970129

A collection of newsbriefs from The Tonga Chronicle, Lao & Hia, and Taimi 'o Tonga.

Government Scholarship Program Reform

The government announced a Cabinet decision to reform their scholarship program beginning with this years scholarship recipients. The changes in the government scholarship program will effect students leaving on courses extending greater than 12 months. Where in previous years, a government employee studying abroad would receive full wages for the term of their education, the new policy makes the following changes.

For government employees on study leave attending a course extending longer than 12 months.

• For the 1^st year of the scholarship 50% of wage will be allocated, paid.
• For the 2^nd year of the scholarship 25% of wage will be allocated, paid.
• For the 3^rd and subsequent years of the scholarship no wage will be paid.

These changes are expected to save the government approximately $300,000 a year. Comments from government employees include statements that the government loses a lot of money providing Tertiary education (up to Doctorate level) for people who either do not return to Tonga after completing their studies or remain in government employment for only the minimal contract requirements before joining the private sector.

The announced changes will not effect students already overseas on scholarships. Allowances allocated by the scholarship fund to students are not affected by these changes.

Drug sniffing dogs needed - customs

The chief of Quarantine Services, Konrad Engleberger, acknowledges the need for Sniffer dogs at the Queen Salote Wharf where most container shipments inbound/outbound are loaded. Mr. Engleberger states that the Quarantine Services' primary objectives is to review shipments for infestations of insects and pests, and that it is up to the Police to pursue drug enforcement.

In reference to the Yam shipment held in New Zealand, Mr. Engleberger acknowledges that it is a well known fact that Quarantine only assesses 10% of Yam shipments for infestations. Mr Engleberger is concerned with the bad image Tonga will receive from the drug findings overseas and agrees work has to be done concerning drug importation/exportation.

It is impossible for the Quarantine Services to check every container that arrives at Tongatapu's Queen Salote Wharf. Nonetheless, because it seems easier for smugglers to use Tonga as a port of call for transhipment of illicit drugs to foreign ports it is important that Tonga work towards removing this problem, Drug sniffing dogs are a beginning to resolving this problem.

Another Oil Discovery

Some oil deposits have been discovered at Pili, outside Nuku'alofa. Samples were taken of the oil and have been shipped to Japan for final analysis. Vegetation in the surrounding area looks sickly and neighbours say that the general area was used during World War II as a US Army base (possibly storage site.)

Catholic Youth Celebration - Auckland New Zealand

Catholic Youth Groups (Lataki) from Australian and New Zealand met together in Auckland in the past week for celebrations and competitions. Competitions were focussed on Tongan traditional dance/performances with prices awarded for Tau'olunga, Ma'ulu'ulu, Lakalaka, Faiva Haka, and Faiva 'Akau.

Overall winner of the festival program was the Lataki from St. Thomas, Sydney, Australia.

Willie O welcomes another member to the family

Viliami 'Ofahengaue was away training with the NSW Waratahs when his wife Heleni gave birth to their second son after Midnight Friday. The power forward was notified at training and went straight to the hospital.

Tonga Investments Limited - paid advertisement.

(no we didn't get paid, the paper got paid and we're just forwarding the information because it might be important.)

An authorised, paid advertisement from TIL was published in English and Tongan.

"The Directors resolved to close down PPEL on Dec. 31, 1996, firstly because the TIL Group was no longer prepared to continue funding PPEL's operating losses, and, secondaly, to give sufficient notice to PPEL squash growers so that they could register with other squash export companies in time to meet the deadline for grower loan submissions to the TDB by the end of January 1997. The continuance of copra trading is currently under review, and it is hoped that alternative buying arrangements will soon be in place.

The PPEL staff made redundant by the closure have been paid the normal redundancy allowance in accordance with TIL Group policy, and it is intended that creditors will be settled in due course during 1997 from the sale proceeds of PPEL's assets."

Converting Sea Water to Gas

The joint venture between the Tongan government and the World Peace Council Academy of South Korea is expected to see ground breaking ceremonies for the construction of facilities in February. The conversion of sea water to gas is supposed to be a process discovered in South Korea for which a plant will be constructed here in Tonga to provide residents and industry a fuel source cheaper than currently available.

Back to School

Both government and private schools re-opened this week for the beginning of the new academic year. Students and parents spent much of the week in town finding and buying required 'stuff' which included notebooks, textbooks, clothes. The adventure was made doubly exciting for kids (who always like hanging around with each other) when the skies opened up for most of the week drenching anything and everything that dared wander outside.

Leprosy Day

Leprosy day was observed on Sunday to mark the beginning of the 70^th year since the first 13 cases were daignosed in the Kingdom in 1927. Since those first cases, 144 Tongans in all-including 44 still living-have been diagnosed with the affliction more commonly known as Hansen's Disease, according to the Ministry of Health.

Although cases have been reported in many parts of the world, the disease exists mainly in tropical and subtropical areas. Modern treatments are highly successful. A variety of treatments are available, and in the great majority of cases can lose all signs of the disease, and the relapse rate is relatively low.

Following the discovery of the disease in Tonga in 1927, patients were sent to what was then known as a "leper" colony in Makogai, Fiji. Later, the Fale'ofa Centre was constructed in Neiafu, Vava'u, under what was then called the New Zealand Loprosy Trust Fund.

By 1972 there was no need for the Fale'ofa Centre and it was demolished. Between 1970-79, 14 new patients were diagnosed, but from 1980-96 only eight more patients have been found.

Dental equipment for Niuafo'ou

The Niuafo'ou Health Clinic was presented with new dental equipment funded by the NZ Official Development Assistant Programme. The assistance is part of a project to establish the clinic expected to be opened in March staffed by two dental officers at a cost of T$50,000.

Millenium Celebrations - The Winning Tender

National Development Corp. Ltd has been appointed by Cabinet as the Kingdom's sole agent for negotiating media rights to the celebrations marking the new millenium.
 

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