The Tonga Government Printing Department is the latest of government's semi-commercial operations to be corporatised.

Corporatisation is the first phase of privatising a government public utility operation.

The Acting Deputy Secretary of the Public Enterprise Division of the Ministry of Finance, Henry Cocker said that on January 1 the Tonga Government Printing Department was renamed Tonga Print.

He said that Tonga Print would be administered by a four-members Board of Directors, which would be chaired by Afu'alo Matoto, the General Manager of the Tonga Development Bank. The four directors of the board are, Dr Kalolaine Fusimalohi, the director of the Central Planning Department; Taholo Kami, the Manager of the Friendly Island Bookshop; Hauoma Latu, a senior staff of the printing department; and Takitoa Taumoepeau, the former Government Printer.

The Government Printing Department, under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister, has been on the list of government operations to be privatised. In last year...’s government budget $800,000 was allocated for the corporatising of the Printing Department.

Takitoa Taumoepeau said that $400,000 was released to the printing department last year for the purchasing of new equipment, "and the rest of the allocation, $400,000 will be released to Tonga Print for its initial operation as a corporatised body."

Takitoa said that the 58 staff of the Printing Department had been reallocated, with 23 opting to remain as public servants, four accepting a redundancy package and 31 remaining working for Tonga Print.

The Printing Department used to cater for Tonga'’s commercial printing needs, printing booklets, books and newspapers, but in recent years faced stiff competition from Fijian and New Zealand printing houses.

Tonga Print is fully owned by the Tongan government with accumulated assets valued at $1 million. When Tonga Print is finally privatised, it is anticipated that government will sell some or all of its shares.