NUKU’ALOFA (Pacnews) — The number of Tongans who currently live in the United States almost matches the number of people in the island kingdom.
Tonga’s ambassador to the United Nations, Fekita ‘Utoikamanu, said about 70,000 Tongans now live in the U.S. or about 70 percent of the people in Tonga.
She said this increase may have contributed to the number of Tongans involved in related criminal activities.
‘Utoikamanu holds regular meetings with community leaders in states with large number of Tongans.
She said they hold special programs with church leaders and police to map our ways of resolving the problems.
Her latest contact was made following a shootout in East Palo Alto late last year where a Tongan teenager died.