Hon. 'Afu'alo Matoto the Minister for Public Enterprises was appointed as Tonga's first Minister of Information on Friday, July 20.

The Prime Minister's office in a statement today, July 23 confirmed that the appointment. 'Afu'alo was firstappointed at the Minister for Public Enterprises in October last year.

The Prime Minister Hon Dr Feleti Sevele stated that the appointment of 'Afu'alo was most appropriate. He has the experience of working with statutory boards and similar organisations and he could, "speak on behalf of the Government and [is someone] to whom questions and clarifications on matters of public interest can be addressed."

The details of the composition of the new Ministry of Information, the government's information gathering departments and services that will come under the jurisdiction of the new Minister have yet to be finalised.

'Afu'alo was the secretary for the Ministry of Finance for a number of years during the 1980s. He then joined the Bank of Tonga, before it became Westpac Bank of Tonga. 'Afu'alo later became the General Manager of the Tonga Development Bank, until he was appointed as the Minister for Public Enterprises last year.