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The first Global Forum of the Noncommunicable Disease Network (NCDnet) marks the first time World Health Organization (WHO) has convened key stakeholder groups to address the large-scale and increasing global health and development burden posed by noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

The former Minister of Transport Paul Karalus (61) told the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the MV Ashika today that during his time as Minister his understanding was that the power to detain an unseaworthy ship from sea was of the Director of Marine, and he, on the other hand, would just support it.

John Jonesse was arrested and charged with criminal forgery last week, and is not permitted to leave Tonga before a court appearance scheduled on March 17.

At the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the MV Ashika the issue of due diligence was again highlighted in the evidence of the Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet Busby Kautoke who adhered that Cabinet had no reason to believe that the vessel was unseaworthy. But he accepted that they took for granted that all Government processes of due diligence extending to that of the Procurement Committee would be followed.

Tonga quietly buried one of her most influential scholars and visionaries when they laid Ilaiasi Futa –ki- Ha'angana Helu to rest at Telekava cemetary in Nuku'alofa this week. Quietly, that is, for someone who has had a prominent role in shaping Tongan society over the last half-century.

While I agree with your correspondent Josephine Latu of Tofoa that the Ashika commission of enquiry teaches Tonga a lesson, I am more concerned about what lessons Tonga wants to learn from this. That list will be too long to go into here but we can expect it to be longer by the time the Commission reports on its findings. -Sefita Hao'uli

A suggestion that the Ashika ferry tragedy had resulted from systematic failure of the Tonga government, was rejected by Tonga's Prime Minister, who stressed that the laws, regulations, policies and procedures are in place; but he accepted that it was the failure of individuals who failed to comply with their responsibilities under the laws of the country.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the Ashika was told today, that because of the urgency in the purchasing of a ferry, the initial FJ$90,000 dollars (an equivalent of TOP$88,250) was paid from a government fund specifically out of the Ministry of Finance vote; while the remaining FJ$510,000 was paid from a separate Government Fund that held, in part, payments from the People's Republic of China in a Special Account at the National Reserve Bank.

At the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the Ashika evidence has established that Ministry of Finance's high-ranking officials ranging from the Minster of Finance to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Finance had proceeded to allow payments for the Princess Ashika, under a wrong assumption that due diligence was conducted.