Development

The Mango Tree Centre at Houmakelikao and the Ngele’ia Government Primary School, who offer supporting services to people with disabilities in Tongatapu, were awarded grants by the Japanese Ambassador to Tonga, HE Dr Kazuchika Hamuro, on Friday February 15.

A Tonga Micro Finance Program that would give direct support to low income earners through the provision of micro loans to be administered by the Tonga Development Bank, is to start in early February 2013, for two years.

In committing just over TOP$1 million pa’anga from the Government of Japan to fund community projects including the upgrade of water supply systems in four villages in Tongatapu and the construction of new classrooms for Vava’u Side School, the Ambassador of Japan to Tonga urged the recipients “to manage the facilities and equipment properly so they can last as long as our long-standing friendship.”

Although the Nuku’alofa Central Business District project has been handed over to the Government of Tonga, a 12-months period binds the contractor to fix any fault identified by landholders.

A Pangai Community Police Station in Ha’apai, renovated at a cost of over half a million pa’anga was officially opened by the Governor of Ha’apai, Lord Tu’iha’angana, on August 2.