The bearers or Kau Fata carry the casket of the late King. Photo: Matangi Tonga

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Matangi Tonga in Nuku’alofa

The late King George Tupou V has been laid to rest this afternoon at the Royal Tombs, Mala’e Kula, on a bright sunny afternoon in a quiet capital, Nuku’alofa.

The Royal Casket of the Late King George Tupou V entered Mala’e Kula, the Royal Tombs this afternoon on a catafalque carried by over 100 men.

The catafalque left the Royal Palace after noon in a slow procession along Hala Tu’i to the Mala’e Kula, with  about 1,000 bearers or Kau Fata from Tupou College and Tonga High School ex students taking turns. Read more »

John Woods is editor of Cook Islands News. Photo: USP

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Alex Perrottet of Pacific Media Watch

The Pacific Islands News Association meets today in Pacific Harbour, Fiji, to celebrate milestones and hold its Pacific Media Summit.

The regional organisation, which turns 40 this year, is pushing ahead with its controversial agenda to engage directly with the Bainimarama regime, making that patently clear by inviting the Prime Minister himself to make the opening address at the summit tonight.

The organisation has had a running feud with ex-members and several Pacific journalists, publishers and broadcasters over divided opinions on what the media priorities are for the region. Read more »

The coffin of the late King George Tupou V is carried from the plane yesterday. Photo: Matangi Tonga

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch

The funeral for the late King of Tonga, George Tupou V, will begin shortly in Nuku’alofa, with the country joining the successor King Tupou VI in paying their respects.

The new King has surprised the Kingdom with a decision to limit the official mourning period from the standard 100 days to only five days.

Barbara Dreaver, reporting for TVNZ, said the new King was acutely aware of the economic situation of the country and did not want to impose anything that could make the matter worse. Read more »

Neil Underhill with Tonga's late King George Tupou V. Photo: Neil Underhill/PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Interview – By Alex Perrottet of Pacific Media Watch

The death of King George Tupou V was unexpected for all – especially for family and close friends.

Neil Underhill is an Honorary Correspondent for the British government to King Tupou V. He is also a close personal friend.

Born in Fiji, he has lived most of his life there and frequently travels to Tonga to see the King. He strongly disagrees with those who describe “HM” as eccentric and instead remembers him as a man of “impeccable dignity”. Read more »

Properties in Nuku'alofa are adorned with mourning colours, purple and black. Photo: Momo Smithers

Pacific Scoop
Report – By Jessi Mee

The streets are draped with fabric, people are clothed in black and no loud music can be heard.

For 22-year-old New Zealander Momo Smithers, who is volunteering at a coffee company, experiencing Tonga in mourning is an entirely new experience.

Smithers is living in Nuku’alofa with a Tongan family and has been fully immersed in the traditions surrounding grieving. Read more »

Tonga's late King George Tupou V at his coronation in Nuku'alofa. Photo: Taimi Media Network

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Heath Moore

Despite hard economic times, the people of Tonga are all too willing to fund the cost of the King George Tupou V’s funeral.

Melino Maka, chairman of the Tongan Advisory Council, estimates the funeral could cost Tonga up to and beyond $1 million.

The funeral comes at a time when the Tongan economy is struggling and focus needs to be on economic growth, he said. Read more »

Tonga's Royal Palace in Nuku'alofa. Photo: Tina Brown Pulu/PMC

Pacific Scoop
Report – By Jessi Mee

The news that the body of King George Tupou V will not be coming to Auckland has left some members of the Tongan community disappointed, says Tongan Adisory Council chair Melino Maka.

It was announced yesterday that King Tupou V’s body would be flown from Hong Kong to Tonga without a stopover in New Zealand.

Maka told a media conference at AUT University this was a “short-sighted” decision to not bring the king’s body to Auckland. Read more »

Tongan Advisory Council chairman Melino Maka ... "good leadership essential". Photo: PINA

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Jessi Mee

Tonga needs to identify young leaders to carry on the kingdom’s political reforms into the future, says an Auckland-based community leader.

Tongan Advisory Council chairman Melino Maka said today King George Tupou V’s unexpected death last Sunday left uncertainty about the reforms.

Good leadership was essential for development – both economically and politically, he told a media conference at AUT University. Read more »

Crown Prince Tupouto'a Lavaka Ata was once Tonga's Prime Minister and has served as a diplomat. Photo: Tongan Community Japan

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Vaimoana Tapaleao of The New Zealand Herald

Tonga is to welcome a new king who is deeply religious, conservative and has political experience – a vastly different person to its late leader, George Tupou V.

Crown Prince Tupouto’a Lavaka Ata will take the throne of the island nation following the sudden death of his brother.

Born in 1959, he is the youngest son of King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV. Read more »

King George Tupou V ... many royal visitors expected for the funeral. Photo: France24

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Matangi Tonga in Nuku’alofa

The body of King George Tupou V will arrive in Tonga next Monday and his state funeral and burial will be held at the Royal Tombs, Mala’e Kula, Nuku’alofa, on Wednesday, March 28, Matangi Tonga Online reports.

Paula Ma’u, the Secretary for Information and Communications, told MTO today that the late king would lie in state at the Royal Palace in Nuku’alofa for two days, before his burial on Wednesday.

He said the king’s casket would be brought to Tonga on board a special commercial aircraft chartered by the Chinese government, which would fly direct from Hong Kong to Fua’amotu International Airport on March 26. Read more »