Results for Business

The Millennium wake-up call for Tonga came at the end of 1999 when Crown Prince Tupouto'a announced that he was bidding for a licence to provide a second telephone carrier, and that he was going to introduce wireless technology where, "the customer should be able to buy a computer, plug it in, pull out an aerial and make a phone call. At the same time, he should be able to swipe a card on the computer, establish an account and switch to his favourite TCV channel while he is talking on the phone." A lot of work has been done since then to introduce wireless technology to Tonga, but finally a date has been set for July 2 when the newly formed Tonfön, a trade name owned by Shoreline Communications, will launch its telephone system in Nuku‘alofa. Tonfön also has a fibre optic cable system on the drawing board. Interview with Soane Ramanlal of Tonfön. From Matangi Tonga Magazine, Vol. 16, no. 1, June 2001.

The $3 million pa‘anga Shopping Centre development on Nuku‘alofa’s Taufa‘ahau Road is a dream come true for Tongan businessman, Tevita Misa Fifita. From Matangi Tonga Magazine, Vol. 16, no. 1, June 2001.

The excitement over the development of Tonga’s telecommunications is related to three important decisions that were made by government before the turn of the century. From Matangi Tonga Magazine, Vol. 16, no. 1, June 2001.

If by July Tonga has not repealed its 1984 Off-Shore Banking Act, the 29 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will endorse a ‘Defensive Action’ against Tonga and six other Pacific island countries. From Matangi Tonga Magazine, Vol. 16, no. 1, June 2001.

A multi-million fisheries co-venture between ‘Alatini Fisheries Company Ltd. (Tonga) and the Fortuna Company (Australia), to harness Tonga’s Broadbill Swordfish resource, began with the arrival in Nuku‘alofa on December 18 of the 132 tonnes fishing boat Sao Pedro. From Matangi Tonga Magazine, Vol. 15, no. 4, January 2001.

The wish of the Tonga government to have one body to run Tonga’s overseas and national telecommunication services, comes true in February when the Tonga Communications Corporation will be formally established. From Matangi Tonga Magazine, Vol. 15, no. 4, January 2001.

Tonga’s struggle to maintain its foreign earnings at a level that will allow it to continue to trade with overseas countries, and to build up its economy so that it can be part of the so called Global Economy, remains an up-hill battle. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 15, no. 3, September 2000.

The first franchise agreement between a USA company and a Tongan company was realised on August 31, when ACE Lionvest Timber and Hardware Ltd. was officially opened by the Chairman of the company, Baron Vaea of Houma. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 15, no. 3, September 2000.

BioTechnology can be used to produce new products from Tonga’s agriculture and fisheries, and it may help Tonga maintain its claim to niche markets that it has initiated in Japan, said Dr Kyosuke Owa, a Japanese scientist working for the Nano Merchandise Development Co. Ltd. in Nuku’alofa. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 15, no. 3, September 2000.