Tongan political couple have fraud case deferred, New Caledonia's Covid-19 lockdown is extended, Fiji has border case of Covid and Tokelau appoints new Director of Health.
Tongan MP 'Akosita Lavulavu. Photo: RNZI/Koroi Hawkins
Tongan politicians have fraud case deferred
A court hearing for former Tongan cabinet minister, 'Etuate Lavulavu, and his wife, current Infrastructure Minister, 'Akosita Lavulavu, has been put back until the week after next.
This after they failed to show for a magistrate's court session on Thursday.
The couple have been charged with using a document to defraud in 2017, when they quarried land in Vava'u despite the landowner saying he had not signed a letter giving the Lavulavus' permission to do so.
The leader of the opposition PTOA Party, Semisi Sika, who was Deputy Prime Minister in the previous government, ws one of the witnesses being called.
New Caledonia lockdown is extended.
New Caledonia's Covid-19 lockdown has been extended a third week until Sunday March the 28th.
The French territory entered a lockdown earlier this month after new community cases of the coronavirus were confirmed.
Furthermore, covid cases have exploded in the neighbouring French territory of Wallis and Futuna, adding further risks.
Authorities in New Caledonia suggest the lockdown has controlled the latest surge of infections.
But they have issued an extension to ensure the end of community transmission.
By April, France is expected to have supplied 42,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine to New Caledonia.
One border Covid case in Fiji
Fiji now has one active border quarantine case of Covid-19 isolated at the Lautoka Hospital.
This Health Ministry says three other cases have recovered and there are no new cases recorded since the last border quarantine case 11 days ago.
In its latest update report, the ministry said there had been more than 34-thousand covid laboratory tests conducted.
It said there was also a daily average of 248 tests over the last seven days and a weekly average of 1,615 tests over the past two weeks.
Fiji has had 66 Covid cases with 63 cases recovered and two deaths reported.
Tokelau appoints new Director of Health.
The Council of Tokelau has announced the appointment of Rosa Toloa as the territory's new Director of Health.
Toloa is a trained nurse with a Social Policy degree from Wellington's Victoria University and post graduate awards from Otago and Massey universities.
The Ulu o Tokelau, Kelihiano Kalolo describes it as a significant appointment given the importance of the health sector during the Covid-19 pandemic. .
According to him, Toloa brings a wealth of experience in both the health sector and the Tokelau Public Service.