The Minister for Infrastructure Dr. Taniela Fusimalohi has revealed during the Prime Minister’s press conference last Friday that 24% of Tongans are living in multidimensional poverty, with substandard housing being a contributing factor.
Approximately 24,000 citizens live in homes below acceptable living standards, with 28% being children under 14.
To address this issue, over 200 of the 500 container houses donated by the Chinese government have been allocated to affected families. Fusimalohi said that he has met with the Chinese ambassador to Tonga to assess the condition of the remaining units and plans to request additional housing support.
During a visit to low-lying areas in Halaovave, Kolomotua district, Fusimalohi said they intend to deploy some of these container houses to the vulnerable communities.
Fusimalohi said 92 houses are still needed for those affected by the Hunga Tonga volcano tsunami, including 14 families from Mango Island who have been sharing four temporary houses in ‘Eua for the past three years.
Fusimalohi emphasized the importance of addressing this issue through policy and projects, noting that “children can’t study properly and sleep well” under current conditions. The Ministry of Finance is financing these 92 houses.
Regarding the Tapanekale Housing Project, Fusimalohi acknowledged a lack of information about the status of houses distributed under the initiative. The project, launched in January 2024 with a budget of $1 million pa’anga, aims to build safe houses for families in Tongatapu.
However, concerns have been raised about the Tapanekale Housing Project’s execution and transparency, with reports indicating that nearly two years after its approval, only 12 families have been housed, falling short of the promised 200 homes.
Fusimalohi added that the project was also moved from the Ministry of Infrastructure to the Prime Minister’s Office under the previous government, leading to uncertainties about its current status on its progress to-date.
