11:58 AM |
Objection to compensation for Tongan ferry victims
Updated
A Tongan lawyer who's representing relatives of victims of the Princess Ashika ferry disaster says a government offer of 80-thousand pa'anga, or about 40-thousand US dollars, is not enough compensation for some families. There are reports from Tonga that some families have accepted cash settlements from the government, on the condition they drop their law suits against the state. The ferry sank in August last year killing 74 people on board. A commission of inquiry found the government owned vessel was unseaworthy, and blamed authorities in part for the disaster.
Presenter: Stephanie March
Speaker: Tongan lawyer Fatai Vaiho'o
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VAIHO'O: One of them is a police officer. He was on official duty and his wife claiming for the loss for herself and six children. And the other one, the second one is a mother, and the son is claiming for the loss on behalf of himself and two siblings. And then the third one the parents are claiming for the loss of a son who was a crew member on the boat.
MARCH: Would your clients be willing to accept the payments offered?
VAIHO'O: Well I've talked to one of them, and he's prepared to accept the settlement, and one, the case involving the police officer, the widow would like time to consider it. The third one I have not been able to communicate with the parents of the son that died because they live in the outer islands at Ha'apai.
MARCH: Initially when clients came to you regarding this issue, what were they asking for from the government in terms of compensation for their losses?
VAIHO'O: One-hundred-thousand for one beneficiary.
MARCH: What the government's offering, is it 80-thousand pa'anga per beneficiary or per victim?
VAIHO'O: The victim. I think it's pretty much unfair. I strongly believe that there should have been a formula in place where you differentiate payment out to just a single person as opposed to mother or a father with a wife and children.
MARCH: There's obviously a desire among your clients to get some financial compensation for what happened, but how keen are your clients and the victims' families on getting justice for those who are responsible for the sinking of the ferry?
VAIHO'O: Well I think they were very keen to come in and seek lawyers to make claims on their behalf, because most Tongans would forgive, but not this particular case.
MARCH: Do you think the offer from the government is an admission of responsibility for what happened?
VAIHO'O: There's no other conclusion to be drawn.
MARCH: Has the government accepted responsibility to this point?
VAIHO'O: Well they haven't given us a straight answer, but there should be an admission of liability when they offer settlement.
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aotearoa, new zealand
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