Jenny Salesa

MP for Manukau East

MEDIA STATEMENT

15 April 2016

Tonga gets affordable cyclone-proof homes

Habitat for Humanity will be moving into Tonga to provide affordable, cyclone-resistant homes, says Labour’s MP for Manukau East and ethnic Tongan, Jenny Salesa.

“The Tongan Government today signed an agreement with Habitat for Humanity and the first 10 to 20 new homes could be built by the end of this year.

“I was delighted to broker a meeting in New Zealand between the Tongan Deputy Prime Minister Siaosi Sivaleni and the New Zealand Habitat for Humanity head Claire Szabo, which helped make this a reality.

“The repeated destruction of homes by cyclones in Tonga is a persistent problem that needs an effective solution and there is no shelter specialist working in the country.

“Habitat for Humanity’s track record of building cyclone-resilient homes in Fiji and Samoa seemed like the right place to start, so I brought the parties together and I’m delighted with the initial results.

“It is notable that 899 of the 900 Habitat houses in Fiji withstood the recent battering from Tropical Cyclone Winston.

“Habitat houses are affordable and within reach of most Tongans. Families must contribute their labour to building their house. Volunteers from Tonga and New Zealand will also be helping to build these homes.

“It was a pleasure to witness the signing of this agreement today and I look forward to seeing sturdy, affordable and life-saving housing going up in Tonga,” says Jenny Salesa.

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