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

Tonga’s team for the South Pacific Games in Fiji next year will receive support worth $20,000, which has been pledged by the Managing Director of Colonial Insurance, Mike Walsh.

Mike said that the Colonial contribution to the Tongan team was part of an major contribution of $150,000, which would be divided between Tonga, Tuvalu, Samoa and Fiji. He said that the contribution would not be handed over in hard cash, but Colonial would pay for expenses, for example “if it is uniforms that Tonga needs, then we will pay for them to be manufactured in Fiji, and send them over to Tonga.”

Mike said that Colonial sponsorship to the South Pacific Games 2003 amounted to $750,000.

Steve Finau, President of TASA said thatthey were very grateful for the generous offer and would try to determine what the team needed most because there were the uniforms, airfares and other sports equipment to be covered.

“ Preparations for the South Pacific Games starts with the meeting of regional coaches in Suva on April 25 to visit various fields where the games will be held. Siale Puloka will be representing Tonga,” said Steve.

This is the first time Colonial has become one of the six major sponsors of the South Pacific Games. The other sponsors are the ANZ Bank, Shell Company, Fiji Telecom and Punjas Distributors.