Tonga Prime Minister picks up rubbish at a public place

Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva picked up rubbish at one of the public places in Nuku’alofa on Saturday evening, the NZKanivaPacific reports.

Falemaka Tāʻai took a picture of the Prime Minister at the scene and uploaded it to Facebook.

Tāʻai told Kaniva News the prime minister was picking up rubbish at Hihifo Bus Station in Nuku’alofa when he took the picture.

The photo apparently showed Hon Pōhiva carrying a green basket while picking up the rubbish.

To Facebook users the move is being seen as symbolic of the prime minister’s promise to keep the country clean and his campaign to educate the public about how to keep and maintain places in clean conditions.

Another picture was also uploaded to Facebook by a person who commented on the picture of the PrimeMinister saying the Ha’apai governor Moʻale Fīnau regularly picked up rubbish at Pangai.

Tonga’s outgoing Minister of Infrastructure ‘Etuate Lavulavu led his staff and workers from the ministry in a clean-up operation in Nuku’alofa last year.

He later issued a statement of apology after he was strongly accused in Parliament for breaching the country’s Sunday law by picking up rubbish on Sunday.

Last year the government of Hon Pohiva led a national clean-up campaign as the country prepared for King Tupou VI’s coronation.

It spent TP$200,000 (NZ$136,000) in an operation to dispose derelict ships in Faua Harbour in Nuku’alofa.

Source: Kaniva News