Tokelau's outgoing Ulu, Foua Toloa, says the issue of an improved shipping service may move forward at the end of this month.
At the General Fono in just over a week, Mr Toloa will hand over the rotating leadership to Kuresa Nasau, the Faipule of the island of Atafu.
Mr Toloa says one of the achievements of the last year has been the development of a strategic plan.
But he says putting the plan into practice and contemplating any change in the way Tokelau is governed come down to reliable contacts with the outside world:
"We cannot run a government with a shipping service, we cannot run a government without a proper telecommunications to mention just a few, this is what we are looking at coolly."
Mr Toloa says they are hopeful something solid and definite will come about in regards to the shipping service by the end of February
