developed this week are practical and achievable,” said Mr. Sheppard.

“It is also essential that project activities are implemented effectively and successfully. SPREP with partners will provide as much support as we can in this area.”

Three of the worlds’ biodiversity hotspots occur in the Pacific islands; these are places that hold high numbers of endemic species. While we may have unique ecosystems in our region, ensuring they are preserved and protected is an ongoing challenge.

This new Island Biodiversity project will help ensure the Cook Islands, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu can have activities on the ground that uses an integrated Ecosystem-based management approach which entails emphasizing the connectivity between systems such as between land and sea and people.

“We are glad to see this project come to fruition,” said Dr Greg Sherley, Task Manager Biodiversity Conservation of UNEP.

“Knowing the history of this project and the commitment from people to prepare and bring this project together makes this a very special occasion. I’m really encouraged by all the partners involved with this project as I know all are committed to helping you make it a success.”

Saving our Pacific biodiversity is crucial. The authoritative Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature confirms that many plant and animal species are in crisis: that one bird out of eight, one mammal out of four, and six marine turtles out of seven are threatened with extinction.

“Our mission is that people need nature to thrive,” said Michael Donoghue Director of Conservation International Pacific.

Conservation International Pacific, through the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund is a key partner in this project, providing co-financing support.

“We believe that the protection and preservation of natural capital is the most important challenge facing humankind. Nowhere on the planet is that more important than in the Pacific islands which is heavily impacted by climate change and invasive species.”

The workshop is held from 8 – 11 May, 2012 and consists of participants from partner organisations as well as from the Cook Islands, Nauru and Tonga. A similar workshop will be held specifically for Tuvalu.

- Press Release from SPREP

 The sun has set on the Island Kingdom of Tonga and many will go back to their daily routines and responsibilities after laying to rest their beloved King George Tupou V. A new sun has risen, yet the shadows still expose a great loss. A mother has lost a son, a Princess her uncle and a nation their beloved King. Although many had the opportunity to see Tonga during this time of mourning, very few saw what happened within the walls of the Royal Palace and with those closest to him. Hon. Frederica Tuita gives us a final but powerful glimpse into her life and humanizes what we see from the surface as she bids farewell to her Uncle, the King and tends to the Queen Mother.

The hour of the late King George Tupou V’s arrival and burial has come to pass and we’re left trying to adjust to life without him. Rearranging our lives to move forward without him is just as difficult as taking the news of his loss. The build up to his arrival was overwhelming as villages came in the hundreds to see the Queen and pray with her. As we obliged her needs, none of us had fully prepared for what was to come.

My grandmother, my sister Hon. Lupepau’u Tuita and I were up very early every morning to prepare to receive the people who wanted to come pay their respects to Her Majesty, make formal presentations and pray with her. This protocol went all day and night while Her Majesty would sit in front of her people, eyes closed and hands clasped. The devastation of losing her son and the anticipation of his arrival was obviously heavy within her yet she gracefully continued to be present for her people and remained in her seat. I’ll never forget the moment during one of the prayers, the Queen opened her eyes to find her great granddaughter, Phaedra [daughter of my sister, Hon. Lupepau’u Tuita] sitting beside her on the floor looking back at her. For a moment, the Queen forgot that she was in front of hundreds of people, and with eyes lit, we saw a smile through the pain in absolute joy to see Phaedra. As they embraced, the Queen cried stroking Phaedra’s hair telling her how happy she was to see her. Since Phaedra’s arrival, she never left the Queens side. I felt a small sense of relief but more joy for the Queen.

It was Monday, the day before his arrival and the Queen had given specific instructions as to how all would transpire for the Kings arrival. Certain people were given places to sit in the palace and responsibilities to guard priceless Kie Hingoa [Samoan Fine Mats] that were hundreds of years old to be place on his majesty upon opening his casket. As strong as she could be during this time, the dreaded knowledge of knowing this would be the last time any of us would ever see him again lingered throughout the palace. There was a look in her eyes that some of us resembled of “how will we react and cope with seeing him?” As the night the news came that he had passed away, my sister Hon. Lupepau’u and I set our emotions aside and continued to press forward never leaving the Queens side.

The time had come and we went to the Palace to await his arrival. As expected all the Queen’s women, some of the Nobles wives, and relatives were sitting on the floor outside of the Palace porch. It was only the Queen, Hon. Lupepau’u and I that moved freely inside the palace aware of the long night ahead of us. Everyone finally came in and took their places in the hallways leading to the Matapa Tapu [Throne Room] My sister and I took our place on either side of the door that lead to the throne room where he would lie in State. We knew our role and my sister and I were going to complete them to the best of our ability. The mood was somber and quiet and everyone’s talk reduced to whisper as we all waited for the plane to arrive with our King. Soon, a heart stopping shot of the cannons fired once, then multiple shots again hailing the arrival of the King. No one spoke and there was silence. Then off from a distance, the sound of the Queen weeping began to flood the halls. As the cannons continued to fire, her crying intensified. As we all sat there looking on the ground and listening to her weep a sense of helplessness came over me because I couldn’t console her.

I cried watching Phaedra follow the Queen everywhere. She’s only 8 yrs. old but performed her duties like an adult. The Queen anxiously awaited walking briskly back and forth in front of us holding her handkerchief to her mouth with tears streaming down her face. Then, all the vehicles drove up the driveway and he was there, her son was finally home. They brought him into the Throne Room and prepared him for the Takipo [Royal term for funeral]. Once ready, his mother was the first to see him. Our hearts broke watching her loving strokes to his hair, a doting mother and tears falling into his Royal casket. She said, “You never belonged to me… you were always in charge of this place and your life. Now God has taken you back.” She continued to stroke his hair while whispering into his ear telling him things only she and he will ever know. My sister and I looked at each other and our grandmother’s nieces and knew it was time to stop crying and do what needed to be done.

We let my grandmother and the elders mourn while we did our job, taking in his late Majesty’s friends and family one by one. Inside we fulfilled our responsibility and those outside the palace did the same trying to manage all the chaos. People continued to come to bid farewell to the late King even until the morning. On that day, my brother, Hon Sione Ikamafana went outside to join the men who would carry the Fata with the King on it to Mala’e Kula [Tongan Royal Tombs]. I did not join the procession instead I went ahead of them with my grandmother. She had her own tent near her son’s tomb and I sat with her along with my sister and cousins to tend to her if needed. She never took her eyes off the casket throughout the ceremony and stayed long after it was over till the tomb was closed and her son finally laid to rest. The ceremony was lovely and went smoothly.

I find that history has repeated itself like when the late King became our Monarch and took us through a time of change and enlightment. Our new King may do the same and become the King he was meant to be and lead us into a new era of change. His wife will become as God intended, as Her Majesty Queen Halaevalu Mata’aho became, the heart of our nation. One thing that I’ve learned from our grandmother is to always have faith. We had faith in the late King and were greatly rewarded for it. We have to put our faith in God to guide our new King to lead and continue serving the people and bringing the change that has blessed our family and nation.

Lennie Niit

As President of Oceania Judo Union Lennie also becomes one of the five Vice Presidents of the International Judo Federation. This is the body that regulates judo worldwide and assists with the presentation of the sport at the Olympics.

Lennie’s selection will obviously raise the profile of Tonga in regards to Judo, and hopefully attention and support for the sport in Tonga.

Lennie is well known as a businessman in Tonga since he arrived in 1985 and beside various business ventures over the years, he also initiated the formation of the Tonga Judo Association in 1991.

He has been the backbone of Tonga judo since its inception and over the years built the sport up to a remarkable success with many medals in various overseas competitions including Gold Medals for Tonga in Pacific Games and in Commonwealth Judo Association Championships.

The 41-page report by the Pacific Media Centre’s freedom project Pacific Media Watch is a harrowing indictment of the “fragile” state of the media in the region.

Taimi Media Network has been granted permission by Hon. Frederica Tuita, daughter of the only sister to the late King, HRH Princess Salote Mafile’o Pilolevu Tuita and Lord Tuita, to re-publish articles that contains her personal insights to her life, role and responsibility as a member of the Royal Family. The original articles were published in The WhatItDo.com. as “Princess diary.”

Under the title of “My Values, my voice” we publish this series of three articles in English, and will be translated into Tongan to go in the hard copy of Taimi ‘o Tonga newspaper.

“When I think of the late King George Tupou V, he wasn’t just a leader for the nation, but a leader for our family. I’ve always believed that anything was possible depending on the way one chooses to pursue it. And that is what I saw in the late King. Others before him pursued change for the Kingdom, but weren’t as successful. He initiated a step-by-step reform of the laws and legislations of Tonga, which lead Tonga to a more democratic government. Change wasn’t always something we welcomed with open arms. After a few thousand years of living basically the same way, there isn’t much shock as to why. However, the late King took us with him down a road of uncertainty. I know I turned out all the better for it. His love for his people was like a light that led and taught us not to fear change but to embrace it. We were all born with particular instincts and this was a new way to use those instincts in the new frontier of democracy.

His love for his people was like a light that led and taught us not to fear change but to embrace it.

My uncle’s fearlessness was the foundation for our independent (and at times rebellious) nature. Regardless of what you may have heard or read, he was the apple of our grandmother’s eye as he was her first-born. Therefore, imagine how difficult the task was when I had to tell Her Majesty the Queen that her firstborn son had passed away in Hong Kong thousands of miles away from her. I had found her at her residence Tufumahina praying with other women for his recovery. I walked in, sat at the door and waited for her to finish praying. After waiting for what seemed like the longest ten minutes of my life, she lifted her head, looked at me and smiled asking why I was there. I bowed my head, got up from the floor by the door and walked over to her passed the other women that surrounded her. I sat beside her on the floor and told her… ‘Kuo Hala e Tu’i.’ After a moment of silence, I heard the most heart wrenching mournful cry and as much as I wanted to give her a hug, my instincts of respect prohibited me. After a few minutes of crying, she and her ladies in waiting continued praying. She’d come out of prayer from time to time to ask, “Do you think God needed him more?” My heart sank but I was still in shock. I couldn’t shed any tears. After I heard ‘Amen,’ she looked up and turned to me as though she had received a new found strength from God and continued to list things that needed to be done and who to contact. I immediately became attentive to what she wanted and proceeded to carry them out.

Since then, my eldest sister, Lupepau’u, has arrived from New Zealand and it is as though a weight has been lifted from our grandmother’s shoulders. Everything that we would all hesitate to tell the Queen is easily done by Lupepau’u. She knows who and when is permitted to see the Queen and has the “know how” and finesse that many others lack. As more close relatives of the Queen fly in from different parts of the world, I see her overcome things with more ease. Then, my mind drifts off to Hong Kong where my mother is, unlike what many people think of my mother, HRH Princess Pilolevu Tuita, was very close with the late King. She became his close confidant after the reform and would always refer back and forth to him and their mother. Although, there are things we speak of and things we do not, his mother and sister became his rock and he was theirs.

On Wednesday night, I stayed up late with my cousins, HSH Prince Tungi and Hon. Etani Ha’amea Tuku’aho, reminiscing about our moments with the late King. He wanted us to call him G5 after his coronation which came as a bit of a shock to us [his nieces and nephews]. Although, we are family and love each other, we also respect each other’s standing. We loved our uncle and are protective of him, but we were always mindful that he was the King and should be respected as thus, regardless of who we were. So, one could imagine how it felt when we, his own family, respected him as a King and others took liberty of his kindness. But, my cousins and I remember the advice he used to give us about how we should always be considerate of others.

He would host many dinners at his residence, the Villa, entertaining guests and telling jokes. He would always want one of us present at his dinners. Towards the end of his life, my cousin Tungi or sister Fanetupouvava’u Tu’ivakano, would be at his dinners as we were the only ones in Tonga. With me, he enjoyed talking about all things, especially cooking, which was a subject we both enjoyed, along with my cousin HRH Princess Latufuipeka.

Now that I look back, I remember how we would all want to make him smile, be at ease and tell him good news about our lives. I recall how many of his facial gestures and remarks were exactly like his Mother, The Queen. Now, almost everything The Queen does reminds me of him. Since his passing, we’ve all been here with Her Majesty. And the sight of many people walking around in the giant Liongi mats has become common. My sisters and I will be part of the very few people allowed to wear smaller mats in public or just the Aveave at home. All of our cousins, however, will wear very large Liongi mats, as he was the eldest son, and they are all children of his brothers or cousins who are his father’s younger brother’s children. The same rules that apply to every Tongan family, also, apply to us. As his only sister’s children, we have less tapu towards him. But, as I said earlier, we loved and respected him as a King first. On the night of his Takipō [when the late King lies in state], it is us girls [daughters of the HRH Princess Salote Mafile’o Pilolevu Tuita] that will be allowed in the room with him and help the Nimatapu [the Royal Undertakers for the Tongan royal family] tend to him whilst he lies in State. Everyone else, including all his siblings, are not allowed to do the things we can. We see it as our duty to him and one of the last things we can do for him with the utmost humility. It is our honor to be able to tend to him through this process.

As his arrival from Hong Kong draws near, we all disregard our wants and needs to focus on what the Queen wants. Nobles, Ministers and Matapules (speaking Chiefs) all come to the Queen for the same reasons we, her close family, do for she is the Mother of the Nation. As time goes by, and more loved ones are lost, we realize that we need her with us more than ever. She is the link that all Tongans still have to the late King, what came before him, as well as, the strength we need for what is to come.”

Economic uncertainty in the eurozone will likely have only modest and indirect effects on Pacific economies, through declining revenue from resource exports, softening of tourism growth, and continuing weak remittances. Domestic factors, including the winding down of growth stimulating infrastructure projects and declining credit growth in most countries, are also behind the growth slowdown in the region.

“Delivering inclusive growth in an uncertain global environment requires Pacific governments focus on maintaining basic public services by investing in vital infrastructure, education and health services, as well as measures to improve government fiscal management and public sector efficiency,” said Xianbin Yao, Director-General of ADB’s Pacific Department.

Accelerating reforms to the public sector and state-owned enterprises are essential to take the pressure off expenditure demands on Pacific governments, the report notes. Sound fiscal management will become more important as the region’s growth moderates, in order to create room to respond to future economic shocks.

This capacity has been eroded in many Pacific islands; debt levels are already above target ceilings in Fiji, Nauru, Samoa, and Tonga. Kiribati has been drawing down its trust fund at an unsustainable rate and Tuvalu cannot rely on its trust fund earnings in the foreseeable future.

The regional slowdown in growth is being driven by a tapering off in the high growth rates in the large resource exporting economies of Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Solomon Islands. Growth in PNG is expected to slow from 8.9% in 2011 and 7.5% in 2012, while Solomon Islands’ growth is projected to decelerate from 9.3% to 6.0%. This is due to declining resource export revenues and, in the case of PNG, the winding down of construction activity on a key liquefied natural gas project.

Resource-rich Timor-Leste, however, is expected to sustain growth of 10.0% through 2012, supported by an increase in government expenditure, although growth is projected to soften to 8.0% in 2013. Tourism-reliant economies such as Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga are also forecast to experience accelerated growth through 2012, before seeing this slow in 2013.

After experiencing its ninth consecutive year of expansion in 2011, Vanuatu is going against the moderating trend, with ADB forecasting acceleration of growth to 4.5% in 2012 and 5.0% in 2013. Government efforts to put in place a sound environment for the private sector are showing clear dividends. Vanuatu is on track to achieve a decade of uninterrupted growth.

ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members – 48 from the region.

- ADB Press Release

Mr. Busby Kautoke

THE Public Service Commission have suspended the Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet, Mr Busby Kautoke while they carry out disciplinary procedure, effective 4.30pm, Thursday 5 April 2012.

The Prime Minister. Lord Tu’ivakano has appointed Deputy Secretary, Alfred Soakai to be the Acting Chief Secretary and Chief Secretary to Cabinet.

- Press Release from Prime Minister’s Office

After I heard of the 71 year old man who was found dead in a pool of water outside his house at Sopu, I felt strongly that I should express my concern for the need to provide support for the elderly in Tonga, although this occurred to one elderly man and it seems like an isolated case but his death could have been prevented if there was someone around to take care of him.

This Saturday 7^th of April is World Health Day and the topic is active aging. The emphasis of this year’s theme “good health adds life to years” highlights the need to take good care of all stages of our life course to ensure a healthy active life when we age.

Unfortunately for some of our elderly people they are prevented from living an active life because of lack of supportive environments like social services, that could provide care and support for them.

Furthermore, many of them have developed a non communicable disease which causes the onset of other non communicable diseases and its complications leaving them either blind or with one limb or no limb at all to allow them to move freely around and protect themselves in one case an elderly disabled person died in a house fire because of limited mobility to allow one to get to safety.

There are a lot of stories  of elderly people  neglected by their family members, loneliness after the death of a spouse or child and depression because they are excluded from everyday decision in life  that if we have time we will find lots and lots of these kinds of sad stories in our community,

In addition I think our culture imposes stereotypes on an elderly person labeling them “vaivai” or old when the person is not old but is still active and strong, in my opinion calling an elderly vaivai is emotionally and psychologically harmful to the elderly’s mind because it means he/she is out of date and not useful anymore, we need to challenge the use of stereotypes against the elderly person because it is wrong and it is discrimination against them why not provide skills and education for them and give them work and encourage them to continue living?

One day we will be an old person and if we do not do something now some of us might end up in a similar situation, fortunately there is a plan call Tonga Social Service Pilot (TSSP) aimed at delivering social services including health care and education to elderly vulnerable people living in poverty. The activity described in this plan includes case management services, social care home visits and health promotion and disease prevention, this is a great plan and I hope that it will work out well for the elderly of Tonga; personally I wish this pilot plan will roll out to be an actual social service department very soon in Tonga.

Naomi Fakauka

Advocating for a better life for elderly people in Tonga

Ms Telekaki

Ms. Telekaki departed Tonga on Monday, April 2^nd to commence her studies as a Research Student requiring a six months Japanese language training followed by a Master’s Degree (M.A) course majoring in Economics – Economic Development. Her M.A course will be taken at the Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan for the next two years.

Ms. Telekaki graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Economics & Management and Public Administration from the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji in 2008, and worked as a Chief Trade Officer at the Statistics Department of the Government of Tonga.

The Japanese Government Scholarship is made available every year by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology offering scholarships to international students who wish to pursue their studies in Japan. Students from Tonga have been successful since the first MEXT Scholarship award in 1995.

Wounded still by malice of evil intent.

As perpetrators are drunk in power hunt,

Hate crime camouflaged as if a lament;

Deemed necessary for political development,

Demagogue so flamed Nuku’alofa to scratches,

Could have burnt the Palace and King to ashes,

Wrongly believing democracy now lives;

But neither demos nor crazy proven works,

Socrates’ right if majority is wrong everyone fails,

Certain citizens are hungry for prominence,

Nothing’s spared but their greedy sustenance,

King’s divine right and honor have no importance;

A homeless King died of a broken wounded heart,

In a foreign land he honored his God, in Deo speramus.

The sonnet, The Wounded Heart of Tonga, is composed in loving memory

and honor of The late King George Tupou V of Tonga, who died at St. Mary’s Hospital,

in Hong Kong, on Sunday 18 March, and arrived in Tonga on Monday 26,

and divine royal Services and burial on Tuesday 27 March 2012.

O my dear, schizophrenic are the words,

For which brave soul would dare the abyss?

Announcing to Tonga, the Sun sets;

Winging home in eternal slumber a kiss.

Northern fair-winds now speak easy,

Southern breeze what would you say?

Tonga is the poorer and nothing to say,

Notwithstanding its chiefly kakala do stay.

Calling on Sia-ko-Veiongo[1] and Fonuamotu[2],

Hangaitokelau[3] and Toa ko Ma’afu[4],

Heilala Tatakamotonga[5] echo of my prayer;

King George Tupou V ascends the sacred heaven,

Dulcis amor patriae requiescat in pace[6]

Bless O Lord the Queen Mother and Tonga.

The sonnet, The Sun Sets in Tonga, is the Tongan translation of sonata, To e La’a ‘i Tonga, composed in honor and loving memory of the late King of Tonga, George V.

Copyright: Lent, 2012, Tevita Tonga Mohenoa Puloka, PhD.

 Ko e taimi ko ‘ení kuo ‘ai tauanga’a e taha kotoa pea tālolo pē mei he Mala’evakapuna Fua’amotú, ‘o a’u ki loto Nuku’alofa ki he Palasi Fakatu’í ‘a e laauvale ‘o a’u ki he kau Taki ‘o e Fonuá, pehē ki he sola mo e vūlangi ‘i hono talitali mo fakahaa’i ‘enau faka’apa’apa ki he La’ā kuo Unga Fonuá.

‘Oku mahino ‘a hono fakatahataha’i mai ‘e he pulonga ko ‘eni kuo tō ‘a e kakai ‘o e Fonuá ke nau taha pē, ‘i hono tengihia ‘a honau Hau, pea neongo ko e taimi nounou pē na’a ne ‘i he Taloni aí ka na’e fisifisimu’a ‘a ‘Ene Takí pea mo’oni ai e Lea ‘oku taka “Kuo mapaki e Fā ka ‘oku kei ‘alaha.”

 He ‘oku talanoa’i lahi ‘i Tonga ni, ngaahi Fonua kaungā’apí pea pehē ki Tu’apule’anga Lahi, ‘a e tukutukulaumea ‘a e La’ā kuo tō ‘i he’ene takimu’a hono tukuange mai ‘a hono mafaí, pehē ki he’ene takimu’a ‘i hono teke ‘a e liliu fakapolitikale ‘i he Fonuá.

‘Oku ‘ikai ko ha me’a si’i ‘eni ke hifo ‘a e Tamá ‘o tukuange mai ‘a hono mafaí ki he kakai ‘o e Fonuá, he ko e talu mei tuai ‘a e fononga mai ‘a e Fonuá pea mo e Fale ‘o e Tu’í pea ko e liliu ko e me’a faingata’a ia ki he kakai ‘o e Fonuá, ka e tautefito ki Ha’a Moheofó.

‘Oku hā pē i a ‘i he me’a ‘a e Ta’ahine ko ‘Eiki Frederica Tuita ‘i he’ene manatu melie ki he La’ā kuo tō. “Ko ‘eku manatu ko ia ki he La’ā kuo tō Kingi Siaosi Tupou V, na’e ‘ikai ke ne hoko ko e Taki pē ‘o e Fonua fakakātoa, ka na’e toe hoko ko e Taki ki homau fāmilí. Na’a ku tui ko e me’a kotoa pē ‘e malava ia, ‘o makatu’unga mei he founga ‘e fili ‘e he tokotaha ke ne fakahoko ai ‘a e ngāue ko iá. Pea ko e me’a ia nau mamata tonu ki ai ‘i he La’ā kuo tō, he ko kinautolu ‘i mu’a atú na’a nau feinga ke fakahoko ‘a e liliú ‘i Tonga, ka na’e ‘ikai ke hoko.”

 “Ko e La’ā kuo tō na’a ne fakahoko ‘a e liliu ki he laó ‘o Tonga ‘o kamata ‘i he sitepu ki he sitepu, pea hoko ai ‘a Tonga ‘o fakahoko ‘a e fuoufa liliu Pule’anga Fakatemokalatí.”

 “Ko e liliu ko e me’a ia na’e ‘ikai ke mau fa’a fie tali, ka ko e La’ā kuo tō na’a ne tataki kimautolu pea ko ‘ene ‘Ofa ki hono kakaí, na’e hoko ia ko e tūhulu kiate kimautolu.”

Ko e Liliú ia ‘e manatu melie ki ai ‘a e to’utangata ko ‘ení ‘i he taimi ‘o e La’ā kuo tō, pea ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e faka’amu mo e lotu mei he kakai ‘o e Fonuá ‘e hokohoko atu ai pē ‘a e ngaahi ngāue mo e tukutukulaumea ‘a e La’ā kuo tō ‘e he Tama Tu’i Hokó King Tupou VI.

 ‘I he ‘aho ni ko hono Ouau Telio ia ‘o e Hau ‘o Tonga, pea te ne toe fakatahataha’i mai ‘a e Tonga kotoa pē ‘o ‘ikai ke ‘i Tonga ni pē, kā ‘i he ngaahi ‘Otu Motu ki Tahí pehē ki he Tonga kotoa ‘i he tapa kotoa pē ‘o e Kolopé ‘o taha pē ‘i he’enau faka’apa’apa faka’osi ki he Hau ‘o Tongá.

‘Oku toputapu ‘a e sino ‘o e pekia pea hangē ko e ngaahi lave mei he tafa’aki ‘a e Hou’eikí, ‘oku tapu ke fai ha lave fakapatonu ki he La’ā kuo tō koe’uhi pe ko e fu’u pelepelengesi ‘a e kaveinga ni.

‘Oku hā mahino pe foki ‘a e toputapu ‘o e ngaahi ouau ‘e fakahokó mei he teungá, ‘a e fakafotūnga ‘o e faka’apa’apá.

Ko e ngaahi ouau fakaangaanga ki he telio ‘o Tupou V ‘oku fakamamafa’i ma’u pe ‘e Nōpele Vaea  ‘a e faka’amu ko ia ke mahino ki he kau faiongoongo ‘a honau fatongiá. Pea ‘oku ha’i ‘e he mahino mo e fatongia ‘a e ngaahi ‘ulungaanga ‘o e talangofua ‘o fakateunga’aki ‘a e faka’apa’apá.

Ko e makehe ‘o e ‘ulungaanga fakafonua ‘o Tonga ni he ‘oku fisi ki tu’a ‘o ‘ikai ke maheikau ka ‘oku mahino ‘ene hoko ko e pou tuliki ‘o e fonua pea ‘oku tonu ai ki he ngaahi kautaha faiongoongo ke nau ‘ilo’i honau fatongiá.

‘Oku ‘osi mahino pe foki ko e ngaahi ongoongo kuopau ke tuku ki tu’a, ka ‘i he taimi tatau ko e kanomelie mo e uho ‘o hotau tukufakaholó ke mahino ki he tapa kotoa pe ‘o mamani ‘oku nau lolotonga tuku telinga mai ‘i he ngaluope mo e ngaahi kupengaope (website) kehekehe.

Ko hotau tukufakaholo mo e taufatungamotu’a ‘o e Fonua e ngaahi vilitute ke mahino ‘etau kehe ne fanāfotu ai ‘a Kuini Salote ‘i Pilitania pea pehē ki he Ta’ahine Kuini Fehuhu, Kuini Halaevalu Mata’aho ‘i Sinivaa.

Ko e faka’apa’apá ia ‘oku tonu ke mea’i ‘e he Tonga kotoa hono fatongia kae malava ke faingofua e me’a kotoa kae tautefito ki he fatongia ‘o e teuteu ki he telió. He ka ‘ikai ke ‘ilo’i kita kuopau ke ‘i ai e palopalema pea ‘ikai ‘ilo hoto ngata’anga mo hoto fatongia pea ‘e iku ala mai e mafai ‘o e kau polisii.

‘I ha faka’eke’eke ‘e he tangata faiongoongo ko Alex Perrottet mei he PMC ‘a Neil Underhill ko e tokotaha faiongoongo mei Pilitania fekau’aki mo Siaosi V, na’e pehe ai ‘e Underhill ko Siaosi V na’e ‘ikai ko ha tokotaha mo’ui fa’iteliha, mo totu’a ‘ene ngaahi to’onga teuteu mo e ha fua, ka ko e tokotaha anga’ofa mo’oni.

Ko Underhill na’e fa’ele’i ia ‘i Fisi, pea ne hoko ko e tangata faiongoongo mo fa’u fakamatala ma’ae Pule’anga Pilitania fekau’aki mo Tonga. Ko e tangata foki ‘eni na’e lahi fau hono taimi na’e folau mai ai ki Tonga, pea ko e kaungame’a ofi ‘o e La’a kuo to.

Perrottet: Ko e ha ho’o fakamatala ki ho va mo Kingi Siaosi Tupou V, pea na’e anga fefe ho’omo fe’iloaki?

Underhill: Na’e kamata hoku va fakakaume’a mo e Tu’i ‘i he 1965, pea ne ma vaofi ‘aupito talu mei he 1990. ‘E lava pe keu pehe ko Siaosi Tupou V ko e taha ia hoku ngaahu kaungame’a ofi ‘aupito. Pea na’a ne ngaohi au ‘o hange pe ko ha tokotaha na’a ne ala vahevahe mo ia ‘ene ngaahi fakakaukau mo e ngaahi me’a ‘oku mahu’inga ki ai. Ne fakafokifa ‘ene hala, pea faka’ohovale kia au mo hono ngaahi kaungame’a kuo u talanoa mo kinautolu.

Perrottet: ‘Oku mahino e lahi e taimi na’ake ‘ahia ai ‘e Tu’i, pea ‘oku ke hikihiki’i ia. Ko e ha nai e ngaahi tefito’i ‘ulungaanga ‘o e Tu’i ‘oku ke ala vahevahe mai?

Underhill: ‘E lava pe keu pehe ko e tumutumu ‘a hono ‘ulungaanga ko ha tangata “anga fakamatapule mo’oni”. Teu pehe pe ko e taha ia e tangata angalelei mo’oni neu maheni mo ia ‘i he’eku mo’ui. Ko e tokotaha na’e tokanga  mo’oni ki he kakai, ko e tokotaha angatonu, ngaue malohi, faka’atu’i, pea anga faka’apa’apa. Ko kinautolu na’a nau taufolofola mo ia, na’a ne feinga ke ‘oua tenau hoha’a ka nau nonga pe. Kae mahalo ko e me’a tu’ukimu’a ia kia au, ko e Tu’i ia ko ha tokotaha anga lelei mo’oni.

Perottet: Na’e ‘i ai e ni’ihi ‘i he mitia na’a nau pehe ko e Tu’i ko e tokotaha mo’ui fa’iteliha mo totu’a ‘ene ngaahi to’onga ‘e ni’ihi hange ko hono teuteu mo e ngaahi me’a pehe. Ka, na’ake vaofi mo ia pea ‘oku ‘ikai ke ke tui tatau koe mo e ni’ihi ‘o e mitia ko ‘eni?

Underhill: ‘Oku hala ‘aupito e lau ia ko ia. Na’e ‘i ai e fa’ahinga ia na’a nau pehe koaa na’a ne fa’a va’inga ‘i he swimming pool mo e fanga ki’i vaka. Ko e loi ia, he na’e ‘ikai ke ‘i ai ha me’a pehe ia. Pea pehe koaa ‘e he lau ia ‘e ni’ihi na’a ne va’inga mo ha fanga ki’i tamapua sotia. Na’e ‘i ai pe ‘ene fanga ki’i tamapua sotia, ka na’e ‘ikai ke va’inga ia mo ia. ‘Oku matu’aki hala mo’oni e ngaahi talanoa ia ko ia.

Perottet: Na’ake toe pehe foki na’e lahi ‘aupito e ‘afio’i ‘e he Tu’i ki he hisitolia, pea mahalo nai ko e ‘uhinga ia na’a ne ‘afio’i ai e ngaahi me’a lahi fekau’aki mo e tu’u ‘a e ma’u mafai ‘i Tonga, ke fai ai ha liliu?

Underhill: ‘Io, na’e lahi ‘aupito e me’a he hisitolia na’a ne ‘afio’i, pea na’e laulau houa ‘e ma fefolofolai ‘i he Villa, pea ko ia pe na’e to folofola kau fanongo atu pe. Pea na’e matu’aki tukupa ‘aupito pe ia ‘e fai e lilu ki he fa’unga pule ‘o Tonga.

Perrottet: Malo ‘aupito e faingamalie ko ‘eni ke fai hao faka’eke’eke. ‘Oku toe ‘i ai ha me’a ‘oku ke fie lave ki ai?

Underhill: ‘Oku ou kaunga mamahi mo’oni he hala ‘a e Tu’i, kei ta’u si’i. Ko e Tu’I ‘eni na’a ne lava ke fetaulaki lelei mo e kakai, ka ko e me’a tu’ukimu’ataha, ko e Tu’i ko e ‘eni ko e tokotaha anga’ofa mo’oni.