Results for Pacific Islands

Tonga’s economy is in trouble. The economic contraction during two years of border restrictions, has been accelerated by January’s devastating Hunga volcanic eruption and tsunamis, followed by the arrival of COVID-19 in February and further job losses. In tabling his 2022-23 budget, the Minister of Finance warned of a continuing contraction of the economy, the likes of which we have not experienced before. From the House, by Pesi Fonua.

This year sees the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne and her Platinum Jubilee. We believe this is the first time this has happened in a Commonwealth country in recent history, and it is a very significant historical moment. But it is much more than that – it is a moment to celebrate Her Majesty’s lifetime of service and devotion to her realms and to the Commonwealth, to celebrate ‘both the institution of the Crown and the exceptional individual who wears it’, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said so well. In the UK this weekend there will be a four day celebration. It will begin on Thursday 2 June. I will plant a tree in my garden here in Tonga in the coming weeks, to mark the Platinum Jubilee as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative. - Lucy Joyce, British High Commissioner to Tonga.

Around USD1.5 million has been committed by the Government of Japan to provide useful equipment, including fishing boats to aid Tonga's fisheries sector in its post tsunami recovery. Damage from the January tsunamis cost Tonga's fishing industry an estimated $21.5million loss.

Forty-five Tongan soldiers from His Majesty’s Armed Forces will take part in the world largest international maritime exercise, the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC 2022) in Hawaii next month. They departed Tonga for training in Australia on 23 May.

A dividend of $782,048.69 for the financial year 2020-2021, for Tonga Communications Corporation, was declared by the public enterprises ICT Sector Shared Board, at its Annual General Meeting in Nuku’alofa on May 5.

Three COVID-19 cases have been reported in the remote Tongan island of Niuafo’ou, the Minister for Health, Hon Saia Piukala confirmed today.

New Zealand will fully reopen its border by the end of July, three months earlier than originally planned. Visitors from Pacific Islands Forum countries can apply for visas starting on Monday, 16 May.

Tonga’s lockdown orange level restrictions will ease further with gyms, bars, and kava clubs, allowed to open, starting from Saturday May 7, confirmed Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku today during a press conference. The quarantine period has also been reduced to seven days, while essential staff who have had COVID-19 can isolate for three days.

There are currently 1,217 active COVID-19 cases recorded in Tonga as at 2 May, with the majority (702) located on Tongatapu. Vava’u has 431 active cases, Ha’apai has 84, while ‘Eua and the two Niuas have no cases.