NUKU’ALOFA (PINA) — The Tongan government has ordered the country’s controversial international shipping registry closed following embarrassment from ships flying the Tongan flag.
The registry, which enables foreign vessels to be registered as Tongan, was set up as a way of raising money for the kingdom.
But ship’s registered by Tonga’s agents in Europe have been caught in the Mediterranean allegedly carrying arms for the Palestinians and illegal immigrants trying to get into Europe. The incidents are believed to have led to international pressure on Tonga in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.
It was learned that the Cabinet ministers felt any benefits from the registry business were far outweighed by the damage being caused to Tonga’s reputation.
The problems for the registry first surfaced with Israel’s seizure of a Tonga-registered ship allegedly smuggling arms to the Palestinians.
Moreover, a people smuggling ship with about 1,000 people on board and allegedly crewed by Iraqi Kurds was traced to the Tongan registry.
A number of other Pacific island countries also operate international shipping registries as ways of making money. But they maintain tighter controls than those of the agents working for Tonga.
