Tonga’s budget focuses on post cyclone recovery

Nuku’alofa: Tonga’s budget will meet the country’s needs despite its focus being on long term recovery from February’s Cyclone Gita, the country’s finance minister says. Pohiva Tu’ionetoa expects the budget to be passed today despite debates over the government books going into the night.

He has earmarked $US48 million (FJ$100m) in his $US293m (FJ$611.26m) budget for cyclone recovery. Rebuilding a stronger and more resilient Tonga is the budget’s theme, Mr Tu’ionetoa said.

“We have our normal priorities like the education, health and so forth and development projects that will be decided like climate change projects and so forth including impact of the cyclone.”