Crown Prince opens new hall for Te'ekiu [1]
Thursday, February 20, 2014 - 20:30. Updated on Friday, February 21, 2014 - 19:26.
A new Community Hall to be used as a disaster response centre for the people in Te'ekiu village was opened by Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala on February 19.
The Community Hall was constructed with assistance from the United States Government and the joint-engineering capabilities of the US Navy Construction Battalion (CB- Seabees), and His Majesty's Armed Forces (HMAF).
Prime Minister Lord Tu'ivakano said the new community hall would be used as an assembly centre in natural disasters and as a centre for education and health development programs, church functions and other family gatherings.
He thanked the US Government and US Navy Seabees for building the hall, which was a long awaited project requested by the estate holder Motu’apuaka and the people of Te’ekiu.
During the Pacific Partnership last year, the US Navy Seabees with Australia, New Zealand and Japan started the construction of the hall.
The Deputy Chief of Missions at the US Embassy in Suva Jeffery Robertson, the Tonga Desk Officer at the US Department of State Ray Sudweeks and Brigadier-General William Burks the Adjutant General of the State of Nevada, attended the opening ceremony.