Ha’apai representatives worried about government delays in construction

Yesterday, Ha’apai 12 representative Mo’ale Finau expressed concern in parliament about delays in government construction works and stressed the urgent need for action as rising sea levels have damaged homes in his constituency. Finau said affected residents have been forced to relocate to safer areas.

The government has yet to confirm when construction will begin. Fino said planned works included the coastal areas of Hihifu and Pangai. He understood $1.2 million had been allocated for the project, but Infrastructure Minister Severntentumoa clarified that the funding would be shared between the coastal areas of Tongatapu and Haapai.

Lord Tuihaangana, a representative of the nobility, urged that the project be given priority, describing the situation in Lifuka as an “emergency”.

Minister for the Middle East and the Caribbean, Fekita Utoikamanu, explained that the government hopes to receive additional funding from the Green Climate Fund for these works. She also noted that the cost of building the foreshore is extremely high, estimated at $1 million per kilometer.