funding

The Government has failed to pay its obligatory grant to the university for the past three years, and now owes the USP more than $60 million Fijian dollars.

The group says Fiji benefits hugely from the USP.

They say for every dollar invested by the Government the return to the Fiji economy is eight dollars from taxes, rents, medical spending, utilities, food and other good, and transport.

One Tonga Kiai sees $50,000 worth of cash grants for community projects to mark the Company’s 13 years of existence in the Kingdom and the one-year anniversary of Digicel as a Digital Operator.

That amount accounts for half of the development budget for 2019/2020, and most of the funding goes to adverse impacts of climate change.

Prime Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa spoke about the funding for Tonga projects at COP 25, the UN climate talks held in Madrid, attended by 25,000 delegates from over 200 nations.

Mr Tu'i'onetoa informed the high-level plenary meeting about Tonga's vulnerability to climate change, and said it was the second most at-risk country in the world to natural disasters, according to the 2016 World Risk Report.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern promised the money last the month after restating the offer to resettle 150 refugees from Australian offshore detention.

Deputy secretary Jeff Langley from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said there are a number of different ways the money could be channelled including to the Red Cross and other NGOs operating on the island.

He said the ministry is also talking to the Papua New Guinea government to identify needs created by the refugee population on the island.

Fiji's 13-man squad became the country's first Olympic gold medallists when they triumphed at last year's Olympics.

The sevens team defeated Britain 43-7 in the final as the sport made its debut at the Games.

Before Rio, the Fijian team were also crowned as winners of the World Rugby Sevens Series after a number of fine performances.

Their achievements saw the team inducted into the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) Hall of Fame earlier this week, while they have also acted as an inspiration to the region's other sides.

Dialysis treatment is currently unavailable in the country despite around 200 people being diagnosed with chronic kidney failure each year, and about a third of those needing such treatment.

RNZ reports in the past the government had said it does not have the budget to help patients as a dialysis machine costs up to US$2.3 million.

But Tonga Dialysis Foundation President Siosaia Moehau said they submitted a proposal to government over a year ago to partner with a Fiji company to open a dialysis clinic in the country but they have not heard back.

EM TV reported that Minister Justin Tkatchenko quoted Prime Minister Peter O’Neil as well as the National Executive Council as saying they had been presented with an overall costing of expenses for Tonga’s project.

“With an estimated K49 million set aside for this purpose, the Minister for Sport, Justin Tkatchenko, has said that, with the PNG economy in a downturn, and with the elections on the horizon, the commitment at the moment was domestic, but that they would still offer assistance to the Pacific Island nation”, the report said.

The money is to help “sustains its operation and acquiring of equipment” according to a cabinet decision on January 11, 2017 seen by Kaniva News.

The grant was made after the Tonga Broadcasting Commission had delivered a TOP$30,000 dividend this year to government.

The funding indicated the government undertook to support the national broadcaster despite recent incidents in which Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva strongly accused its staffers for producing programmes that intended to discredit his government.

RNZ reports the agreement was signed on Friday by the President of Tonga's National Olympic Committee, Lord Tupou, and CEO of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, responsible for Sports, 'Ana Bing Fonua.

The Interim CEO and Secretary General of TASANOC, Takitoa Taumoepeau, said it's been made clear that the money was to be used for insurance, outfits and incidentals of team members.

Last month Mr Taumoepeau said an initial request for financial support had been rejected by the government.

In this regard, the Pacific Island countries and territories at the summit have agreed to explore options to establish greater synergies between funding sources.

A commitment was also made regarding the introduction of national legislation to ensure all Pacific Island countries and territories meet or exceed the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control taxation target and help achieve a Tobacco Free Pacific by 2025.