The Tonga Annual Car Show is back, presented by Vaitohi Enterprises, and is expected to be held at the Vuna Wharf tomorrow, Friday 5th of July at 5pm. This free event, part of the Heilala Week celebrations, promises a dazzling display of unique cars and models. “We are excited to bring the community together to celebrate our shared passion for cars,” said CEO Paula Vaitohi. Festivities begin with a float along Taufa’ahau Road at 12pm, featuring children’s activities, free food, music, and more. This will be the third annual car show since it was launched in 2016 by Vaitohi Enterprises.
Author: Newsdesk
The Waste Authority Limited (WAL) is turning trash into treasure through innovation by taking a big step towards sustainability making glass sand made from recycled glass bottles dumped at the Tapuhia Landfill. This is the first of its kind in Tonga with the aim to divert valuable recyclables away from landfills and put them to good use. This innovative move by TAL offers solutions to local waste recycling problems and building material availability. The glass sand is created by collecting and separating used glass bottles which are then crushed into usable aggregate the consistency of fine sand to gravel. This…
The ‘Ikale Tahi rugby team arrived in Tonga this week to prepare for their upcoming matches at Teufaiva Stadium where they will face two test matches this month against Italy on July 12 and Spain a week later. These games mark the Ikale Tahi’s return to Teufaiva Stadium after a period of competitive international rugby. The team will also face the Flying Fijians in September as part of their campaign in the Pacific Nations Cup. The team is led by Head Coach Tevita Tu’ifua and his management team.
Tonga Airports Limited (TAL) has announced the appointment of Mr. Edgar Cocker as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective July 2, 2024 Mr Cocker’s previous roles include Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet at the Prime Minister’s Office, Acting Secretary for Foreign Affairs, CEO of Lulutai Airlines Ltd., CEO of the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, and CEO of the Ministry of Tourism. While Cocker was Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet we reported on his often inappropriate behavior in public especially when under the influence of alcohol. Tonga Airports is a public enterprise providing services at six airports…
The Supreme Court has denied the Tonga Development Bank’s (TDB) request to return materials seized in a May police search. TDB claimed the seizure, which included documents related to a luxury villa project at Polata’ane, exceeded the warrant’s scope. Justice Cooper ruled that the case must be heard with both parties present, as the urgency was not proven. The search was in response to an alleged breach of the Banking Act. The court found no immediate harm to TDB from the seizure, thus no urgent need for an order.
Tonga’s first female Olympic boxer, Fe’ofa’aki A Kakau ‘Epenisa, is set to represent the Tonga at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris in the women’s middleweight class. ‘Fe’ofa’aki qualified for this year’s Olympics through a wildcard, or universality spot, and placed to compete in the women’s 60kg boxing division. She was a silver medalist at the 2023 Pacific Games, losing to Tina Rahimi (AUS) in the final. Since her debut in 2019, the 28-year-old boxer has become a symbol of pride for her Tongan heritage, embodying the warrior spirit with every punch. Despite living in California, Fe’ofa’aki who migrated from Vava’u, remains…
Tonga Development Bank (TDB) released a statement in response to recent directives issued by the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Tonga. The directives, dated 17 May 2024, sparked concerns among TDB’s stakeholders, prompting the bank to seek legal recourse. In the media release, TDB declared the Governor’s directives to be unlawful and confirmed that the bank has sought a judicial review of the directives. The court has granted permission for this review, a positive step for TDB. The court further imposed an injunction preventing the Governor and the National Reserve Bank of Tonga from sharing further information about these…
With a set of judicial guidelines targetting diehard “Taiwan independence” separatists, China on Friday revealed a new weapon, precise and legal, to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The guidelines on imposing criminal punishments on diehard “Taiwan independence” separatists for conducting or inciting secession were jointly issued by the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, and the ministries of public security, state security, and justice and took effect upon release. The guidelines can be regarded as a refinement and supplement to the country’s Anti-Secession Law. By clarifying the criminal nature of “Taiwan independence” separatist acts, their criminal liabilities,…
Two Chinese naval vessels, the guided-missile destroyer Zibo and the comprehensive supply ship Gaoyouhu, on behalf of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, have departed from Zhejiang province on China’s eastern coast. Their destination: Tonga, to participate in celebrations for the Tongan Royal Navy’s 50th anniversary in early July. The Zibo is expected to take part in a series of planned events, which includes naval fleets from countries in Asia, Europe and Oceania. They will jointly participant in activities such as the fleet review, military parade and military parade. This deployment comes as China and Tonga’s diplomatic relationship has grown increasingly…
Sincha Dimara, News Editor of Inside PNG, was honoured at the East-West Center’s International Media Conference yesterday. Recognised for her courageous journalism, Dimara demonstrated the impact EWC media program participants have had across Asia and the Pacific region. Dimara’s journey to this accolade began with her suspension by Papua New Guinea’s largest TV station during an investigation into a controversial Australian businessman and convicted drug dealer. This led to a newsroom walkout by 24 journalists in solidarity, resulting in the entire team being fired. Undeterred, Dimara and her colleagues founded Inside PNG, an independent online news service. Owned and operated…