A member of Tonga's parliament says the government there must ensure there's money in its budget to implement the recommendations of the royal inquiry into the sinking of the Princess Ashika.
The recommendations in the Royal Commission report on the tragedy last August, in which 74 people died, include an overhaul of Tonga's maritime situation, a review of government spending and the purchase of a weighing machine to obtain accurate shipping manifests.
The report also recommended the use of new marine radios and safety systems, as well as more qualified staff.
Tongan MP Akilisi Pohiva says while the government supports the recommendations, they might not be implemented because an election is only six months away.
He says it's important to know how much money will be available in the budget for the next government to allocate.
The Pasifika director at Massey University Sitaleki Finau says the current Tongan government is unlikely to implement any of the report's recommendations because of the upcoming elections.
"They basically will wash their hands and it's up to the next government, probably," Dr Finau says.
Finding the money to implement the recommendations will be a problem for Tonga, he adds.
