Results for Pacific Islands

Twenty-eight skilled construction workers from three Pacific Islands, including Tonga, will be working on the Christchurch rebuild, to fill skills shortages before the end of May this year.

A rescue and tourism helicopter service offered to Tonga by Rodger McCutcheon, a New Zealand pilot, has moved to Samoa after Tonga delayed the start of the service earlier this year. Samoa’s Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Luesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi welcomed the new helicopter service and stated, “It is utter nonsense and ridiculous for any government to discard a service of this nature.”

New Zealand’s future development assistance to Tonga will be focused on energy, law and justice, education and skills development, and economic development, as an outcome of consultations completed in Tonga today, with New Zealand’s Deputy Secretary for International Development, Jonathan Kings and the Tonga Government. New Zealand anticipates investing approximately TOP$112 million (NZD$75 million) in development assistance to Tonga over the next three years.

In the maritime arena, Tonga is grappling with security of its extensive coastline as well as policing of its 676,401 sq km territory. Its remote location makes it a fertile region for transnational crime, while unauthorized exploitation of its fisheries and marine wealth in its coastal waters as well as in its EEZ has direct impact on its national economy and security.

The ‘Epeli Hau’ofa Dance Festival II, showcasing art, music, education, culture and heritage is planned by the University of the South Pacific’s Oceania Centre for Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies, on 21-26 March 2016 in memory of the late Professor ‘Epeli Hau’ofa.

A California based environmentalist group, Ethical Traveler, included Tonga in its annual list of ‘The World’s Ten Best Ethical Destinations’. It wasn’t all praise, however.

Nation branding is critical in the 21st century and leads to investment, identity, tourism and a place in people’s minds and hearts according to Professor Ian Michael, presenting at the University of the South Pacific’s Meet-the-Leaders Forum for its Graduate School of Business students in February.

Pacific Island nations and territories will continue to receive help to strengthen development needs thanks to New Zealand’s largest volunteer agency, Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA), for signing a three year Memorandum of Understanding with the Pacific Community (SPC).

Encouraging overseas born Tongan youth to spend some time in Tonga and to attend schools in Tonga, through a properly structured program, could help to foster stronger connections with second and third generation offspring of migrants, a new report recommends. But the report also reveals that for students having little or no preparation for a change of lifestyle, settling in to high school is very challenging and can even be dangerous.