Queen Mother opens new Tungi Colonnade building [1]
Wednesday, June 27, 2012 - 12:42. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
The new $16.5 million Tungi Colonnade building was officially opened by HM the Queen Mother Halaevalu Mata'aho yesterday afternoon, June 28.
The 4682 square metre building rises up from the ashes of the old Tungi Arcade building of the Free Wesleyan Church FWC of Tonga, that was burnt to the ground during November 16, 2006 riot.
Rev Dr Tevita Havea, the General Secretary of the FWC, thanked the Chinese Ambassador HE Mr Wang Donghua and the People's Republic of China for financing the rebuilding of Nuku'alofa, and the Tungi Colonnade building after the sad event of 16/11 2006.
He said the three-story building remains unfurnished as the church needs an additional $1.5 million pa'anga to furnish the top floor. However, Rev Tevita Havea said that the ground and the first floor are ready for rent.
Rev Tevita Havea then pleaded to HE Mr Wang Donghua and the Prime Minister, Lord Tu'ivakano for help with their loan repayment to the Government of Tonga.
" If I may be blunt, I ask you to save us from committing suicide in this project, help us and take away the condition of the Government of Tonga from the situation of repaying our loan so we may be able to realise our dream in the near future. I leave you with prayers and that you find in your good heart ways to remove this deadly ring of rope from our neck."
Dream
Rev Tevita Havea said that on November 16, 2006 the church and people watched in dismay as the fire engulfed their dream of having a successful business to earn financial support to finance the work of the church.
" This is a new building with a new name, a new leaf but still with an old dream of finding a reliable source of income to help our church in performing a vital ministry to the people of Tonga."
Cooperation
HE Mr Wang Donghua said, the Tungi Colonnade building is part of the Nuku'alofa Central Business District CBD reconstruction project undertaken by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation CCECC with concessional loan from the Government of China.
He was happy that China was the first to response positively to a request from Tonga for the CBD reconstruction and to see the CBD reconstruction project nearly completed after years of work.
" I hope the Tungi Colonnade will join the rest of the CBD reconstruction project in restoring vitality and dimension to Nuku'alofa," said HE Mr Wang Donghua. He also thanked CCECC, the Government of Tonga and the Nuku'alofa Development Corporation NDC for the assistance and support during the reconstruction.
"Tungi Colonnade is a new testimony for Tonga and China's cooperation, which is beyond the CBD project. It is gratifying to note the friendly relations between China and Tonga has developed," he said.
The building was constructed under a TOP$118 million loan by the Government of Tonga from China, specifically for of the reconstruction of the Nuku'alofa CBD.