From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 15, no. 2, June 2000.

The $20 million that has been invested in the development of infrastructure in Vava’u during the past 15 years, will enable this part of the country to exploit its full potential in tourism, agriculture and fisheries.

The development program has included the up-grading and the tar-sealing of roads, the drilling of new wells and a new water system for Neiafu, a new market, a new customs shed, a new jetty, a new airport terminal, and a master plan for Neiafu.

Fekita ‘Utoikamanu, the secretary of the Vava’u Development Unit, said that the development program for Vava’u was the first attempt by government to regionalise its development program funded from overseas aid donors. “The European Union focuses their development aid program on Vava’u, Australia in Ha’apai, and New Zealand in the Niuas and ‘Eua island. We are very happy with the outcome of the Vava’u program,” she said.

The EU’s last Convention, Lome IV, ended on February 28 and a new convention was due to be signed in Suva on June 8, but because of the attempted coup in Fiji was moved to Benin, Africa, and delayed until June 20-25.

Fekita said that government had yet to decide whether new EU funding would be spent on Vava’u. “After the signing, it will take another 12 months to rectify the treaty, and during that time government will decide, either to continue with the development of Vava’u or to move some where else,” he said.

Meanwhile, about $ 7 million pa’anga left under Lome IV had not been spent, but the    areas that needed some capital input, were the Private Sector, more work on the airport to allow 737s to land in Vava’u, the dredging of the harbour and the upgrading of the Vaipua Bridge.