Tonga

Prime Minister of Tonga and Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva signed on behalf of the Government and Resident Representative, JICA Tonga Office Shinji Yoshiura signed on behalf of the Government of Japan.

The often controversial and always forthright Cronulla prop said he would play out the rest of his representative career for Mate Ma'a, forgoing hundreds of thousands of dollars in the process.

Fifita did not close the door on playing State of Origin for NSW again one day, however the likelihood of that occurring seems slim after slipping down Blues coach Brad Fittler's pecking order.

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Despite Fiji retaining the Pacific Nations Cup this month in a four team tournament that included Tonga, Samoa and Georgia, the competition only featured two rounds.

The Flying Fijians beat Samoa 22-24 and Georgia 37-15 but did not meet Tonga. The 'Ikale Tahi lost to Georgia 15-16 but overcame Samoa 28-18.

Tonga coach Toutai Kefu said the unofficial Pacific crown was up for for grabs.

"I think whoever wins this game can call themselves the kings of the Pacific," Kefu said.

The Second Development Policy Operation was approved in April 2017, and supported reforms to strengthen the government’s finances and foster a more dynamic economy.  The severe impact of Category 4 Tropical Cyclone Gita, the strongest cyclone to impact Tonga since 1982, has prompted a need for additional support for the government’s recovery efforts and to advance its longer-term economic reform agenda.

Hundreds of students lined up the main road from the airport to the palace to welcome them.

King Tupou VI will open Ha’apai’s Agricultural Show tomorrow at Lea ‘a e Tohi field.

The Free Wesleyan Church Annual Conference will begin on 27 June followed by the King’s Birthday Celebration on 4 July.

Their Majesties will return to Tongatapu after the birthday.

Photo supplied 

The National Reserve Bank of Tonga said the current Foreign Reserves is equivalent to 7.9 months of import cover which is still above the minimum range of three to four months.

The impacts of Tropical Cyclone Gita weighed on domestic inflation particularly on food items in March, bringing the annual headline inflation rate to 9.8 per cent.

The success of last year's tournament across Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand has opened the door for international games to be showcased in a similar way to the NRL taking clashes to regional areas in Australia throughout 2018.

The annual mid-season Pacific Tests, which have been played since 2013, have been based in Sydney's west for the last five years – an agreement that will continue next season.

Tonga's Finance Minister says he is confident allegations calling for an investigation into himself and six of his cabinet colleagues will be satisfactorily answered next week.

Pohiva Tu'ionetoa is named in a petition tabled in parliament which alleges the ministers breached the Constitution and acted illegally.

The petition also accuses them of bad governance and misuse of government properties and taxpayers' money.

Fonua-Blake is back in red after playing one Test match for New Zealand last year, an experience he doesn't regret but one that later provided him with clarity of where his heart was placed in the future.

He is the fifth player in Kristian Woolf's Tongan squad to have had ties to New Zealand Rugby League.

"I really enjoyed my time with the Kiwis but it just didn't feel like home," Fonua-Blake told NRL.com.

"I knew straight away after the World Cup finished, I was jealous of all the support they had and I envied all the boys.

In 2014, regional leaders and the United Nations secretary-general were among 3000 delegates who met in Apia to address issues in the Pacific.

In opening the latest meeting, the Prime Minister of Tonga, 'Akilisi Pohiva, said the region was at a critical juncture in terms of common interests in the sustainable development of the islands.

Mr Pohiva said the SAMOA Pathway was endorsed in 2014 and it was critical that leaders recalled the mandate of the conference, especially in light of related international and regional processes that had occured since.