Results for 2002

The executive members of the Tonga Rugby Football Union are facing the difficult task of restructuring Tongan rugby and fostering the image of Tonga as a great rugby nation. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 3, November 2002.

Royal Tongan Airlines will resume its international air service on November 25. The new Chief Executive Officer, Logan Appu, said that they would introduce a daily service between Tonga and Auckland, and a weekly service between Auckland, Sydney, Tonga, and Auckland. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 3, November 2002.

Tonga’s membership with the WTO is seen as a bench-mark for the success of the government’s Economic Reform Program, that was officially launched in April this year. This economic reform is aimed at energising Tongan industries, offering more employment opportunities, and producing quality products to compete in the world market. Paula Kautoke said that the principle of WTO is for countries to exploit their advantages. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 3, November 2002.

It was the highlight of Prue Jackson’s holiday in Tonga when she met Saia ‘Ahau at Crown Prince Tupouto‘a residence, The Villa, on August 21. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 3, November 2002.

The Ocean of Light International School will move to a newly built complex on the western outskirts of Nuku‘alofa next year. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 3, November 2002.

The current economic reform, in preparation for when Tonga becomes a member of the World Trade Organisation, and the hype that this could pull the economy out from its state of stagnation, is the wishful thinking of many people. But the big question remains: are we ready to exploit our WTO membership, or is it going to be just like the other Free Trade Agreements we have signed with other countries, where it will enable us to import more from our partners but export less? From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 3, November 2002.

‘Alatini Fisheries Co. Ltd .is planning to open before Christmas a new speciality food shop on Taufa‘ahau Road, Nuku‘alofa, specialising in fresh, chilled and frozen foods. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 3, November 2002.

Last year, the Tonga Prisons Department began sending children between 14-16 years old to ‘Atā, a small remote island, an hour by boat off the east coast of Tongatapu (not to be confused with ‘Ata Is. to the south). From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 2, August 2002.

Tonga’s 28 year old Bank of Tonga was renamed Westpac-Bank of Tonga after the Tongan Parliament amended the Bank of Tonga Act on July 15. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 2, August 2002.