6 Mar 2015

Lack of capacity hampers Tonga development programme

8:02 am on 6 March 2015
Prime Minister's office, Tonga

Prime Minister's office, Tonga Photo: Supplied

The prime minister of Tonga, Akilisi Pohiva, says the country has to improve its capacity to implement development plans.

Mr Pohiva says this is part of the problem he was alluding to when he criticised Tonga's dependence on foreign aid.

He says many plans are developed but often are not, or cannot be, carried out.

"And we have here in our Planning Office so many reports. But the weakness has always been in the implementation. So these are the problems that we are faced with - the translation of our mission into development programmes and activities is something that our new government has to look at."

The prime minister of Tonga, Akilisi Pohiva.