Justice Andrew leaves Supreme Court to head Ashika inquiry [1]
Friday, September 18, 2009 - 22:03. Updated on Sunday, May 11, 2014 - 11:45.
Mr Justice Warwick Andrew has been temporarily relieved from his Supreme Court judge duties to take up his role as the Chairman of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika.
The Nuku'alofa Supreme Court office confirmed that Justice Peter Salmon of New Zealand is temporarily replacing Justice Andrew at the Supreme Court for a month, effective from September 14 to October 16, 2009.
Justice John Laurenson also of New Zealand is expected to replace Justice Salmon on October 16 until early December. It is understood that Justice Andrew will return to his judge's duties after the commission of inquiry's work is completed.
The recruitment of the two New Zealand judges to help with the Supreme Court while Justice Andrew takes up his role as Chairman of the Royal Commission is funded by NZAID in conjunction with the Government of Tonga.
Meanwhile, the appointment of the two commissioners of the Royal Commission of Inquiry has not been made. Investigation into the Ashika Disaster is on going and the Commission has been scheduled to table an Interim Report to the Privy Council and to Parliament by November 30, 2009 with a final report, no later than March 31, 2010.