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Home > ‘Mateuteu keke hao’ - ‘Be Ready, Be Safe’ Boating Awareness programme

‘Mateuteu keke hao’ - ‘Be Ready, Be Safe’ Boating Awareness programme [1]

Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Monday, April 14, 2025 - 20:42

'Atata resident, Taniela Fonua receive maritime safety equipment from Rt Hon. Winston Peters. Nuku'alofa, Tonga. 11 April 2025. Photo: Matangi Tonga.

By Tupou Vaipulu Jr

A ‘Safe Boating Awareness Program’, was launched by the New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister, Rt Hon. Winston Peters, during his one-day visit to Tongatapu on Friday, 11 April.

The new program highlights the importance of maritime safety, ‘Mateuteu keke hao’ or ‘Be Ready, Be Safe’.

“Maritime Safety is a core part of protecting our communities,” Rt. Hon. Peters said.

“This programme will increase community awareness of maritime safety practices and use of safety equipment.”

Tongan DPM, Hon. Taniela Fusimalohi and Rt Hon. Winston Peters. Nuku'alofa, Tonga. 11 April 2025. Photo: Matangi Tonga.

The programme will also encourage the voluntary registration of small vessels and improve the coordination across government agencies responsible for maritime safety.

The Pacific Maritime Safety Programme (PMSP) has been delivered by Maritime New Zealand in Tonga since 2011.

The programme partnered with Tonga's Ministry of Infrastructure, Marine Ports Division and the Tonga Police Maritime Group.

The most recent PMSP initiative was a community education and awareness programme called, ‘Safer Water, Safer Communities’.

'Atata residents, Taniela Fonua and children who survived the HT-HH volcanic eruption and tsunami in 2022. Nuku'alofa, Tonga. 11 April 2025. Photo: Matangi Tonga.

Taniela Fonua, an 'Atata resident, said that he is one of the very few people who still lives on the island that was evacuated after the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha'api tsunami in 2022..

Taniela helped to safely evacuate almost 50 people from 'Atata toNuku'alofa.

On Friday he received a bag of new boating safety equipment, marking the beginning of the new programme, promoting safe boating in Tonga.

Pacific Islands [2]
Tonga [3]
boating safety [4]
maritime safety [5]
be ready be safe [6]
Rt Hon Winston Peters [7]
Taniela Fonua [8]
Development [9]

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Source URL:https://matangitonga.to/2025/04/14/mateuteu-keke-hao-be-ready-be-safe-boating-awareness-programme

Links
[1] https://matangitonga.to/2025/04/14/mateuteu-keke-hao-be-ready-be-safe-boating-awareness-programme [2] https://matangitonga.to/tag/pacific-islands?page=1 [3] https://matangitonga.to/tag/tonga?page=1 [4] https://matangitonga.to/tag/boating-safety?page=1 [5] https://matangitonga.to/tag/maritime-safety?page=1 [6] https://matangitonga.to/tag/be-ready-be-safe?page=1 [7] https://matangitonga.to/tag/rt-hon-winston-peters?page=1 [8] https://matangitonga.to/tag/taniela-fonua?page=1 [9] https://matangitonga.to/topic/development?page=1