16 Sep 2016

Fuel shortage ongoing in Tonga's Vava'u

11:37 am on 16 September 2016

A Tongan MP says the people of Vava'u will receive some fuel soon but it may not last long.

The northern island group has had no new fuel shipments for more than two weeks and there is no petrol available for purchase.

Samiu Vaipulu said it is a bad situation which has been brought on by fuel companies not planning or communicating properly with the community.

Mr Vaipulu said a ferry will arrive soon with a few barrels of fuel.

"I've spoken to the Acting Prime Minister and we are shipping fuel over on a government ferry to Vava'u, but that's [only] for the time being. In future it should not happen ever again."

Local tourism operators have said the fuel will be scooped up as soon as it arrives at the wharf so it won't necessarily help their industry which is suffering losses of worth tens of thousands of dollars because of the shortage.