Tonga says it will be ready to start building facilities for the 2019 Pacific Games, next year.
The Minister of Finance, Dr 'Aisake Eke, told Matangi Tonga he's optimistic about Tonga's ability to host the games, after the Prime Minister, 'Akilisi Pohiva, had raised concerns about the financial burden.
The construction of venues has been delayed while the government has been looking for ways to raise the more than $62.6 million US dollars required.
In the recently-passed budget the government proposed raising money by hiking the airport departure tax from $30 US dollars to $75 dollars, and imposing a small levy on foreign currency exchange transactions.
Tonga's Fua'amotu airport Photo: AFP PHOTO / Torsten BLACKWOOD
But now the government measures have been deferred, following a petition from the business community to the King in Privy Council.
Those measures will now have to be reintroduced separately into Parliament.