Paul Karalus Explained

Office6:Minister of Transport
Primeminister6:Feleti Sevele
Term Start6:17 May 2006
Term End6:11 August 2009

Paul Karalus is a former Tongan Cabinet Minister. He resigned following the MV Princess Ashika disaster.

Karalus is from Taranaki.[1] He had worked in airline management,[1] and as a coffee farmer and exporter before entering politics.[2]

In May 2006 he was appointed Minister for Civil Aviation, Marine and Ports by Prime Minister Feleti Sevele.[3] Following the 2006 Nukuʻalofa riots he was responsible for organising the rebuild of Nukuʻalofa's central business district.[4] [5] The funding of the rebuild via a US$50 million loan from China caused controversy and further pro-democracy protests.[6] [7]

On 5 August 2009 the MV Princess Ashika sank, killing 74 people. Karalus resigned six days later.[8] [9] [10] During the subsequent Commission of Inquiry Karalus was criticised by officials for mishandling his portfolio and making decision swithout their advice;[11] he in turn blamed officials for the disaster.[12] [13] The final report of the inquiry found that he had lied and provided false information to the government and parliament about the state of the vessel.[14] In August 2010 he sought a judicial review of the adverse findings.[15] The appeal was rejected.[16] Following the conviction of Ashikas captain in a criminal trial, relatives of the victims called for Karalus' prosecution.[17] In April 2011 he apologised for the disaster.[1]

In September 2012 a parliamentary select committee found that the loan for the rebuilding of Nukuʻalofa was illegal and has been misspent and recommended criminal charges.[18] Karalus and former Prime Minister Feleti Sevele later sought a judicial review of the report.[19] The application was rejected in May 2013.[20] [21]

Karalus later became manager of Tonga's Air Terminal Service.[22]

Honours

National honours

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Former Transport Minister apologises for Ashika disaster . NewsHub . Michael Morrah . 3 April 2011 . 12 August 2022.
  2. Web site: More than 700 school pupils join Tonga civil servants protest . RNZ . 3 August 2005 . 12 August 2022.
  3. Web site: A cabinet reshuffle takes place in Tonga . RNZ . 17 May 2006 . 7 August 2022.
  4. Web site: Tonga Government plans much bigger CBD in rebuild of Nuku'alofa . RNZ . 30 October 2007 . 12 August 2022.
  5. Web site: Construction of new CBD in Tonga's capital to start next month . RNZ . 9 October 2008 . 12 August 2022 . Paul Karalus, who is also chairman of a technical team that monitors and oversees the reconstruction work.
  6. Web site: Secrecy surrounding China loan key reason for pro-democracy protests in Tonga . RNZ . 20 October 2007 . 12 August 2022.
  7. Web site: People not liable for big Chinese loan - Tongan Cabinet Minister . RNZ . 29 October 2007 . 12 August 2022.
  8. Web site: Tongan transport minister resigns . New Zealand Herald . 11 August 2009 . 12 August 2022.
  9. Web site: Minister quits amid inquiry . Stuff . Michael Field and Jeff Neems . 21 August 2009 . 12 August 2022.
  10. Web site: Tonga Transport Minister resigns over ferry tragedy . RNZ . 11 August 2009 . 12 August 2022.
  11. Web site: Tonga's former Transport Minister criticised . RNZ . 11 February 2010 . 12 August 2022.
  12. Web site: Tonga's Karalus places Ashika onus on officials . RNZ . 26 February 2010 . 12 August 2022.
  13. Web site: Tonga ferry inquiry told of culture of non compliance in maritime industry . RNZ . 1 March 2010 . 12 August 2022.
  14. Web site: Tongan Transport Minister pinpointed in final Ashika Inquiry report . RNZ . 31 March 2010 . 12 August 2022.
  15. Web site: Former Tonga transport minister seeks judicial review of Ashika commission criticism . RNZ . 4 August 2010 . 12 August 2022.
  16. Web site: Karalus fails in bid to review Ashika report . RNZ . 11 October 2010 . 12 August 2022.
  17. Web site: Call for Ashika prosecutions net to be spread wider . RNZ . 1 April 2011 . 12 August 2022.
  18. Web site: Tonga report claims loan for riot rebuild was illegal . RNZ . 5 September 2012 . 12 August 2022.
  19. Web site: Unhappy with report, former Tongan leaders seek review . RNZ . 19 December 2012 . 12 August 2022.
  20. Web site: Former Tonga PM fails to get judicial review . RNZ . 20 May 2013 . 12 August 2022.
  21. Web site: Tonga Chief Justice rejects Lord Sevele’s judicial review application . Kaniva Tonga . 20 May 2013 . 12 August 2022.
  22. Web site: Air Terminal Service denies favouritism that left two passengers behind in January . Tonga Broadcasting Corporation . 18 April 2017 . 12 August 2022.
  23. Web site: Royal orders presented at Palace . Matangi Tonga . 1 August 2008 . 2 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210121030307/https://matangitonga.to/2008/08/01/royal-orders-presented-palace . 21 January 2021.

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