Results for Tonga

Sailosi Finau's highlights of the chaotic Pacific neighbors (22nd Feb 2006) who were ones ruled or are still ruled by super-powers, cannot be gone unchallenged. -Saimone Tupou

The Ha‘apai main hospital, Niu‘ui was officially closed down on Saturday May 13, and a temporary hospital facility has been set up at one of the local doctor's home. All the patients at the hospital were also sent home, excepting for one patient.

It was the most emotional farewell that HE Mr Paul Nessling and his wife Kathryn had ever experienced during their 30-years in the British Foreign Service, when they left Tonga in the dead of the night, at 2 am on April 1 - having softly closed the doors on over a century of British representation in Tonga.

Claims by three Bangladeshi immigrant workers in Tonga, that they were mistreated have been disputed by a Nuku'alofa woman Siuni Lotaki, their caretaker and the Manager of the Pacific Group of Business Ltd, who brought the men to Tonga. The three workers told Matangi Tonga Online last week that they had been brought to Tonga on false promises and then treated like slaves, working long hours, were unpaid, locked up, and one of them was poked in the eye by their caretaker. Siuni said that the idea to set up tailoring and cafe business in Tonga was conceived by herself, her husband, Masod Ahamed Khan, and Mohammed Iftekhar Uddin in Australia. They brought in another Tongan shareholder, Sione Falemanu, who is Tonga's supervisor of prisons.

The 80th anniversary of Tonga's Queen Salote College was celebrated on March 13 with the laying of wreaths at the royal tomb of the late Queen Salote Tupou III at Mala...’ekula, in Nuku'alofa, followed by a feast and the cutting of a birthday cake. Photos by Linny Folau

FROM OUR ARCHIVES, 2006: "I am both delighted and sad to welcome you all to this final ceremony at the British High Commission before we formally close at the end of March,[2006]" said HE Paul Nessling, the British High Commissioner to Tonga, on the lawn of the British Residence on the evening of 2 March, 2006. Prince Regent Crown Prince Tupouto'a attended the closure of the 105 year old British diplomatic mission. TheTonga Defence Services fired a three volley salute before the Union Jack was formally lowered to the sound of the lament. Photos by Pesi Fonua.

The Tongan Noble Fakafanua (44) died suddenly this morning in Nuku'alofa. The Prime Minister's Office confirmed that Fakafanua collapsed and died on Hala Vuna, Ma'ufanga, while he was out for his early morning walk.

The 'apo for the Tongan noble, the late Hon. 'Ahome'e (35), will include two nights of mourning in Nuku'alofa on Thursday February 23, and Friday February 24, the Tongan Prime Minister's office confirmed today.

Tonga's capital was shut down for two days by Cyclone Vaianu, which brought damaging gale force winds and heavy rain, with flooding in many areas of southern Tonga.