Results for Tonga

Tonga's former Prime Minister, Lord Tu’ivakano, will be sentenced on Friday, April 24 following his conviction on four counts, two of which relate to the issuance of Tongan passports to Chinese nationals.

Additional solar generation and battery storage systems are to be designed and delivered to Vava’u and ‘Eua by mid 2021, assuming there are no long term restrictions due to the CoViD-19 pandemic.

The first CoViD-19 PCR testing machine and one x-ray unit arrived in Tonga by container ship on Saturday, 11 April, along with 36 hospital beds donated by a Tongan family, the Ministry of Health confirmed this afternoon. However, the machine cannot be used until testing kits arrive.

Three people were today sentenced to a fine of $1,000 to $150 pa’anga each at Nukunuku Magistrate’s Court for breaching restrictions imposed during the national lockdown.

‘Ata, Tonga’s southernmost island, is a long way away, separated from Tongatapu by 160 km of open ocean. ‘Ata’s place in the history books is well established. It was here, in June 1863, that the whaling ship Grecian under Captain Thomas McGrath anchored off the northeastern shore and only village, Kolomaile. The details of the events that followed are sketchily recorded, but the consequence is notorious. A large number of ‘Ata’s residents were lured on to the ship, captured, and then sold to a Peruvian slaver for transport to Lima. None were to return. In the aftermath of the raid, and under the orders of Tupou I, the remaining ‘Atans were resettled on ‘Eua, in a village they again named Kolomaile. By David V. Burley.

Two men arrested and charged for breaching the night curfew at Kolonga, were alleged to have in possession drug utensils and $4,900 pa’anga cash, on April 11.

Twenty-two people were today sentenced to a range of fines between $300 to $1100 pa'anga each for breaching the national lockdown notice, at the Mu'a Magistrate's Court. Another 20 accused will be tried next week.

Local registered and informal businesses are now able to apply for assistance, under a $16.4 million pa’anga COVID-19 Business Economy Emergency Relief Fund.

Tonga's national lockdown was eased on Sunday, April 12 after the Prime Minister said that the Ministry of Health confirmed no COVID-19 cases. However, borders remain closed, while a curfew and ban on gatherings has been continued.