Results for Parliament

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.

Important testimony by John Jonesse, Managing Director of the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd., was cut short today when the SCP board cut off his access to corporate legal defence, thereby forcing an adjournment of the Ashika ferry inquiry.

Fiji Marine Survey Certificates issued on the MV Princess Ashika in 2009 confirmed there were increasing safety concerns from the Fiji Marine Board and Fiji International Safety Administration on the deteriorating condition of the vessel.

A thorough survey of the MV Princess Ashika was not carried out before it was purchased by the Tongan Government, the Managing Director of Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd., John Jonesse, told the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika, this morning, November 3.

Paul Karalus the former Minister of Transport who resigned on July 11, six days after the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika on August 5 will give evidence on December 14 at the Royal Commission of Inquiry, Nuku'alofa.

A welder and fitter for the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd Manase Katoa, in his testimony this morning at the Inquiry into the sinking of the MV Princess Ashika reaffirmed the advanced level of rust and corrosion of the vessel and how unfit it was to operate in Tonga.

Tongan Prime Minister, Dr Feleti Sevele, in a special speech to the Tongan parliament on October 8 gave a brief outline of a new way of government under a Constituency Electoral System that the Tongan government, the Cabinet and Privy Council, want to have in place before the new elections on November 2010. By Pesi Fonua

The Tonga Legislative Assembly will resume sitting on Thursday, October 8 after a two and a half weeks adjournment that allowed members to attend parliamentary meetings abroad, and extra time to to make a tsunami response.

November 2010 has been set by the Tongan government as the date for an election of Tonga's new parliament, the Deputy Prime Minister Dr Viliami Tangi told the Tongan Parliament on Monday, September 14 and he urged the House that instead of waiting for the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Commission to present its draft final report in November they should move ahead an amend Clause 77 of the Constitution, to enable the Prime Minister to set a date for the 2010 parliamentary election.From the House. Monday 14 September 2009. Premium Content.