22nd April 2016 King Tupou VI commissioned the groundbreaking ceremony for the project to upgrade Queen Salote Wharf for domestic transport yesterday afternoon.
The project was estimated to cost over $66million pa’anga funded by the Japanese Grant Aid and will be completed in 2018.
The Japanese Ambassador to Tonga H.E Yuko Numata said the event celebrated the friendship between the two countries.
“Today, we celebrate the enduring friendship and mutual understanding between our nations through the ground breaking for the Project for Upgrading the Wharf for Domestic Transport,” he said.
He stated that the ceremony marked the beginning of the work to transform Faua wharf into a safe and reliable terminal for large inter-island ferries.
“The new wharf symbolizes Japan’s recognition of people in Tonga’s daily struggle due to wide dispersal of its small islands.”
The Prime Minister of Tonga, Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohia in his welcoming remarks said the project symbolized Japan’s assistance to develop Tonga.
“This project is symbolic pivotal role of Japan, in accelerating the social and economic development of Tonga since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two nations,” he said.
Prime Minister and Acting Minister for the Ministry of Infrastructure said the completion of the project would provide job opportunities for the Tongans.
“Ports encourage tourism, through facilitating visits of the global cruise business thereby generating both direct and indirect employment opportunities for the people of the Kingdom.

ENDS
Issued from the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications