Tongan PM announces death of Cabinet Minister in NZ pina.com.fj - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from pina.com.fj Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Tongan cabinet minister, Akosita Lavulavu, and her husband, Etuate, are now in Tongatapu s Hu atolitoli Prison.
Jailed for fraud they have lost a bid for bail as they prepare for an appeal in March.
The Lord Chief Justice Michael Whitten denied them bail, ruling he doubted their prospects for success on appeal.
The Lavulavus had run the Unuaki o Tonga Royal Institute, but falsified the number of students enrolled when applying for vocational education training grants, pocketing the state money the school was sent.
Our Tonga correspondent, Kalafi Moala, says this is the first successful corruption case before the courts in years and he senses the people are delighted at the outcome.
Pacific countries recognize China s support with no strings attached
Hu Yuwei and Xing Xiaojing Published: May 28, 2021 10:07 PM
Pacific Island Countries-China Political Leadership Dialogue Photo: Hu Yuwei/GT
Assistance from the Communist Party of China (CPC) in battling the COVID-19 epidemic, and China s steady support on challenges such as climate change have extensively contributed to the sustainable development of the Pacific region, representatives and senior politicians of 10 Pacific island countries said on Friday morning via video link at a political leadership dialogue organized by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.
Representatives participating in the dialogue agreed that China attaches great importance to developing relations with Pacific island countries.