Politics
Confusion Reigns As Power Struggle Continues
In the meantime, Nauru continues to weaken
A power struggle that began in Nauru on New Year’s Eve became a game of musical chairs that further smeared the 21 square kilometres nearly insolvent republic’s image as a place not to be taken very seriously. By mid-January, Nauru’s 12,000 inhabitants, only two-thirds of whom are indigenous, were presented with the spectacle of a duel between two presidents.
They reportedly sat in neighbouring offices in the presidential building, each attempting to assert presidential authority, with bureaucrats and diplomats left uncertain about who to deal with.
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One of the last acts of President Rene Harris, who lost the game, was to sack Nauru’s Chief Secretary, Willie Starr, apparently for obeying a parliamentary directive by swearing-in Bernard Dowiyogo for his sixth term as president.
As Islands Business went to press, the 18-member Parliament had been left frozen by the resignation of the Speaker in a move to prevent Dowiyogo from being pushed from office. The nature of the upcoming scene wasn’t clear.
By the end of 2002, Harris, elected president in March 2001, was under intensifying attacks from critics, led by a new reformist group, Naoero Amo (Nauru First), for what his opponents said was inept government that was adding to the squandering of wealth built up since independence in 1968 with revenue from Nauru’s now nearly exhausted phosphate mine.
Naoero Amo says that based on official records more than A$2000 million has been lost through mismanagement, corruption, fraud and bad investments. By the end of 2002, the government hadn’t paid civil servants for four months, the Bank of Nauru was bankrupt and things were being kept going mainly on A$24 million from Australia paid to Nauru for letting the Australians keep unwanted illegal Asian would-be immigrants in a Nauruan detention camp.
Opposition MP David Adeang told Islands Business that Harris, who has acute diabetes, spent only two months in Nauru last year. Islands Business was unable to contact the president’s office.
After having his 2003 budget – already months late – rejected by Parliament on New Year’s Eve, Harris and his six ministers retreated to the presidential office. A censure motion was passed against him. Harris ignored demands for his resignation and with his ministers continued to boycott Parliament. On January in a five to three vote, Parliament replaced Harris with the veteran past president Bernard Dowiyogo.
A few days later, Nauru’s Chief Justice, Australian lawyer Barry Connell, at Harris’s request, issued an order to restrain Dowiyogo for using presidential powers. A few days more later the injunction was lifted with the suggestion from Connell that Dowiyogo assume a caretaker role. On January 17, Connell ruled that Harris was still president because while Parliament’s quorum was nine, only eight were present for the vote against him.
Next day, all MPs were present for a vote in which Dowiyogo and another former president, Kinza Clodumur, drew 8/8 for the presidency, with one MP abstaining. The Speaker, Vassal Gadoengin, gave his deciding vote to Dowiyogo. At a meeting on January 20 at which Dowiyogo had hoped to get a budget approved, Parliament was thrown into confusion and left unable to continue with its sitting when the Speaker resigned, apparently to fend off another attack on Dowiyogo’s position by Clodumur.
The life of parliament is due to end in April. If it continues until then, an election wouldn’t be possible until June/July, Islands Business was told. Dowiyogo told supporters prior to the January 20 meeting, that he intended to work for a general election in two months. Nauru’s government and affairs, in the meantime, continue to wallow and weaken.
Naoero Amo supporter Dr Kieran Keke said Nauru’s people were disillusioned by the country’s leadership since both Clodumur and Dowiyogo had shared past responsibility for the country’s worsening plight.
