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<span style="font-size: 36pt; letter-spacing: -0.35pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-weight: bold;">Tonga announces 'Covid-19' stimulus package</span><br>
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<span style=""><span style="font-size:11.5pt; color:#6D7570; border:none windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm">5:59 pm on 2 April 2020</span></span>
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<p style=""><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tonga's
government has announced an economic and social stimulus package worth $US25.5 million to help the country through the impacts of the global Covid-19 pandemic.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tonga
PM, Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(179, 179, 172); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photo:
Tonga government</span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span></p>
<p style=""><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In making
the announcement, the government pointed out the economy had suffered losses worth nearly $US15 million due to the restrictions caused by the coronavirus.</span></span></span></p>
<p style=""><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The government
said the package could change over the next three months depending on the course Covid-19 took in Tonga.</span></span></span></p>
<p style=""><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There
were currently no confirmed cases in the country but the regional situation led to the government implementing a State of Emergency, a closure of the borders, restrictions on gatherings and a temporary lockdown, including a nightly curfew.</span></span></span></p>
<p style=""><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prime
Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa said the new package had been established to aid vulnerable groups and people most affected by the current crisis.</span></span></span></p>
<p style=""><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Ministry
of Customs and Revenue Chief Executive Kelemete Vahe said every tax imposed on goods and services within Tonga would be deferred until 30 June, except for PAYEE.</span></span></span></p>
<p style=""><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr Vahe
said goods imported to Tonga in order to revive the tourism sector as well as fisheries and agriculture would also be duty free until 30 June.</span></span></span></p>
<p style=""><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Around
$US426,000 would be used to strengthen food stock, while the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture received around $US937,000 from the emergency package.</span></span></span></p>
<p style=""><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over $US2
million had also been allocated to the Ministry of Health, while the Ministry of Education had been given $US1.6 million.</span></span></span></p>
<p style=""><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Reserve
Bank put over $US2 million towards Tonga Development Bank soft loans for micro businesses and other groups.</span></span></span></p>
<p style=""><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The government
also allocated over $US21,000 to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to assist community patrol officers and other community related services.</span></span></span></p>
<p style=""><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Retirees
will receive over $US42 each along with their monthly allowance for March and April.</span></span></span></p>
<p style=""><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); background: yellow; font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile,
people with disabilities will be offered over $US85 each alongside their allowances, from next week.</span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></p>
<p style=""><span style="color: rgb(64, 68, 65); font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Employees
who had been laid off from work due to the Covid-19 situation were eligible to receive an allowance which would also be made available next week.</span></span></span></p>
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