Tabai top of the polls again

Elections

I EREMIA Tabai kept the pundits

guessing last month when popular support returned him to parliament for the fourth time in a row. His re clection on May 8 most likely meant that he, as Kiribati’s founding President, had chosen to remain in his resource-poor republic for the next four years at least.

That may have dashed speculation he

was seeking well-paid jobs in regional

organisations available outside Kiribati.

One popular belief was that Tabai was seeking to be the next secretary general of the Forum Secretariat, currently held by former Tuvalu Deputy Prime Minis ter Henry’ Naisali. Naisali’s term expires at the end of the year and the job has been advertised. A candidate will be named at the Forum meeting in Ponape next month. In another interesting turn of events, the University of the South Pacific Council in Suva last month elected Tabai pro chancellor and chair man, effective from the first of this month. He replaces Naisali who held the positions for two terms from 1985.

Tabai is also coming to the end of his reign as President, a position he has held since independence on July 12, 1979.

Having served the maximum three terms allowed under the constitution, Tabai is expected to use his influence to push his friend Teatao Teannaki into the presi dency when the presidential national election is held on July 3. Both were re elected with ease and Tabai continues to

command majority support in parlia ment after last month’s two rounds of general elections.

The number of registered voters in creased by six per cent, indicating increased awareness of the importance of voting. The previous general elections in 1982 and 1987 recorded 70.3 per cent and 70 per cent respectively, total voters registered.

The election week (first round May 8 was highlighted by articles and an editorial in the Catholic monthly maga zine 7V Itoi m K iribati. The lead editorial suggested members of the Catholic church vote for a person of Catholic religion. The editor, Father Raymon Durrhcimer, said this would be appropri ate and right since there are more Catholic members than Protestants, in Kiribati. He bluntly criticised Tabai's government for not accepting funding application by one of the Catholic s institutes, calling for more shares for the catholic mission.

The Secretary for Home Affairs and Decentralisation (who looks after re ligion;. replied to the editorial over Radio Kiribati, expressing government feeling that it didn't want the Catholic magazine carrying misleading reports.

The former Minister for Education.

Ataraoti Bwebweniburc and Tckinaiti Kaiteie, the former Minister for the Line and Phoenix groups, were both defeated, and 13 former MPs lost their seats. C