NUKU’ALOFA: The delay in the commencing of the Fanga’uta Bridge construction is on the counting into millions as penalty fee, in accordance with the Agreement signed by the Government of Tonga in September 2025 and ground breaking ceremony by His Majesty the King Tupou VI on 20th October 2025. But we are now in August 2026 and still have not been able to solve pending issues that is costing millions of tax payers money that will be drained to, due to the lack of skills of the country’s leaders in such development projects.
The Prime Minister said at one of the press conference in 2026 that land will soon be settled on both sides of Fanga’uta Lagoon (‘Umusi and Folaha) where the bridge will run and construction will begin.
And in his monthly interview program with Viola Ulakai, CEO of TBC on Tuesday 11 August 2026 on Youtube, he said he had just learned that day, 11 August 2026, that the bridge overlaps to part of Veikune’s land at Longoteme that also needs to be sorted. Their efforts in sorting the land issue this year is slow. He added that he has also just been aware of weak points of this project including the need for a project manager. The post was advertised, interviewed and contracting was being currently processed. Coordination with the project stakeholders are also dragging.
Tonga is quite aware that the Government is carrying out tasks so that the construction can commence. However, we are now in August 2026 – HOW MUCH DO WE NOW OWE McCONNELL DOWELL CONSTRUCTION LTD DUE TO THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT’S LATE IN COMPLETING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION? That is the question. The question is not asking for the amount after negotiations to lower it. The question is asking about the total amount owed now, in August 2026, in accordance with the amount stated on the agreement that the Government of Tonga signed in September 2025.
