Results for Government

The Cabinet yesterday approved Lulutai Airlines Limited to become a public enterprise, Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku told a media briefing today, at St. George Government building.

A new government centre is being built at a cost of around $1.7 million pa'anga, in ‘Ohonua, ‘Eua, under the government's recovery plans following the tsunami damage there during the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai eruption of January 2022.

Twelve new vehicles, worth nearly $1 million pa'anga, were handed over to the Tongan government by the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Tonga, HE Mr. Liu Weimin, at the Fa’onelua Convention Centre yesterday, 18 September 2024. The eight pickup trucks and four mini buses were received by Hon. Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu for the government.

The Prime Minister Hon. Hu'akavameiliku will remain as Acting Minister for both Defence and Foreign Affairs throughout the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga. The United Nations Secretary General and the Commonwealth Secretary General will arrive in Tonga tomorrow to attend the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting next week. The Forum expects to have 21 countries coming to the meeting as dialogue partners.

Tonga Airports Limited (TAL) announced the appointment of Mr. Edgar Cocker as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 2 July 2024. Tonga Airports is a wholly owned public enterprise of the Government of Tonga and delivers essential airport services at the six airports throughout Tonga.

Tonga Development Bank says it is taking legal action against Tonga Police following a police search of the bank's premises on Friday 24 May, where Police were acting on a complaint regarding an alleged breach of the Banking Act. UPDATED: The National Reserve Bank of Tonga told Matangi Tonga Online today, 4 June, that they had not made a complaint to the police regarding the TDB. “As this is an active police investigation, we cannot comment on the case but we can confirm that it was not NRBT who laid the complaint,” the NRBT stated.

Capital punishment as a deterrent for illicit drugs offences, was rejected 38 to 8 by debaters who were invited by the Speaker, Lord Fakafanua, to participate in the first public debate held in the Parliament House in Nuku'alofa yesterday, 28 May. Those who argued for the right to life, said there was not any evidence to show that the death penalty was a deterrent and there were other solutions aside from executions.

No official statements have been issued by the Tonga Development Bank or the National Reserve Bank of Tonga (NRBT) regarding a reported move to sack the two top officials of the TDB this week.

The newly appointed High Commissioner of Australia to Tonga, HE Mr. Brek Batley, paid his first courtesy call on the Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, 9 May, at Prime Minister's Office, Nuku'alofa.