Tonga hires PR firm

Tonga, disturbed by "extremely biased and damaging" media reports, has hired a public relations firm to improve its image, says Police Minister Clive Edwards.

Tonga made international news last year when it was revealed King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV's "court jester", an American banker, had invested and lost more than US$20 million ($46.6 million) of Government money in a Nevada re-insurance scam.

Crown Prince Tupuoto'a and his sister Princess Pilolevu Tuita have run into trouble for taking over state assets and using them to make personal fortunes.

Edwards said Tonga had hired an English public relations consultant, Matt Wilson, based in Fiji.

Edwards, who did not say how much Tonga is paying for its new information strategy, said some reporting, locally and overseas, was biased and damaging.

"We need to highlight some of the positive aspects about our country."