The Royal Commission of Inquiry slammed Tonga’s government for buying the unseaworthy ferry and accused former Transport Minister Paul Karalus of dishonesty.
It’s been a year since the Princess Ashika sunk on Aug. 5, claiming 74 lives. On Aug. 11, 2009, then-Transport Minister Karalus submitted his resignation over the disaster.
He is now trying to save his reputation. “I honestly do feel I was wronged in the way I was treated by the commission and I would just like to correct that and have my name cleared,” said Karalus.
The commission was damning of the government and of Karalus’ role in buying the unseaworthy Princess Ashika.
It accused him of being dishonest, for making inaccurate statements to the king and cabinet, that his evidence to the commission often lacked credibility and that he deliberately failed to produce vital documents to the commission.
Karalus, who was on board the Princess Ashika just weeks before it sank, took the matter to the Supreme Court.
He wanted an apology from the commission for the comments about him and he wanted those comments declared unlawful. He also wanted to be awarded damages.
But the Supreme Court has rejected his argument. “An apology and damages was always impossible so again it looks like buying time, it looks like a deliberate delay,” said Auckland University Professor Bill Hodge.
ONE News understands nearly 50 people have issued civil claims against the Tongan government, the shipping company and key players. The amount claimed is just under $11 million.
The judgment means those cases can proceed.
“It’s a very robust judgment, but I think it deserved to be robust considering the ill- considered nature of an attempt to shut down the Royal Commission findings,” said Hodge.
