Results for Business

Blaming manufacturing-job losses on low-wage foreign competition, or, increasingly, on automation has become a staple of populist politics in developed countries. Nowhere is this truer than in the United States, where President Donald Trump campaigned on the issue in 2016 and has since launched a trade war with China. But US workers have long faced another source of competition much closer to home: prison labour.

Thirteen seasonal program workers were awarded a business certificate of completion today, 29 March, at an awards event to support their long-term business goals in Tonga. The four week ‘Your Enterprise Scheme’ business program, is the first to be piloted in Tonga.

"Meet the Pacific", to be held in five European cities from February 22 to March 6 is expected to create greater awareness in the South Pacific Islands region across Europe.

Bank of South Pacific Tonga Ltd. last week opened new sub branches at Ha'apai and ‘Eua with fully Automated Teller Machine (ATMs) installed. BSP Country Head, Daniel Henson said renovations at the Vava'u branch were also opened by the Governor of Vava'u, Lord Fulivai, attended by the Chairman of Bank South Pacific, Sir Kostas Constantinou OBE.

A local sewing program for women has produced 10 successful trainees who received certificates at Tu’atakilangi village on Saturday 9 April.

Tonga Power Ltd. paid its highest dividend to the Government of Tonga, handing over a cheque for $2 million pa'anga on December 8. The 2014-15 dividend represents a 27% increase on the previous year's return to government.

An attempt by a major frozen chicken importer, Moapa Enterprises Ltd., to sue its shipping agent for defamation has backfired when it was found that the foreign-owned company was trading illegally in activities reserved for Tongans.

Tonga’s very low economic growth rate means that employment, particularly for young people, cannot be realised, and new investment is needed in order to create new opportunities, the World Bank Vice President for East Asia and Pacific, Axel van Trotsenburg said in Nuku‘alofa yesterday, February 26.

The recently enacted Food Act 2014 was reviewed last night under a theme “Food safety is your business”, at a Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industry meeting, and was met with concern among some business owners. By Finau Fonua.