Results for Government

The Tonga Government urgently needs new workers to replace its rubbish collectors who have taken their redundancy package and gone home.

The Tonga government yesterday June 26 started distributing Letters, outlining its redundancy offer to 871 civil servants who are interested in a voluntary Redundancy Program worth $28 million.

TONGA'S Public Service Association (PSA) is unhappy with the new Cabinet reshuffle and has discussed taking new strike action if government does not respond to their concerns and call for reconsideration of the new ministerial appointments.

Questioned about a proposed $60 million loan by the Tonga government from China to buy back Tonga's power generation assets from Shoreline, the Prime Minister, Dr Feleti Sevele, at a May 3 press conference quoted the bible: "Knock and the door shall be opened, and ask and you shall be given."

FROM OUR ARCHIVES; Hon. Dr Frederick Vaka'uta Sevele, (61) has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Tonga, as from 30 March 2006, he confirmed last night, calling it, "a new era in cooperation with the private sector...who will drive the economy".

It was disheartening to learn that someone has apparently given the above residence to Latufuipeka. This beautiful residence ought to be designated as the official residence of the Prime Minister of Tonga. - Sione Tapana Mangisi

Major changes to the structure of the Tongan government have been pushed through two weeks of consideration in order to meet today's deadline for the submission of reports on new models that will cut the number of government departments by at least half.

A move by government this month to drastically reduce the size of Tonga's Public Service is being challenged by Tonga's Public Service Association who claim that it may breach last year's strike end agreement.

A Commonwealth constitutional expert will arrive in Tonga in March to assist government with its proposed constitutional changes.