Results for Tonga

A colourful parade of floats, joined by Tonga’s famous Olympic flag bearer, Pita Taufatofua, and fellow Olympian Lusi Tatafu, along with the Tonga Police Brass Band, businesses, and sporting associations, went through central Nuku’alofa to mark the 2016 Olympic Day on Saturday 17 September. Photos by Eleanor Gee and Caroline Manu-Moli.

A successful Tongan Language Week concluded in New Zealand on 10 September with many events held throughout the country. The opening in Wellington on 4 September was a Po Lotu involving 15 churches singing Tongan songs of praise.

Sewing entrepreneur, mother and grandmother Seini Mafile’o (73) won the SPBD Business Woman of the Year Award 2016 today, Friday 16 September, for improving her family sewing business, using the South Pacific Business Development microfinance program.

‘Alani Afu, otherwise known as ‘Alani Koloamatangi, who has been in custody for extradition to Australia to face a charge of murder, which he allegedly committed some 26-years ago had his appeal dismissed by Tonga’s Court of Appeal on 14 September. His appeal was against the dismissal by a Supreme Court judge of his application for a writ of habeas corpus.

Neiafu bowsers have run out of petrol again today, forcing the Vava’u tourist industry into crisis control at the height of the tourist season, and crippling the local economy. Vava’u has not seen a fuel barge arrive in nearly a month and only a trickle of petrol is getting through. Dozens of vehicles remained queued at an empty petrol station in Neiafu this afternoon, waiting in hope for a whiff of fuel.

Some 22.5% of Tonga’s population - or over 23,200 people live below the national poverty line, according to the Asian Development Bank's latest statistics released yesterday. The high cost of living as well as lack of access to basic infrastructure, services and utilities and the lack of employment or opportunities to generate income make it difficult for people to meet their basic needs.

Tonga’s second Court of Appeal sitting today dismissed an appeal filed by a letter writer to the Kele’a newspaper, the Kele'a, and two others in a defamation case that awarded judgment against them when they were ordered to pay more than $200,000 in damages and costs after they were found guilty of defamation in 2013.

A 24-year-old man died on impact when the truck he was driving crashed into a tree in front of the Hu’atolitoli Prison compound early Saturday morning, 10 September.

The MV Maggie Cat's new inter-island ferry which can carry 260 passengers to Vava’u and Ha’apai has made three trips so far since it began on 31 August, but none has been full due to low demand.