HRH Crown Prince Tupouto'a-Lavaka presented his letter of credence, as the Tongan High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea to the PNG Governor General, Sir Paulius Matane in Port Moresby last week, and learned of future employment opportunities for Tongans in PNG.

On March 26 the Tongan High Commission's office in Canberra, Australia, stated that when the Crown Prince presented his letter of credence he was told of a $US15 billion deal that PNG Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare had signed with the energy giant Exxon Mobil.

The project "Esso Highlands" is expected to produce more than six million tones of liquefied natural gas for export annually. The project offers massive employment opportunities beyond the capability of Papua New Guinea to provide and he was told that PNG will welcome Tongans and other Pacific Islanders to fill some of these jobs.

A report by a group of Emerging Pacific Leaders Dialogue that visited Papua New Guinea recently revealed in Nuku'alofa last week that about 16,000 workers would be needed by PNG for its LNG Project, but PNG can provide only about 1,500 workers.

Tonga has had diplomatic relations with Papua New Guinea for a number of years, but prior to that the two countries have had friendly relation established by some Tongan missionaries who had worked and died there.

Crown Prince Tupouto'a Lavaka is based in Canberra.