A New Zealander will be Tonga's new Police Commander, the Ministry of Police, Prisons and Fire Services announced on April 2, stating they had not found a suitable local candidate.

Tonga has been without a Police Commander since December 2006 when the former Police Commander, Sinilau Kolokihakaufisi resigned a few weeks after the 16/11 riot.

The post has been filled by an Acting Commander, while government was searching for a new Police Commander. When the advertising for the vacant post was closed in February this year there were only seven applicants.

The Minister of Police, Hon. Siaosi 'Aho, said that a selection process that was managed by the Public Service Commission was unable to identify a suitable candidate to fill the Commander's position from the seven applicants.

"The government has therefore requested that the New Zealand Government provide an expatriate Commander from within the ranks of the New Zealand Police."

The appointment of the new Commander is expected soon, together with the signing of a Memorandum of Arrangement for a Tonga Police Force Development Programme TPFDP, between Tonga, New Zealand and Australia.

The programme will be funded by AUSAID and NZAID, and will be implemented with the support of the New Zealand Police and Australian Federal Police.

The Minister of Police said that the Tonga government accepted the need for change in the Police and welcomed the assistance of New Zealand and Australia.

"It is essential that the community is able to have trust and confidence in their police and the tripartite development programme, together with a new Commander, will go a long way towards achieving that goal. This is an exciting time for both police and the community in the Kingdom," said Hon. Siaosi 'Aho.