Contract Signing for the Construction of the Tonga Meteorological Services/ National Emergency Management Office (TMS/NEMO) Headquarter

24 October 2023

24th October, 2023: The Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change & Communication (MEIDECC) and the Puloka Construction Limited signed the construction contract for the Tonga Meteorological Service/ National Emergency Management Office (TMS/NEMO) Headquarter, under the Pacific Resilience Program (PREP) Tonga Project. This PREP Project is funded by the World Bank.

The Project’s Component 1: Strengthening of Early Warning and preparedness, aims to establish three (3) Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs) to support warning and emergency operations of the TMS and NEMO in Tongatapu and the outer islands. Two EOCs in the outer islands has been completed in the last five years. The Vava’u EOC was commissioned on 17th March 2021, by His Majesty, King Tupou VI. The Ha’apai EOC was commissioned by the late Prime Minister, Rev. Dr. Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa on Friday, 13th November 2020. This contract signing is the third and remaining target number of EOCs to be constructed in Tonga under PREP.

The signing of this contract for the TMS/NEMO Headquarter today, marks a significant milestone for the PREP Project after months of discussions, negotiations, delays and challenges. It has been quite a journey, however, today’s achievement worth celebrating. The implementation phase of this contract is proposed at sixteen months for construction.

The Design and Supervision Firm is Erasito Consultants Limited, a Fiji-owned Engineering Consultancy. The Contractor is the Puloka Construction Limited, who was also contracted for the construction of the EOCs in Vava’u and Ha’apai. The TMS/NEMO Headquarter will be constructed at Matatoa along Taufa’ahau Road, south of the Utilities’ Office building.

MEIDECC acknowledges the invaluable collaboration and contribution of the World Bank, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Land and Natural Resources, Ministry of Infrastructure, Central Service Unit (CSU), Consultants, and stakeholders, which has resulted in today’s signing ceremony.

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For further information contact:

‘Elina Kaufusi Bloomfield, t: (676) 23-160, e: elinakb1466@yahoo.com.au

PREP Project Management Unit (PMU)

Level 4, OG Sanft Building, MEIDECC