From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

A friend in need is a friend indeed, was the attitude of the French Polynesian President, Gaston Flosse, when he arrived in Tonga in early February to offer his assistance for the rebuilding of the 20 schools in Vava‘u, which were destroyed or damaged by Cyclone Waka on January 1 this year.

Gaston Flosse said that French Polynesian assistance, which amounted to $100 million French Francs was only 0.1% of Tahiti’s annual budget, which was very little compared to the bonds of friendship he had maintained for many years with King Taufa‘ahau Tupou IV. “This is the Polynesian impetus. We must help each other when one of us is in dire straits.”

While Gaston Flosse with a contingent of Tahitian officials, including his Minister of Education, Hon. Nicolas Sanquer, were in Tonga, the territorial ship, Tahiti Nui arrived in Vava‘u with building materials and a work force of 90 carpenters and builders.

By early May the Tahitians were still in Vava‘u finishing off the school buildings that they have been repairing and reconstructing. Throughout Vava‘u 15 government primary schools, one government High School and four Church schools were either completely destroyed or partially damaged by Waka.

The damage that was caused by Waka was more extensive in Vava‘u and Niuafo‘ou than the rest of Tonga. In Vava‘u over 500 homes were badly damaged, and only two in Niuafo‘ou and 38 in Ha‘apai.

Tonga’s National Disaster Committee estimated total the cost of damage that was inflicted by Waka in Vava‘u and Niua Fo‘ou amounted to over $104 million pa‘anga.