A collection of news-briefs from The Tonga Chronicle, Ko e Kele'a, Taimi 'o Tonga, Radio Tonga. For more details of these stories, feel invited to buy a paper from one of the locations mentioned in our Tonga Media pages

Thursday mornings warehouse fire destroyed MC International's storage facilities in Popua, while an early Saturday morning fire guttered the Tungi Arcade storage warehouse used by  the Friendly Islands Bookshop, Air New Zealand Cargo, and Moore Electronics. Official estimates are not available but are expected to be in the hundreds of thousands as stock were destroyed or rendered unsaleable.

The fire damage, coming so close to each other will probably mean a shortage of supplies in key items carried by the effected retailers. Moore Electronics is a supplier of electronics goods and Sony Batteries, while the Friendly Islands Bookshop is the major supplier of stationery in the Kingdom, and MC International is one of the major suppliers of foodstuffs to the small local general stores.

In both fires, poor supervision of the sites have seen damaged stock pilfered by bystanders as well as showing the inadequacy of the local fire fighting service to contend with large fires. In the case of the Tungi Arcade warehousing facilities, the Fire Truck left the scene well before the embers had cooled, and it is fortunate that a rainy day assisted in preventing the flames from engulfing neighbouring houses.

Officials have not yet determined the cause of the two fires.

 The articles of impeachment in both Tongan and English languages were released on Sept. 3 following notification of charges and alternatives to the Minister a day earlier. The charges and alternatives fall under proceedings authorised by resolution fo the Legislative Assembly to clause 75 of the Constitution.

The notice included a statement of offence regarding fraudulent conversion of money contrary to Section 162(b) of the Criminal Offences Act. The particulars of the offence were that the Minister had been entrusted with T$1,043.76 intended to cover daily expenses while on parliamentary duties in Niuafo'ou and had instead left the Kingdom despite the written denial of permission to do so by the Speaker of the House.

The notice also included an alternative state of offence regarding fraudulent conversion of money as a Government servant contrary to Section 53 of the criminal Offences Act.

The Minister was further charged in the notice with fraudulent conversion of money contrary to Section 162(b) of the Criminal Offences Act or, alternatively, Section 53 of the same Act regarding T$372.75 paid as overtime when he was overseas without permission of the Speaker.

The Minister was informed of still another statement of offence regarding fraudulent conversion of sums totalling T$1,565.64 contrat to the same act above. He was further charged as an alternative to the charges and alternatives above with embezzlement of Government property contrary to Clause 75 of the Act of Constitution. The prperty consists of Government monies totallying T$1,938.39 received by the Minister on Aug. 16, 1996, allegedly for daily allowances and overtimes.

The sums were paid, the charge alleges, at the Minister's own requiest of Aug. 14, 1996, to the pay clerk of the Legislative Assembly. As an alternative to all the charges above, the Minister was notified in a statement of offence of maladministration contrary to Clause 75 of the Act of Constitution.

He was further charged with incompetency contrary to Clause 75 of the Act of Constitution.

 Tonga College came away as national champions of the high school national quiz competition run by the Tonga Development bank when they defeated runners-up Tonga High School 12-9 in the finals Tuesday night at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall. Third prize, went to Lavengamalie College, fourth: Queen Salote College, fifth: Liahona High School. Richard Lee Fale of Tatakamotonga (Tonga High School) was awarded a special award for the best competitor in both subject and general knowledge questions.

After the resignation of Mr. Soane Kautai, the Tonga Electric Power Board has appointed Mr. Paula Helu, of Kolofo'ou as the new managing director beginning September 10. After sustaining losses in operations from the increasing fuel costs, and inefficiencies the Board has handed control to Mr. Paula Helu with the directions to lower costs to allow lowering of current electricity charges from 36 seniti per unit to 27 seniti per unit.

The Crown Prince has warned that complacency in the Tonga Electric Power Board compounding poor attitudes and ethos has contributed to the serious decline in the Board's activities. The Chairman of the Board highlighted a number of poor management decisions such as the purchase of generators without the available local technical resources. Of great embarrasment was the purchase of equipment for which spare parts cannot be sourced due to its antiquity. 

 Sia'atoutai's 1997 graduating class have left their mark on the college through the construction of a new 400 meter long, one meter fence facing Hihifo Road valued at T$12,000. All costs are being borne by the hopefully graduants who also supplied the labour under the guidance of fellow students.

 Heneli and 'Aiona Kaufusi, residing in Hawai'i, donated sums variously stated between $10,000 and $15,000 to their hometown development committee of Koloa. Heneli felt the need for the gift after a visit to the island last year, and has since been gathering funds from friends and relatives overseas to bring back. Not an isolated gift, Mr. Kaufusi has in the past provided goods and services for the town and hopes to continue to assist those who have remained behind.

'Ala-ki-Hihifo motors were pleased to welcome more cars to their fleet carried to Tonga on the largest transporter of its kind to dock in Tonga. Mark Shipping Ltd., agents for the vessel MV Marico offloaded 170 vehicles for 'Ala-ki-Hihifo motors through the two ship side ramps.

• Tonga's national 10s side will participate in a Malaysia Rugby Xs tournament to kick-off Saturday.
• A 30km cycle race for mountain bikes will start at 'Atele Stadium on Sept. 13 as part of the Refresh Sports series.
• 'Eva-'i-Pomana Ve'ehala, wife of deceased Noble Ve'ehala passed away Friday morning at her residence.

• USP advertises a number of positions that should be noted in their website http://www.usp.ac.fj
• Posts from last weeks news papers have been repeated again.
• Head, External Affairs Section, International Telecommunications Union, $61,090 Swiss Francs.
• Senior Works Supervisor, Ministry of Works, T$9,212 pa

Cover stories: The Pacific is perhaps the largest Christian region outside Europe. But two hundred years after the arrival of the first Christians, newer denominations continue to make appearances, meeting with some resistance - and sometimes violence. Just what is the role of religion in Pacific Island States?

Cover Story: The shipping industry in the South Pacific is going through the throes of yet another freight war, with the various carriers that service the major ports of the region competing against each other to see who can last out the longest, and still be afloat financially at the end.

[ref: http://www.tongatapu.net.to]
Tonga on the 'NET