Govt falls, new

Kiribati

Govt falls, new election due soon

A COUNCIL of state took over administration of Kiribati late May following the fall of the government. Kiribati now faces new elections after the ruling National Progressive Party (NPP) was defeated on May 24 in a vote over the alleged misuse of public funds by cabinet ministers.

Parliament was dissolved when the NPP lost an effective vote of confidence by 21 votes to 19. Under the constitution, administration of Kiribati passes to a council of state comprising the speaker of parliament, the chief justice and the chairman of the Public Service Commission.

The council held its first meeting in Tarawa on May 25 and said a new election would be held soon, Radio Kiribati reported. No date was given. The constitution requires a new election be held within three months. The next election was not due until mid-1995.

The government’s defeat followed an opposition move to set up a select committee to investigate allegations of misuse of public funds by Kiribati’s President, Teatao Teannaki, and his cabinet.

The government, which has denied the allegations, instead moved an amendment to set up an independent committee, saying the proposed select committee would be one-sided.

However, the centrist Maurin Kiribati Party combined with the opposition Mwaneaba Party to defeat the government amendment. The NPP has been in power since independence was granted in 1979 to Kiribati, a collection of 33 far-flung

atolls formerly known as the Gilbert Islands.