Pacific

Work finally underway for Tonga capital rebuilding

15:38 pm on 11 May 2009

Tonga's chairman of the technical reconstruction committee is optimistic the rebuilding of Nuku'alofa is on track for completion in November 2011.

The sixty million US dollar reconstruction of the capital, much of it destroyed by rioting in 2006, is finally underway after much delay since the groundbreaking ceremony in November last year.

Paul Karalus, who is also Tonga's Minister of Transport, says work has begun on two building sites.

"We would have quite a substantial part of the first two buildings complete by the end of the year. We will also have started work on at least a further three of the sites, so that by the end of the year five sites will be in progress. Also the civil works will have started and that will roll through the entire three year process."

Paul Karalus says engineering plans to build a wharf near the centre of town are due to be completed within the fortnight.