Results for 2002

If you are wondering why Tonga’s Minister of Health, Dr Viliami Tangi, sitting in the dentist’s chair is smiling, it is because at last Tonga has a Preventive Dentistry Unit for reaching school children. The Ministry of Health has been without a mobile school dental van for more than 10 years. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

Following the report of damning comments about Tonga by a New Zealand Cabinet Minister and his associate in the New Zealand press, Matangi Tonga tried to arrange a telephone interview with the New Zealand Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Phil Goff and the Associate Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Matt Robson. After trying repeatedly for several days, we were unable to get a clarification from Robson who was the most aggressive in his accusations against the Tongan government and Royal Family. Mr Goff, however, replied to emailed questions, as follows. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

On-line training has been introduced to the Short Term Training Program of the Prime Miniser’s Office. The on-line training, in affiliation with the Illawarra Institute of New South Wales, Australia, was officially launched by the Prime Minister HRH Prince ‘Ulukalala Lavka Ata at the end of April at the Distance Education and Communication Center, Pahu. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

Tonga’s Human Rights record for 2001 was generally poor, according to the USA Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

The German adventurer, Captain Burghard Pieske, and another German master boat builder, Kieter Brummer visited Tonga at the end of April, at the start of what they hope will become a great adventure. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

Tonga’s team for the South Pacific Games in Fiji next year will receive support worth $20,000, which has been pledged by the Managing Director of Colonial Insurance, Mike Walsh. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

Tongans responded with shock and outrage after the New Zealand Foreign Ministry publicly accused the Tongan government of corruption, expressing concern about the state of democracy in the country and saying that the Tongan government appeared reluctant to introduce constitutional changes. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

Tonga’s Prime Minister announced on February 14 that there was a serious turn in Tonga’s relationship with New Zealand in the wake of unsubstantiated accusations made by New Zealand’s foreign ministry. The Prime Minister Prince ‘Ulukalala Lavaka Ata believed that a New Zealand Ministerial attack which ridiculed the Tongan government and Tonga’s Royal family was an attempt to influence Tonga’s March General Election, and “to take the moral high ground, to say they are holier than us, and to dictate to other countries what New Zealand wants”. Prince ‘Ulukalala Lavaka Ata was responding to the accusations at a press conference he called in Nuku‘alofa. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

A new Branch of the Bank of Tonga to deal mainly with Business and Company Loans was officially opened for business by the Minister for Labour and Commerce, Dr Masaso Paunga, at the New Si‘i Kae Ola Building, Hala Taufa‘ahau on April 29. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.