Kuo hoko ‘a e ngaahi tokoni fakaetamaki mei muli ni ko ha fakalotolahi ki he kakai ‘o Ha’apai na’e tukuvakā ‘i Tongatapu ke nau foki ki honau motu.

Ko e ngaahi tokoni ni na’e kau ai ‘a e koniteina ‘e fā mei he Siasi Metotisi ‘o Nu’usila ni, ‘a ia na’e fakafou ‘i he Vahefonua Tonga ‘o Aotearoa, pea mo e tokoni ngaahi hina vai mei he UM.C Pacific, ‘Amelika.

Kuo tu’uta lelei atu 'a e MV Taka 'i Pomana ki Ha’apai mo e kau pāsese ‘e toko 126. Na’e talu ‘enau tukuvaka 'i Tongatapu talu e mapuna 'a e mo'unga afi Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai ‘i he ‘aho 15 ‘o Sānuali ‘o e ta’u ni.

Na'e tu’uta foki 'a e MV 'Otuanga'ofa mo e uta 'ata'ata pē ke tokoni ki he teuteu ke tu'uta atu 'a e kau folau ni.

‘Oku pelepelengesi foki ‘a e folau ni koe’uhī ko e tu’unga ‘oku lolotonga ‘i ai ‘a e KOVITI-19 ‘i Tonga. ‘I he taimi paaki ‘a e nusipepa ni na’e kei hala ‘a e ongo vahefonua Ha’apai mo ‘Eua ‘i ha keisi he mahaki faka’auha ni.

‘I ha fakamatala mei he kōmiti tokoni ‘a e Siasi Uesiliana Tau’ataina ‘o Tonga - ‘a ia ‘oku a’ana ‘a hono tufa e koniteina tokoni mei he Vahefonua Tonga ‘o Aotearoa - ‘oku fiema’ua ‘aupito e ngaahi wheelchair mo e walker koe’uhi ko e kau tokavaivai mo faingata’a’ia.

Ko e tufa foki koeni ‘oku ‘ikai lau e siasi ‘oku kau ki ai ha fāmili.

Na’e pehē ‘e Rev Tevita ‘Ofahulu, ko e Faifekau Pule ‘o e Vahefonua Tongatapu, kuo lahi e vala he taimi ni. Ka ko e kafu mo e tauveli ‘oku kei fiema’u lahi taha he taimi ni.

‘Oku hanga ‘e he kau ngāue ‘a e kōmiti ‘o fa’o fakafuofua pe ngaahi puha ke faingofua ‘a hono fakahifo ‘i he ngaahi ‘otu motu, ko e fakamatala ia ‘a e Faifekau Pule.

Na’a ne toe pehē ‘oku ki’i tuai pē ‘a e ngāue tufa koe’uhi ko e penitēmiki.

‘I he fuofua tu’uta e ngaahi koniteina ‘etau Vahefonua ki Tonga, na’e ‘ave ‘o fakahifo ki he ‘api ‘a e siasi ‘i Kolofo’ou, Kalofiama ‘o Epworth.

Na’e 'osi 'ave pe foki 'a e 'inasi mei ai ki Hua'tolitoli, nofo’anga 'Alonga mo Sia'atoutai koe’uhi ko e mofele ‘a e KOVITI-19 ‘ia nautolu. Ko e ongoongo meia Faifekau Tevita ‘Ofahulu na’e ‘osi lava o fakaa'u ‘etau ‘ofa ki Kanokupolu, kāinga Mango ki he Hall SUTT Longolongo pea ki he kāinga 'Atatā ki he Hall Siasi ‘o Tonga 'i Longolongo ai pe.

Na’e lava foki mo e ‘inasi ki ‘Eua.

Ko e kōmiti ngāue: Taki – Setuata Lahi ‘o e Vahefonua Tongatapu mo e Tokoni, Tukia mo To’imoana, kau setuata Kolomotu’a mo Kolofo’ou, fānau tangata mei he to’utupu ‘o Kolomotu’a mo Kolofo’ou, ongo Faifekau Pule ‘o Kolomotu’a mo Kolofo’ou mo e ongo tokoni.

'Oku mahino pē 'oku tokolahi e kāinga Ha’apai 'oku nau fie foki ki he fāmili ka kuo pau ke fakahoko eni fakatatau ki he ngaahi tu'utu'uni fefolau’aki ‘a e Potungāue Mo’ui.

Ko kinautolu 'oku nau fie folau ki Ha'apai pe ko 'Eua, kuo pau kenau lesisita ki he kautaha vaka 'o fakamahino'i 'oku nau faka’amu folau. ‘Oku 'i ai 'a e tokolahi pau 'e toki fakangofua ke kau he folau ke lava pe ke tauhi e vāmama'o (social distancing).

'E 'ave leva e lisi ko ia ki he Potungāue Mo'ui ke vakai'i 'oku 'ikai ko ha tokotaha 'oku puke he KOVITI-19 pe na'e vā ofi mo ha tokotaha 'oku puke he to’umahaki ni.

'Oku pau ke nofo ma'u 'i 'api pe kolonitini 'i 'api 'a kinautolu 'oku nau teuteu folau 'i ha 'aho 'e 5 pea fai e folau.

Ko kinautolu pe kuo hoani 'enau huhu malu'i KOVITI-19 'e ngofua kenau folau, ko e fakamatala ia ‘a e Potungāue Mo'ui.

'Oku fakahoko ha tesi RATs ma’a e kau pāsese he 'aho tatau pe 'o e folau ke fakasi'isi'i ha faingamalie ke mafola ai 'a e KOVITI-19. 'O kapau ‘e sivi ha taha pea ola Positive pe mahino 'oku puke he KOVITI-19, 'e pau ke ne nofo 'o tauhi lelei pea toki teuteu ke folau hili e taimi kolonitini pea to e tesi ke fakapapau'i 'oku 'ata’atā pe Negative.

Kuopau pe ke muimui'i e ngaahi founga faka'ehi'ehi 'o kau ai e tui e mask, fanofano ma'u pe e nima 'aki e koa mo e vai pe ko e 'olokaholo fanofano (sanitiser) pea tauhi e vā mama'o.

Ko e fale’i ‘a e Potungāue Mo’ui ki he kau teu folau – ‘e lelei ange ke 'oua 'e to e fai ha fe'iloaki mo ha kakai 'oku 'ikai kemou teu folau fakataha.

‘I he tu’uta ki Ha’apai, ‘e kolonitini 'aho 5 e kau folau 'i he ngaahi feitu'u pau pea 'e tokoni e kau laine mu'a (front line) ki hono tauhi e kau pāsese. Lolotonga e kolonitini 'aho 5 'i Ha'apai, 'oku 'i ai e ngaahi tu'utu'uni kuopau ke muimui'i.

'Oku ngāue vā ofi 'Eiki Kovana Ha'apai, Pita Taufatofua, mo e Toketa Pule 'i Ha'apai, Dr. Tevita Vakasiuola, mo e Potungāue MEIDECC, FISA, Tofa Ramsay Shipping mo e ngaahi kupu fekau'aki ke talia e kole 'a e kāinga kenau foki ki he Fo'i 'One'one.

Caption for the Rev Tevita 'Ofahulu pic: Rev Tevita 'Ofahulu, of the Free Weslyan Church of Tonga, the man in charge of the committee tasked with distributing the relief aid to families in need. (Credit: Tevita 'Ofahulu)

Caption for rebuilding Ha'apai pic: NZ Defence Personnel pic: NZ Defence staff helping to rebuild Ha'apai.(Credit: Solo Savelio)

Caption for Ha'apai pic: Ha'apai islanders who had been sheltering in Nuku'alofa since the January 15 tsunami, finally get to return to their home island. (credit Solo Savelio)

Caption for Nomuka pic: The island of Nomuka, Ha'apai, after the tsunami struck (credit: Solo Savelio)