Tonga Parliament Building Project (TPBP) presented to USP students and staff

Students and Staff of the University of the South Pacific (USP), in Tonga today had the opportunity to learn more about the construction of Tonga’s new Parliament Building.

The Senior Project Advisor and USP alumnus, Dr. Faka’iloatonga Taumoefolau, visited the USP campus as part of the project’s stakeholder engagement programme to speak with staff and students about the Tonga Parliament Building Project and its political significance.

The presentation provided students with an insight into the destruction of the old Parliament House by Category 5 Cyclone Gita in 2018, the Government of Tonga’s request for the construction of the new Parliament building, the scoping mission, planning, design processes, and the current status of the construction work.

Dr. Taumoefolau told the students that they have been involved in the project for about six years and if everything goes smoothly, they anticipate that the new Parliament building will be completed by early 2028.

The Senior Project Advisor also highlighted the discovery of Lapita pottery fragments and human remains on the construction site.

He added Professor Geoffrey Clark from the Australian National University has been engaged to undertake specialist analysis and verification.

The presentation concluded with an interactive session where staff and students had the opportunity to ask questions and engage with Dr. Taumoefolau about the project and its development.

The Campus Director of USP Tonga, Dr. Robin Havea thanked Dr. Taumoefolau for the informative presentation and for providing students and staff with valuable insights into the Tonga Parliament Building Project.

The construction project is a tripartite agreement between the Governments of Tonga, New Zealand and Australia.