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Paul Karalus
Paul Karalus in 2017
Minister of Transport
In office
17 May 2006 – 11 August 2009
Prime MinisterFeleti Sevele

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 Ashika's 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[edit]

National honours

References[edit]

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