Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visits Tonga community to showcase investment

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Tonga’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visits GMS Tokomololo after the Pacific Islands Forum. The New Zealand Government has funded the printing of bilingual books.
photo: RNZ / Anneke Smith

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met with Tongan communities following the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum.

His motorcade was greeted by dozens of primary school children waving Tongan flags on the roadside at GMS Tokomololo School.

The school set out linen baskets filled with fruits and vegetables and a whole pig on a bed of palm branches.

Tonga’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visits GMS Tokomololo after the Pacific Islands Forum. The New Zealand Government has funded the printing of bilingual books.
photo: RNZ / Anneke Smith

The New Zealand government printed 24,000 bilingual books in 12 languages for 122 primary schools in Tonga at a cost of US$140,000.

It will also donate $6.3 million to support deaf learners in Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, Niue and the Cook Islands, increasing their access to quality learning, sign language, early identification and intervention services.

On Friday afternoon, the school hosted a colourful show for Luxon and his wife Amanda, with students singing, performing traditional ceremonies and Zumba.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon with an emotional deaf Tongan boy after attending the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Retreat on August 30, 2024. The New Zealand Government will also provide NZ$6.3 million to support deaf learners in Fiji, Vanuatu, Niue, the Cook Islands and Tonga.
photo: RNZ / Anneke Smith

When Luxon then approached a deaf student and his parents, he became emotional.

Luxon then visited a watermelon farm where the Japanese government funded Wesfarmers and six smallholder farmers to pilot a drip irrigation system to help combat the effects of the recent drought on watermelon crops.

He was due to return to Auckland on a Defence Force plane in the evening.