Results for Parliament

Former Director of the Marine Division of Tonga's Ministry of Transport Bill Johnson agreed that he was negligent by not sending surveyors to Fiji to survey the MV Princess Ashika before a decision was made to buy the vessel.

Women and children passengers were trapped inside the enclosed passengers cabin shouting and crying out while holding on to their children as the Princess Ashika capsized, said a surviving crewman who managed to get out alive.

Auditor General Pohiva Tu'ionetoa, a member of a Government Procurement Committee told the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the Princess Ashika on December 10, that in May it became known to the committee that Cabinet had made a decision on April 23 to buy the vessel, and a contract was already signed.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika has adjourned for two weeks and will resume on Monday, December 7.

The Tonga Government Procurement Committee, whose primary job is to ensure Government is procuring goods at a reasonable price and of appropriate quality, was left in the dark when Cabinet made the decision to purchase the MV Princess Ashika ferry from Fiji in April earlier this year, the Ashika Inquiry was told on Friday.

Hundreds of people filled the Fa'onelua Convention Centre for the first public viewing of the MV Princess Ashika wreckage video at 4:30 pm on Friday, November 13, pushing through the doors to get seats while others sat on the floor, while many more waited outside the gates for a second screening.

The eagerly awaited final report of Tonga's Constitutional and Electoral Commission released this week, contains some 80 recommendations on how to structure a new system of government for Tonga. While there are no surprises, the Commission does voice a concern over an apparent lack of understanding of its aims and the actual contents of its reports by some of the members of the House, who will be trusted with making the final decision on the new structure. By Pesi Fonua

A Senior Marine Engineer who surveyed the MV Princess Ashika vessel in Nuku'alofa on July 2 said he told the Acting Director for the Marine Division on numerous occasions that vessel was in an unfit condition, and on one occasion he specifically asked him to stop it from sailing.

Large holes were revealed on the side of the MV Princess Ashika in a range of pictures released by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika yesterday, November 9.