Vava'u fuel shortage

RNZ reports the northern island group has not had an official fuel delivery for over a month since suppliers sold their barge, leading to long periods of time where there is none available for purchase.

'Akosita Lavulavu collaborated with a private company and helped pay to get fifty 200 litre drums of petrol to Vava'u over the weekend but she expects that to run out in the next 24 hours.

And the head of the Ministry of Tourism’s Vava’u office, Pulono Toke, told Radio Australia last night that it could be six weeks before the crisis was resolved.

Toke said the government had hired a ship in Singapore to run the fuel service, but it would take a month-and-a-half for the vessel to reach Tonga.

Toke said some petrol and diesel was reaching the island, but not enough to keep the tourism industry going.

RNZ reports the president of the Vava'u Tourism Association, Calvin Schumaker, said there have been supply issues for two weeks now and there is currently no petrol available for purchase.

Mr Schumaker said yachts are not able to stop in Vava'u and some resorts which rely on diesel generators may be forced to temporarily close if no petrol arrives soon.

He said the fuel suppliers had not prepared well for the tourism high season.