Global General

Tongan PM denies systematic failure in ferry sinking

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-02-23 16:30

WELLINGTON: Tonga's Prime Minister Dr Feleti Sevele has rejected the Princess Ashika ferry tragedy resulted from systematic failure of his government, but accepted individuals had failed to comply with their legal responsibilities.

Sevele was giving evidence for the first time to the royal commission of inquiry into the sinking of the Princess Ashika, which occurred on August 5 last year, killing 74 people, Matangi Tonga newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Sevele has rejected submissions from the counsel assisting the commission, Manuel Varitimos, that the sinking tragedy resulted, in part, from a systematic failure of government.

But Sevele accepted that individuals failed to determine the seaworthiness and suitability and value of the vessel, and that the government should have conducted its own independent due diligence checks, separate to any survey that the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia should have done.

Sevele said his cabinet had reported at the time that some due diligence was done and some was ongoing. A joint cabinet submission, signed by the former Transport Minister and Minister of Finance, dated April 20, 2009, was discussed in cabinet on April 23.

But none of the due diligence was done by the government prior to the purchase of the vessel and no independent survey or valuation were conducted of the vessel, he said.

If proper due diligence had been done, the vessel would not have left Fiji, he agreed. Asked on his thoughts on the causes of the disaster, Sevele said there was a failure in various levels in carrying out all the necessary due diligence process.