Strong Turnout

In Kiribati Elections

The republic of Kiribati had its general election on March 12 and a second round on March 19, ’B7. A second round was necessary in 14 electoral dis tricts when no candidate won a majority to secure a seat in Parliament.

Chief Electoral Officer, Mr Kaiarake Taburuea said: “There was a good turnout during polling days. Of the 25,000 registered voters, more than 21,000 actually cast their votes on March 12.”

He added: “From the 14 districts in the second round on March 19 there were 20,042 registered voters and 19,770 actually polled on that day.”

President leremia Tobai plus six of his former Ministers were re-elected in the first round. But two of his former Ministers were knocked out in the first round.

They were Binata Tetaeka from Makin Island, a former Minister for Health and Family Planning, and Teewe Arobati, responsible for Trade, Industry and Labor.

Leader of the Christian Democratic Party, Dr Harry Tong, was re-elected in the second round. But two of his strong supporters and leading spokesmen also lost their seats.

Of the 16 ousted MPs, more than half were Dr Tong’s men.

The Kiribati House of Parl iament is now enlarged with three additional MPs, taking the total to 39. Of this number, 19 are new and 20 were old members. It is early at this stage to judge how the new members would place themselves in the House. There is only one politi cal party and that is the CDP.

President Tabai and his gang are merely grouped or put together without a name, but, as President Tabai always said: “We have only one aim, and that is to serve our people to the best of our ability.”

Results of this year’s election

former Ministers, to whom their people said, and really backed it up: “We don’t want the Russians.” The strongest de cision-makers from the two islands represented by the for mer Ministers called at the home of their former MPs and “ordered” them not to support the fishing deal. But what could the Ministers do when they were in power, with President Tabai pressing hard to get the Russian roubles, “to help our economy” as he said.

Looking at the President’s remarks regarding the fishing deal with the Russians, one would say he was quite right, because most of the ousted MPs were members of the CDP. If the majority of the Kiribatese people were really against the Russians as claimed by the CDP, why should they reject their former MPs who have been shouting against the Russians.

The first meeting of the new Parliament was on April 6. New MPs have started arriving in Tarawa, the capital. At the airport, transports were avail

able from the CDP and Presi dent Tabai’s group. One had to strike first while the iron is hot Each side would like to be in power.

After the election of the new speaker, each side will forward names of their candidates. Dr Tong had made it clear that he would seek presidency. In order to fulfil this, he had to gain support from the new members who would in turn campaign for him at their respective islands.

President leremia Tabai, de spite Dr Tong trying to stop him, has also made it clear that he would not break the Con stitution if he sought another term in office. Dr Tong had been trying through the courts to stop President Tabai seeking another election. He said he has completed 3 terms the maximum allowed under the Constitution. Dr Tong brought the case before the general election but he was told by the court judge that the case was premature. No one knew whether Mr Tabai or Dr Tong would be elected back then.

But the judge told Dr Tong that he can bring the case at a later date. According to Dr Tong, he said he will bring the case up again after seeking advice from his lawyer, who is apparently living outside Kiribati. Dr Tong was referring to a New Zealand lawyer, Mr Michael Lodge, who had been working in Kiribati as the People’s Lawyer. Mr Lodge left the country last year. And according to Dr Tong his lawyer cannot return to Kiribati be cause President Tabai has de clared him an illegal immigrant.

No definite date has been set for the presidential election but earlier reports said it could be in the third week of May. The Kiribati President will be elected by the people. And President leremia Tabai has won by land slides in the past. from Batiri T Bataua in Tarawa.

revealed the loss of some good leading politicians. An example is former member for Betio district, Mr Teburea Bakaoti, who in 1985 at the peak of the controversial fishing deal with the Russians moved a motion of no confidence on President leremia Tabai. His motion was a surprise because he used to be a supporter of President Tabai. The motion was defeat ed. Another former MP for Urban Tarawa, Karawaiti Tar aia, moved a similar motion after the signing of the agree ment, claiming that President Tabai’s government was work ing against the will of the people. This was also defeated.

Although the fishing con troversy has died since October last year when the agreement expired, Dr Tong, leader of the CDP, said the issue is still alive among the people. He said the results of the election were affected by this issue, but Presi dent Tabai has a different view he said it was a dead issue.

Dr Tong, to some extent, has truth in his words. This can be interpreted with the loss of two

Kiribati President leremia Tabai