Tonga

While opening the ‘National Expert Workshop On The Establishment of Biological regions to describe Tonga’s Marine Environment’ at the Moulton Hall, the Chief Executive Officer of MEIDECC, Paula Mau said the workshop was an important one for Tonga, as a signatory to the Convention of Biodiversity (CBD).

The federation has been able to dedicate a team of staff to focus on programs in schools, villages and communities. Acts Community School (ACTS) has been one of the big success stories.

TBC television reports motorists have been warned to ensure their vehicle registration plates are legal otherwise they face a fine of TOP$50.

Police are reported to be enforcing the law about illegal number plates, motorists using plates with numbers and letters that are altered, re-arranged or obscured.

Motorists were issued with on-the-spot fines.

According to police there were fancy number plates with different colour backgrounds and letters apparently designed to cause confusion or were difficult to identify in accidents.

In response, the Government, with support from UNDP, is developing a project to address short-term vulnerability and build long-term resilience in coastal areas in the country.

With Green Climate Fund financing being sought it is expected that 16km of vulnerable coastlines will be protected from immediate climate change and that the long-term resilience of an additional 12km of coastlines will be enhanced.

The interventions will deliver direct and indirect benefits to more than 10,144 people (9.8% of the total population) and 14,961 people (14.5%), respectively. 

The boat will be used for all the project’s marine monitoring activities for the Fanga’uta Lagoon Plan as well as related activities under the care of the Department of Environment.

Sovaleni said the boat will assist greatly the efforts in monitoring the marine ecological health to inform decision-makers of the reality of our natural resources in Tonga.

"It was an unbelievable experience," he said. "It was an honor to try to share my experience over the years to help the Tongans."

Duffy, a 21 year-veteran with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, spent the first several years of his career working for the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. Part of his time there was spent working at the notorious Men's Central Jail, which he said is the largest jail in the country. Duffy is also one of the founders of Douglas County's Tri-County Gang Unit, which includes representatives from Lyon County and Carson City.

The Ministry of Customs says it is treating the “matter very seriously” and it continues to closely monitor similar illegal activities.

The Ministry’s CEO Kulufeinga Anisi Bloomfield said last evening he would not go into details as the investigation “is still in progress”.

“Will advise you as soon as everything is finalised”, he said according to Tonganow Online.

The investigation comes after customs officers uncovered incidents of companies importing goods under what it described as “alternate” or “incorrect company names”.

The international specialized expo will be held from the 10 June - 10 September in Kazakhstan.

There will also be national day for Tonga during the expo on 5 August.

The theme for the expo is 'Energy of the Future' which sets the task to gather the best development in these fields in order to demonstrate not only the future energy, but also the problematic issues of developing countries.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for MEIDECC and Foreign Affairs Hon Siaosi Sovaleni expressed his sincere gratitude to the Chinese Government for funding the significant project for the upcoming Pacific Games.

Hon Sovaleni said that the project is a very important one towards the Pacific Games 2019 and thanked the delegation and senior officials for their efforts in the last month in progressing this agreement.

Ms ‘Utoikamanu’s appointment was announced by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres Thursday.

She will succeed Gyan Chandra Acharya of Nepal.

SG Guterres said he is grateful to Mr. Acharya for his dedication and commitment to the United Nations.
 
Ms. ‘Utoikamanu brings with her a wealth of national, regional and international experience at various senior leadership levels, with a strategic perspective for the mandate of the OHRLLS and on building consensus among key stakeholders.