Results for Development

A workshop on "Parliament and the Media" held in Tonga this week called on the Tongan government to draft and enact a Freedom of Information Act "as a matter of priority". It also highlighted the need for the relationship between Government, Parliament and the Media to be taken into account during the political reform process, and urged the Speaker to make provision of media and public gallery and broadcast facilities in parliament. By Pesi Fonua.

In honour the Coronation of HM King George Tupou V on August 1, the Westpac Bank has donated $6,500 pa'anga to the Vaiola Hospital in Nuku'alofa.

Tonga will have a new Olovaha inter-island ferry by March 2010, thanks to the Japanese government.

The Australian High Commissioner to Tonga, Dr Bruce Hunt, donated $4,991 pa'anga to the Tonga Red Cross today under its Direct Aid Programme.

Chinese construction engineers, after consulting with property owners who want to rebuild Nuku'alofa's central business district, are now waiting for the Tonga government to finalise the land ownership issues with land owners before planning can proceed further.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) Vice-President C. Lawrence Greenwood Jr. will visit Tonga next week to discuss ADB's assistance programs and future areas of cooperation.

A $15.5 million pa'anga loan capital at 5% interest will be made available in May to businesses that were destroyed during the riot of 16/11 2006.

Two pilot projects were launched in Tongatapu last week by the visiting German Ambassador to Tonga, HE Joerg Zimmermann

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Kingdom of Tonga have entered into a five-year Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) that focuses on poverty reduction anchored on infrastructure development, prudent economic and fiscal management, and private sector development.