Results for Tonga

A long hard battle for a two-acre prime business spot in the heart of Nuku‘alofa’s business centre, was won by a local business woman Robina Nakao and her company Fund Management Ltd. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

Following the report of damning comments about Tonga by a New Zealand Cabinet Minister and his associate in the New Zealand press, Matangi Tonga tried to arrange a telephone interview with the New Zealand Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Phil Goff and the Associate Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Matt Robson. After trying repeatedly for several days, we were unable to get a clarification from Robson who was the most aggressive in his accusations against the Tongan government and Royal Family. Mr Goff, however, replied to emailed questions, as follows. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

Tonga’s Prime Minister announced on February 14 that there was a serious turn in Tonga’s relationship with New Zealand in the wake of unsubstantiated accusations made by New Zealand’s foreign ministry. The Prime Minister Prince ‘Ulukalala Lavaka Ata believed that a New Zealand Ministerial attack which ridiculed the Tongan government and Tonga’s Royal family was an attempt to influence Tonga’s March General Election, and “to take the moral high ground, to say they are holier than us, and to dictate to other countries what New Zealand wants”. Prince ‘Ulukalala Lavaka Ata was responding to the accusations at a press conference he called in Nuku‘alofa. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

Tonga’s Human Rights record for 2001 was generally poor, according to the USA Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

The German adventurer, Captain Burghard Pieske, and another German master boat builder, Kieter Brummer visited Tonga at the end of April, at the start of what they hope will become a great adventure. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

The Shoreline Group signed a new agreement with the Tonga Electric Power Board on January 21 this year, which allowed Shoreline Distribution to lease the electricity distribution network for Tongatapu, Ha‘apai and ‘Eua. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

Tongans responded with shock and outrage after the New Zealand Foreign Ministry publicly accused the Tongan government of corruption, expressing concern about the state of democracy in the country and saying that the Tongan government appeared reluctant to introduce constitutional changes. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

While the new Kotoa Movement, formed last year, sees itself as a non-political charity organisation, they also say their movement is working toward thwarting any uprising which could disrupt development. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

The Australian Under-19 girls soccer team became the undisputed champion of Oceania after defeating New Zealand 6-0 at Tonga’s Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku‘alofa on Friday May 3. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.