Results for Tonga

Tonga’s Minister of Health said she was shocked by a report on adolescent unplanned pregnancy in Tonga, launched today, “because I did not know that young girls can take their own lives because they find out they are pregnant. ...We cannot continue that into the future!” The country report presented recommendations for long-term changes that need to happen.

The Bank South Pacific Tonga Limited made a net profit after income tax of $9.881 million pa'anga for the year ending 31 December 2020, the Directors declared in a key disclosure statement summary today. This compared to a profit of $11.155 million in 2019. Net Operating Income declined during the year 2020 under COVID-19 restrictions.

Tonga steps up its war against drugs with a new Tonga Police College Training Block commissioned by King Tupou VI at an official ceremony yesterday, 23 March at Longolongo. Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell said illicit drugs are a key security challenge for the country, along with COVID-19 and climate change, and there was a commitment for an additional 100 police officers. At the ceremony the King invested the Commissioner and his wife with Royal Orders of the Crown.

Three repatriation flights to Tonga are now expected to arrive on March 31 and April 1. The flights will be from Auckland, Brisbane and Fiji.

A Pacific Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment study will be conducted in 15 Pacific Island countries, including Tonga to provide a snapshot of their primary school students’ grasp of basic literacy and numeracy skills.

Repatriation flights from New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji are expected arrive in Tonga on 31 March, confirmed MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u this morning.

Local businesses affected by the negative impacts of the pandemic can now apply for various components under a COVID-19 Business Support Fund. The deadline for applications is April 9 with the assistance to be announced at the end of the same month.

The arrival of the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines to Tonga from COVAX "is tentative for next month as per current plans", confirmed Ministry of Health Acting CEO, Dr Reynold ‘Ofanoa today.

The recently appointed Governor of Ha’apai, Viliami Manuopangai Hingano (46) was found guilty today of unlawful possession of 198kg of turtle meat, confiscated in a cargo onboard the MV 'Otuanga'ofa ferry last year. The Supreme Court judge did not believe the former Member of Parliament’s evidence that he did not know the requirement of the law. “Ignorance of the law is not a defence to any offence.”