A collection of news-briefs from The Tonga Chronicle, Ko e Kele'a, Taimi 'o Tonga, Radio Tonga. For more details of these stories, feel invited to buy a paper from one of the locations mentioned in our Tonga Media pages

Tuesday evening towards 11:00 pm, Tonga was shook by earth tremors lasting from between two to three minutes. According to the Ministry of Lands, Surveys and Natural Resources, the strength of the quake was measured between 6.5 and 7.7 on the ricta scale with its epicenter at 21.95 S Lat, 176.92 W Lat at a depth of 167km.

Minor damages have been noticed by residents but no serious damage has been reported.

The XVI Pacific Islands Law Officers Meeting was opened Oct. by the Acting Prime Minister Tevita Tupou. Participating in the three day meeting, hosted for the second time by Tonga, were participants from Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu as well as international organisations such as the Commonwealth Secretariat, Forum Secretariat, Fisheries Agency, International Committee of the Red Cross, University of the South Pacific, University of Melbourne Law School and the South Pacific Chief of Police Conference.

Metropolitan Security, proprietor Mr. Pulete Manavahetau Kama of Ma'ufanga, has become the first 24 hour security firm for Tongatapu. Mr. Kama believes the time is right for his staff of trained security personnel to assist home owners and business owners maintain the security of their properties through regular patrols.

The security firm has obtained verbal support from local insurers MMI and Pacific Insurance although no mention has been made of the firms contracts.

 The Tonga Development Bank announced a TOP$137,902 after tax profits in 1996, a 70% drop from the $464,875 in 1995.

World Food Day is being remembered in Tonga for the benefits and constraints on food. Participants in the national weight loss programs were given awards for weight loss, and healthy conditioning as well as promotional efforts by the government to increase local poultry output. The King, who himself has dropped his weight through excersize from 201kg to 130kg personally awarded the prizes to recipients at ceremonies in Nuku'alofa.

The all-items consumer price index for September showed a 0.4 percent increase from the preceeding month, according to information from the Government Statistics Department. Using November 1995 as a base rate of 100, the September index rose to 104.9 compared to 104.5 in August. 

Tonga Abroad suggests that after 20 years of Tongan clubs running their own competition, the "Tongan League", the time has come for greater organisation and full affiliation within the USA Rugby Football Union, (USARFU).

"It's been over 20 years since Tongan clubs compete amongst themselves during the summer months in this league. This is, of course, the off season months for U.S.A. Rugby Football Union competitions. Unfortunately, the Tongan League competes without the blessings of USARFU. In fact, the Tongan League evolved as a result of frictions developed while the clubs were playing USARFU clubs back in the 1970s. The "pälangi" clubs got tired of undisciplined manners shown by Tongan clubs and decided to shut the gates…

With a Tongan Union, the clubs can continue to play summer months since most Tongans prefer their rugby in warm weather. But young players must have something to look forward to in their playing career.

Interested in a Tongan Union? Contact:

Filikei Lutui, Utah Pacific International Rugby Union, West Valley, Utah (801) 328-1128; Vaitai Na'a, Young Tigers Rugby Club, Provo, Utah (801) 235-0909; Filise Fonua, Inglewood Rugby Club, Inglewood, California (310)731-6378; Maka 'Ahonima, Reno Tongans Rugby Club, Reno, Nevada.

• Tonga National Cultural Centre is sending a dance group to participate in the annual Tonga Week at the Hawai'i Pacific Cultural Centre
• Flanker Saia Latu, 19, was recalled from South Africa on Monday to join the national ruggers, 'Ikale Tahi, for a tour of the United Kingdom beginning this week.

Please do not respond to the advertised vacancies by e-mailing the web page coordinators. If you find a post interesting to you, please contact the appropriate personnel (if we can supply the e-mail address/web site for you) or first check out the Tonga ISP site http://www.candw.to to confirm whether the organisation you are interested in has Internet access. Island Snapshot is a non-profit, voluntary service of postings for people interested in Tonga and unfortunately we do not have the resources to follow-up employment requests for people, nor do we have funding for the Resume's being posted to our e-mail address.

• Sales Manager Builders Hardware, Jewett Cameron South Pacific Ltd, T$5,720 pa
• Computer Accounting Operator, Sea Star Fishing Co. Ltd., T$8,000 pa
• Senior Economist (Macro), Ministry of Finance minfin2@kalianet.to, T$10,268-11,234 pa
• Assistant Secretary, Establishment Division-Prime Minister's Office, T$6,348-9,570 pa
• Official Translatoer, Ministry of Justice, T$3,654 pa
• USP posts http://www.usp.ac.fj

1. Candle in the wind - Elton John
2. How do I live - Le Anne Rimes
3. All cried out - Allure duet with 112
4. C you when U get there - Coolio Featuring 40 Thieves
5. No Tengo Dinero - Los Umbrello
6. Barbie Girl - Aqua
7. Can't take my eyes off you - Mary Griffin & Fran Valli
8. Men in Black - Will Smith
9. Down for yours - Nasty Boy Click
10. Steel Pulse - Brown Eyed Girl

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Tonga on the 'NET

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