By Michael Morrah
The Tongan Prime Minister has changed his tune over the seaworthiness of his government's ferry, which sunk with the loss of 75 lives.
The Princess Ashika remains on the seabed off the coast of Tonga's Ha'apai Island Group.
The wreck will never be recovered, nor will most of the bodies of those who went down with her.
The Sulakis lost four family members and have been given around NZ$6300 from the Government in compensation. But Tasha Sulaki says it is her sister that she misses the most.
“There were always two of us. Her and me,” she says.
At the time of the sinking Prime Minister Feleti Sevele defended the seaworthiness of the ship his government had bought.
“It was tested. It was passed and therefore they were able to get the seaworthiness certificate, plus marine insurance cover,” he said on August 7.
But Sevele's stance has now softened.
A Royal Commission of Inquiry will decide whether the Princess was or was not an accident waiting to happen and if Government officials are criminally liable.
The commission begins hearing the evidence at the end of this month.
The preliminary findings are due to be revealed at the end of March next year. But even after that time there remains uncertainty about what the King will do with the findings or whether anyone will be held to account.
3 News