The residence of Tongan prime minister Akilisi Pohiva has been gutted by fire as he receives treatment for ongoing, but unknown, medical issues.
Continue reading “Tongan PM’s home gutted by fire while overseas”
one fellow's political coverage, music ramblings and general hijinks across decades under a range of guises at several locations often in a state of awe.
The residence of Tongan prime minister Akilisi Pohiva has been gutted by fire as he receives treatment for ongoing, but unknown, medical issues.
Continue reading “Tongan PM’s home gutted by fire while overseas”
There has been a call for the entire Tongan cabinet to resign following the Commission of Inquiry report into last year’s ferry disaster, which criticises the government for buying an unsafe and unseaworthy vessel.
Continue reading “Government holds reaction to Tonga Ashika findings”
The Tongan government has changed its laws on dual citizenship, allowing Tongans living abroad to become citizens of their new home country, without losing their citizenship of Tonga. The move will allow tens of thousands of people living in the United States, New Zealand and Australia – who’ve had to surrender their Tongan citizenship – to apply to have it reinstated. But, in the second of our two-part story on this issue, it seems many Tongans abroad won’t have an easy time in getting their citizenship back.
The people of Tonga have, for decades, been moving from their homeland in search of work and a higher standard of living. In fact, the biggest contributor to the economy is remittances from Tongans abroad. Which is why, last year, the Tongan parliament amended citizenship laws to allow Tongans – especially those living overseas – to hold dual citizenship. In part one of this two part series, we look at this popular new scheme, launched in January, and why it’s important to Tongans – even abroad – to be tied to their land.