Results for Development

Tonga's population has declined since 2011 and for the first time in 30 years there are more females than males in Tonga, especially on Tongatapu, according to the 2016 Population Census preliminary data released by the Statistics Department recently. Single women looking for a husband may need to eye the outer island groups of Vava’u, Ha’apai, the Niuas and ‘Eua where the census records 216 more males than females across these islands.

Nearly half a million pa’anga was committed by the Government of Japan on 27 February, to fund three projects aimed to improve the quality of life of people from the grassroots level, and includes the upgrading of a technical course classroom building at Tonga College, installing a flake ice machine with water tanks for ‘Uiha and Felemea in Ha'apai and two new ambulances for 'Eua and Ha'apai.

Improvements to Nuku'alofa's roads and drainage, under a successful multi-million project started in 2008, are "less than likely to be sustainable" if they are not properly maintained, warns a report released by the Asian Development Bank. "There is a lack of evidence that the government has recognised the importance of maintenance of the improved assets," the report concluded.

China has committed to provide financial assistance to construct a new Tonga High School Sports Complex for the 2019 Pacific Games, and construction is expected to start soon. The amount of the Chinese funding and the cost of the project has not been released.

The first solar powered Tuk Tuk assembled in Tonga was launched by HRH Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tuku’aho at Hala Vuna, Nuku’alofa on 19 November 2016.

Two keynote speakers at the opening of a National Dialogue on "Green Growth" today agreed that Tongans need to consider how they can balance economic development with care for their natural environment. They urged participants to turn discussions over the next few days into lasting action.

Fifteen participants completed a five-day Management Accounting for NGOs (MANGO) Training for non-finance managers and finance officers on Friday, 26 August in Nuku’alofa.

A multinational task group of soldiers from Tonga, New Zealand, China, Australia and the United States are working on projects to improve water storage and sanitation in Tonga as part of Exercise Tropic Twilight 2016, a humanitarian activity focused on disaster relief operations.

"You have challenges, and you need help, and that is one of the reasons why we are here," said Mr Yuang Xiaotang, the Deputy Mayor of the city of Dongguan, China, in presenting gifts valued at $800,000 for Tonga and Ha'apai, at the Fa’onelua Convention Centre, Nuku'alofa on Monday afternoon, 16 May.