Tonga News

Nuku'alofa , Tonga: Photos by Mary Lyn Fonua A SPECIAL PROGRAMME for the 55th Anniversary of the Pan Pacific and South East Asia Women's Association Tonga branch last week, concluded with a special programme at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall on Saturday morning.

A MARINE officer has testified that he informed the former Minister of Transport, Paul Karalus, that the MV Princess Ashika was not a good vessel after its first sailing on July 4. Giving critical evidence on November 13 to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika, Lisiate Vuni Latu, a marine officer for the Marine ...

IN a quest to reduce Tonga's total reliance on imported fuel, the Tonga government this week took a positive step forward when 10 representatives of donor countries and agencies gave their support to an Interim Technical Report, which outlined the basis for a Tonga Energy Roadmap for the next decade.

Nuku'alofa , Tonga: The Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Police Hon.

Neiafu , Vava'u, Tonga: **image3:center*** THE Tonga government has set a target to supply 50% of Tonga's electricity generation from renewable sources within three years, according to an interim report presented to a Tonga Energy Roadmap Meeting in Vava'u this week.

Nuku'alofa , Tonga: THE Prime Minister will host a historical meeting with Development Partners on Tonga's Energy Roadmap in Neiafu, Vava'u on 16-17 November 2009.

HRH Crown Prince Tupouto'a-Lavaka with His Majesty The Sultan Haji Hassananal Bolkiah Muizzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam HRH CROWN PRINCE TUPOUTO'A-LAVAKA presented his Letter of Credence as Tonga's Non Resident High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Brunei to His Majesty The Sultan Haji Hassananal Bolkiah Muizzaddin ...

Nuku'alofa , Tonga: THE Vava'u No. 2 People's Representative to the Tongan parliament, Samiu Vaipulu has been appointed as Tonga's new Minister of Justice.

Tuesday, 10 November 2009, 7:00pm Source: TV3 A new system of Government has been proposed for the Kingdom of Tonga, with the countryA A ATMs monarchy being stripped of some of its powers.

Limiting the King of Tonga's powers and almost doubling the number of people's seats in Parliament from nine to 17 are among key recommendations in the Constitutional and Electoral Commission's final report.

The black cab can stay, but Tonga's eccentric king will have to shed many of his royal rights under a new plan to bring the ancient kingdom into the 21st Century.

As the doomed Tongan passenger ferry Princess Ashika began to flood and list, its captain slept, only waking in time to make a mayday distress call, a Royal Commission of Inquiry has heard.

Tonga's King Siaosi Tupou V would give up most of his power to an elected government under reforms proposed by a reform commission.

Three months ago, the ferry Princess Ashika sank in heavy seas on an overnight sailing in Tonga.

Graphic video showing the sunken Tongan ferry Princess Ashika will be shown to the Royal Commission of Inquiry in Nuku'alofa. It is investigating the August sinking in which 74 people died.

The Rev. Amelia Sivi Finau, Long Beach City Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga, and Vice Mayor Val Lerch, from left, unfurl a Tapa cloth presented to the city by the Kingdom of Tonga at the Long Beach City Hall plaza Wednesday.

An inquiry into the sinking of the Tongan ferry, Princess Ashika, has been told the New Zealander who bought the vessel never looked into the state of its hull.

FERRY SUNK: The Princess Ashika was carrying around 180 people when it went down northeast of Nuku'alofa with the loss of 74 lives.

THE Australian Government has provided a $1 million package of support to assist in the relief and recovery efforts on the island of Niuatoputapu after it was severely damaged by Tsunami waves on the 30th September 2009.

Nuku'alofa , Tonga: THE Prime Minister, Hon Dr Feleti Vaka'uta Sevele, officially opened the new administrative office for the Vaini District, Tongatapu yesterday evening, 29 October.