Earlier on today I wrote an email
to the Speaker of Parliament the Hon. Ludwig Scotty regarding his decision to
dissolving the twentieth parliament without considering the Supreme Court
declaration and the nine members request through petition to call for an urgent
parliament sitting.
The Speaker Hon. Ludwig Scotty
said, the matter is not as simple as what the Member for Ewa and Anetan said
the Hon. Marcus Stephen or others may have put it. My action was not even about
the one MP’s progressive commotion in parliament, nor do I intend to even
protect the President.
I have been in parliament for the
last thirty years non-stop as a president for four years during the down years
of our beloved nation going through an extreme economic crisis in 2004 to
2007, a minister in government for six years and also held many other important
public offices in Nauru during my consecutive years serving the country.
I have experienced so much of our
political set-up in the governance of our country coming from members of parliament,
who became part of cabinet. I have observed with regrets that the present
set-up of both government and parliament is shambolic extended back to the period
prior to the year 2010.
To relate a very long story, cut
short, in connection to what I have done to close up parliament ‘sine-die’ and
do whatever is necessary in my powers to serve the best interest of the people
of Nauru is to allow them to exercise their rights and powers to vote for refresh
parliament in April.
My action was not done in any way
to protect the president, but in fact it is up to the proud people of Meneng to
decide the president’s fate in politics now that we are into the new election,
which would have otherwise gone through the normal three years period
interval, which will be in August.
As Speaker, I am not even trying
to protect myself, nor any other members of parliament as I acted on my own
initiative of what I think is best for the people of our beautiful nation Naoero.
I say many people will agree that the problem our country had
encountered during these recent times regarding the uncertainty of the members
of government and their individual conduct had long been there before the last
General Election in June 2010, where the government under Mr Stephen was
operating in irregular fashions.
If I had to touch on just a few things for instance, including the six
months period for State of Emergency where the government dictated everything
even passing a budget without parliamentary approval, I had no choice but take
up the speakership position to break the government’s deadlock upon the nation
of ‘business as usual’.
Then there was change of government which went to Mr Pitcher as president
for few days then onto President Dabwido through manipulation who then during
the course of his governance sacked all ministers and took on his old gang as
Cabinet Ministers.
As Speaker, I find both government and parliament having problem with administration
where even there is a mix of personalities with different views of governance
in Cabinet and so forth with many other progressive discrepancies. In my view,
the government set up exacerbated by unruly behaviours of certain drunk Member
of Parliament in the House treating the people’s house like a bar-room brawling
unit, and also unruly behaviours from some.
Though there are some members who
I believe are against the dissolution and not ready for an early election have
been disputing my move by taking me to court etc. I will still pursue my action
in regard to the dissolution process and therefore let the people of Nauru have
the chance to decide who should be the most honourable people to represent them
in the people’s parliament.
The Chief Justice had made a
ruling not in my favour in the ‘Constitutional Declaration’ under Article 41
which is an opinion where it touches on the responsibilities of the Speaker. But
however, with respect to the ‘separation of powers’ the Chief Justice clearly
stated that under my responsibilities as Speaker I could take what action I
would so desire.
My stern position is - all out
for a new election even though as usual I have personal caution as there will
be good people vying for my seat. If I do not make it, it is my people’s choice
which I respect the most being their servant. I believe in the choice of taking
those under your responsibilities to ‘where they do not want to be, but ought
to be’.
I would take it that the Nauruan’s are not against
me in my push for an early election so to refresh the contaminated House of
Parliament which had rubbed off onto the irregular governance of our beloved
Naoero. I would welcome others considerable view on this.
I have great belief in the words of the Good Book
the Bible which states… “When the righteous are in authority, the people
rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn”.
May God Bless Nauru and it beloved people.
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