Tonga's deputy prime minister wants Mailefihi/Siu'ilikutapu students home Featured
The bus carrying 53 staff and students from Tonga crashed through a road barrier and down a bank on State Highway 2
27 December, 2016. Tonga's deputy prime minister is focused on getting the schoolchildren involved in a Christmas Eve bus tragedy in New Zealand home.
Siaosi Sovaleni was in New Zealand when it happened and travelled to Gisborne, as did New Zealand's Pacific Peoples Minister Alfred Ngaro.
Tongan citizens Sione Taumololo, 11, and Talita Fifita, 33, died in the crash and 10 others are still in three separate hospitals in stable condition.
The bus carrying 53 people crashed through a road barrier and down a bank on State Highway 2 about 30km south of Gisborne at 9.30pm on Saturday.
The school brass band from Tonga was travelling to Gisborne's Wesleyan Methodist Church where they were due to perform on Christmas Day.
A separate group from Tonga were in Christchurch and have now travelled to Auckland.
Inspector Sam Aberahama, the Tairawhiti area commander, wouldn't comment on speculation the bus's brakes failed, saying "we need to get the bus out before we can speculate any further on that".
The ministers have been to the accident site and were at a vigil at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Gisborne on the evening of Christmas Day.
They have visited survivors in Gisborne Hospital and let them use their phones to call home.
They believe the Tongan community is reassured by their presence among them so soon after a tragedy.
State Highway 2 between Gisborne and Wairoa will be closed at some point over next two days for fatal crash investigation
"We had a Tongan hymn and song to acknowledge the occasion - that was a cultural part for us to conduct that at the time," Mr Ngaro said of the visit to the accident site.
Mr Sovaleni said the key concern now was getting the passengers back to Auckland and back to Tonga.
On Monday, police said crowds heading to the Rhythm and Vines event were advised that SH2 between Wairoa and Gisborne was open and will be open on Tuesday but will shut at some point during the next two days to retrieve the bus.
New Zealand's holiday road toll currently sits at eight.
Last year, there were 12 deaths on the roads during the holiday period. This year the holiday period runs from 4pm on December 23 to 6am on January 4.
- AAP
5 comments
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Koena oku talamai oku tala ehe Pule Ako ia ke hoko atu pe feinga paanga ia, pea kou tui ka ne kau ha'ane ta'ahine he me'a kuo ne ma'u ha poto he tene ongo'i foki. 'E faifai pea te tau hanga hake o lau faka funga vaka he vivili peheee a e fiema'u pa'anga pe ko e 'ai ke 'uma'aki
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Kuo hoko e fakatamaki o tafia ai e kaunga fononga.. Oku 'ikai ko honau (fanau ako) fatongia 'a e kumi pa'anga ma'ae ako.. Ko enau hu kiai ke ako pea kapau oku tonounou e apiako ko e me'a ia 'a e Siasi he ko honau 'apiako ..
Ka oku osi ongo mai 'a e talanoa oku fienofo pe fanau I NZ ke fakakakato honau fatongia kumi pa'anga. Ko e kau taki oe Potungaue Ako a e SUTT oku totonu ke nau fai ha tu'utu'uni fakapotopoto ke fakafoki e fanau ko'eni ne hoko e fakatamaki kiate kinautolu ki 'api he kuo 'ikai ke nau lava ke malui mo tauhi enau moui ke hao lolotonga a enau I NZ.. toki fakakaukau fakavalevale ia koe 'oange moe fika koe 2 kilu kenau omai o kumi ..
Kuo hoko e palopalema o mole ai e mo'ui pea koe Puleako koia na'a ne fai e tu'utu'uni ke fai e folau ni he kamata koia oku totonu ke tokoni ke tu'utu'uni ke foki e fanau ki he 'enau matu'a .. Ikai ha toe fakauhinga moe ha fua koe foki ki api he kuo mole 'a e mo'ui.. Ko e me'a mahu'inga taha koe moui pea oku toki fika kimui e money kau faifekau moe faiako pule.. -
Mooni a Oua e Fiu ta'u lahi eni e mate he fefononga'aki, ahotau kakai i Nuusila toe pehee pe mo Tonga ni. Tonu pe ke toe hili etau lotu kihe me'afua pe oku tau kei lotu koaa kihe Otua moui pe oku tau tauhi etautolu ha Otua mate. Sisu tokoni mai ki Tonga.
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Fakapotopoto aupito ia Siaosi, fekau atu kenau foki mai aa, pea ko e ako'anga eni ki he kau feinga pa'anga kotoa, ketau fiemalie pe 'i he me'a 'oku tau ma'u, ko e 'atunga eni 'a e holi ko e mate mo e lavelavea.
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Tulou atu he Talamahe'a kuo ongona he Ngaluope, pea oku si Fatafata 'ae Tonga kotoa he fktamaki na'e hook 'I NZ kihe Fanau 'ako 'ae Sutt 'o Vv Lahi he efiafi Kilisimasi 'oe 2016!!!
Neongo koe fkhe mata he Langa 'oe 'Ako he Vahe Vv, ka koe'uhi koe fktamaki he Fefononga'aki pea hook 'o mole 'ae Mo'ui pea pehee kihe Lavelavea Lahi 'oku nau 'I kei Falemahaki. koia 'oku 'oatu 'ae 'Ofa kihe ng Famili kotoa 'oku huki tonu ai 'ae Faingata'a ni, pea tau fkfeta'i pe 'oku 'ave 'ae taha kae toe mai ha taha....
1. Koe ta'u Lahi taha 'eni 'ae hook 'ae ng Fktamaki Lalahi he hala Pule'anga I NZ ki hotau kakai.
A) koe kau seasonal fruit pickers
B) koe matu'a Tonga heka vaka
C) Tamaiki ako Mailefihi /Siulikutapu
Mahino mai 'ae fkmatala 'ae Co-ordinator 'a Vv I Auckland, ae taimi nounou, oku nau 'iai moe fokotu'utu'u 'enau Polokalama 'oku si'i aupito honau Taimi ka nau foki kihe ako 'I Sanuali 2017..........
1. Mahino aupito 'ae Fkvave ( Rush)
2. ko hono ola pe koe ongosia (fatigue)
3. ko hono ikuianga pe koe fktamaki (line of fire)
Mole ke mama'o ke tau loto ke hook ha fktamaki kihe Fanau, ka 'oku mahu'inga aupito 'ae Safety he taimi kotoa pe.....Ofa atu pea fktauange ke mou ma'u ha Ta'u Fo'ou mohu Tapu'aki.