Relative queries insurance cover for passengers

By JUNIOR UKAHA
A FAMILY member of two people who presumably died during the Rabaul Queen ferry disaster in 2012 wants to know if there was any insurance cover for passengers.
MaryAnne Vura, a 58-year-old woman from Sapa village in the Morobe Patrol Post, lost her daughter and granddaughter when the ferry sank off Finschhafen, Morobe, on Feb, 2, 2012.
Vura’s daughter Nemika Bailey and her granddaughter Shekinah disappeared after the vessel capsized in rough seas.
The widow, a former school teacher, has been looking after grandsons Daniel, 15, and George, 10.
Vura claimed that the boys’ father left after receiving news that Nemika and Shekinah perished in disaster.
“The father left without a word,” Vura claimed.
“I had to resign from my work and take my two grandsons back to the village to take care of them after their mother died,” she said.
“Daniel is supposed to be doing Grade 7 this year and George Grade 4 but they could not go to school because Vura did not have enough money to support them”.
Vura has three grown-up children.
“This case has been running for five years now,” Vura said.
“Can the Government fast-track this case?
“Secondly, is there any possibility that the Government can assist in settling the problem? This is a national issue and it must not be ignored by the Government and relevant authorities.
“Children have lost their fathers and mothers.
“Mothers and fathers have lost their children.
“Children in such a situation, as well as parents, need to be assisted in some way.
“They must be compensated. Families have not been the same again since that incident.
“Nowadays extended families do not like to look after the children of their brothers and sisters.
“It will be extra mouths to feed and those neglected children must be assited to live on and gain their education.”
The Rabaul Queen ferry disaster trail was ongoing in Kokopo.
State has flown witnesses from across the country to testify at the trial.
The trial against ferry owner Peter Sharp and his captain Anthony Tsiau, both charged with 172 counts of manslaughter and taking or sending an unseaworthy ship out to sea, continued at the Kokopo National Court.