Tonga moves to stop beach sand removal [1]
Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 16:38. Updated on Monday, May 5, 2014 - 11:30.
The Tongan government has stopped the removal of sand from all beaches in Tongatapu, excepting Laulea Beach.
Tevita Malolo, the Secretary for the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Natural Resources said that sand may be removed from Laulea for private use only with a limitation of five tonnes per head, at $6.80 per tonnes, "but for funerals it is free."
Tevita said that because of concern over soil erosion in coastal areas, the ministry with the help of SOPAC during the past 10 years had been carrying out research and studies on the mining of sand from the sea-bed to replace beach sand. He said that they had located a number of sand banks in various locations within the Nuku'alofa Harbour.
Tevita said that when the Port applied for a licence to mine sand they were issued with a licence. Since September 2003, the Port Authority has been dredging sand from an under-water sand bank between Loa Reef and Manu Reef, nine kilometers from Faua Wharf, and to the north west of the resort island of Fafa.
The area is under the jurisdiction of Port Authority, but the Ministry has the authority over the issuing of mining licences, and to date has issued two licences, one to the Port Authority and the other to Vete Holdings Ltd. At the moment only the Port Authority is dredging.
Lupeti Vi, the secretary for the Port Authority said that since September 2003 they had dredged 4000 tonnes of sand and stock piled them at the Queen Salote Wharf, and up to March 15 they had sold 300 tonnes at $125 per Yard comparing with $160 per Yard the old rate for beach sand that was sold by the Ministry of Land.