12:22 PM |
Nauru speaker demands fresh election
Updated
Nauru's opposition has ended the deadlock by appointing one of its members as Speaker. Since the elections three weeks ago there has been a nine all standoff in the 18 member parliament. But now the newley elected speaker of Nauru's parliament, Godfrey Thoma, has told the house the government has four days to call another election, or he will consider resigning.
Presenter: Geraldine Coutts
Speaker: David Adeang, opposition MP
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ADEANG: Well, the issues have built really over many months actually, since late last year over issues primarily to do with accountability, good governance, transparency and of course the management of the phosphate industry, which we think can all be improved upon and those are the issues that are driving towards a change of government. But of course to date these efforts have not been successful.
COUTTS: One of the issues that I have heard is that you are annoyed about it is that the government has refused to sign on the Getax phosphate mining contract, because they claim that it did not give Nauru enough and it was not in their interest and you the Opposition resented that, is that part of this problem now?
ADEANG: That's only one part of the main issues that we have with the current government, only one part of many issues.
COUTTS: But as they have been elected and President Marcus Stephen, it's his job to make these calls now. Isn't it about time that the Opposition honoured their jobs and respected the government's right to make these decisions?
ADEANG: I am not sure that they have been re-elected. When government decided to dissolve the house, last month, to seek a fresh mandate, there were not given that mandate by the people. So actually we don't have a properly installed government at this time. What they are actually a caretaker government. We have actually been having a caretaker government for the past five weeks. They have not been elected in parliament to be reinstalled as a government, primarily because we still have that stalemate in the House.
COUTTS: Well, what's it going to take for the Opposition to bring an end to this and actually get on with the business of governing and doing the right thing by the people who vote for you?
ADEANG: Well, actually we think there is a responsibility on both sides to come to some agreement on what's the best course for the country. We consider our position in the best interests of the country and of course they will say the same. Now we come to a stalemate, because the people of Nauru have now decided to return us all to parliament. Now we are having talks at this time to look at the possibility of perhaps a Coalition government if that is at all possible and workable. Failing that, of course the speaker said we should give them the rights even and return all members of parliament to general elections and see perhaps if there is a different explanation by the people as to who should be representing them in parliament this time around.
COUTTS: Just three weeks ago, the people voted and re-elected you all, the same government that was previously elected. So what will having elections again if Mr Thoma decides to do that. Will they achieve this time round?
ADEANG: Well, that is of course very hard to say in the same way it was very hard to say a few weeks ago when we went to elections that the government would be given a fresh mandate. Well they were not given a fresh mandate. It remains to be seen of course how different.,......
COUTTS: But isn't that the point? Aren't the people of Nauru saying this is what we want, get on with it?
ADEANG: Perhaps, but we think also that when you look at the numbers that went towards the Opposition at the last elections, their intentions were very clear that government numbers were reduced significantly while the votes for the Opposition increased significantly, so we think when you look at the statistics of the votes, that in fact the mind of the people who are going towards the Opposition, rather than the government.
COUTTS: Well, it's not born out though, because they re-elected exactly same parliament?
ADEANG: Well, in a sense, yes, but we think that may change at the next elections. But of course the truth of the matter is the current stalemate is not working out for Nauru and the government we think is obliged to work out an amicable solution to the current stalemate. Failing that, well it seems that we have all failed in our responsibilities as members of parliament to work together and perhaps the people should be given a choice again to see whether they should change their representation in parliament.
COUTTS: Well, the people are fed up and they are starting to voice their opinions now. There are a couple of changes have been muted to introduce an extra member into the House, so you cannot have the current 8-8 deadlock again and have an independent speaker. Would the Opposition support that?
ADEANG: Well yes, then again it depends on how you intend to enact those changes, because those changes cannot be made until such time as you have a working parliament. Right now, we don't have a working parliament.
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aotearoa, new zealand
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