On Wednesday 29, August 2012, the Government of Australia and the Government of Nauru signed an agreement to re-open Nauru’s Processing Centre that was established on the Island by the former Australian Prime Minister Mr John Howard in 2001. The purpose of the camp is to discourage the human smuggling business in Asia from sending people over to Australia.
After a long political drama in Australia and giving the pressure that was bestowed on the Gillard government's shoulder relating to the increasing number of illegal immigrants death in the sea, finally the Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her Immigration Minister Mr Chris Bowen has finally accept to compromise with the Opposition Leader Tony Abott’s plan to re-opening the Processing Centre in Nauru.
The project started off with a very smooth start where phone calls are made between the President of Nauru His Excellency President Sprent Dabwido and the Prime Minister of Australia Ms Julia Gillard, following the signing of contract and other enabling documents to get the camp up and running. After all the paperwork stuffs, Australia sent in their delegation to inspect the site at the topside where the asylum seekers will be housed, following the arrival of members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to set-up and install tents for the Asylum Seekers.
Then on Friday 14, September 2012, the first batch of Asylum Seekers arrived on the Island under heavy security from Australia to the Nauru International Airport and all the way up to the Centre, following the arrival of the Transfield, Salvation Army and the Wilson Security Services.
On Monday 5, of November 2012, a South Asia company called RCI Logistic signed a contract with the Nauru Government following the initiative of the President of Nauru His Excellency Sprent Dabwido to introducing a higher tax charges on all the Regional Processing Centre good imports through the Nauru and RCI Border control venture. Few weeks later, Cabinet and Caucus had a meeting and the President’s plan for RCI Nauru has been rejected, following the departure of the company from the country and the beginning of Nauru’s political crisis.
On Friday 30, November 2012, His Excellency President Sprent Dabwido went on Nauru Television News expressing his personal disappointments against his Cabinet Ministers along with the members of their caucus, criticizing them along with their legal advisors for turning against his plans with RCI. Few days later the President and the then Minister for Foreign Affairs the Hon. Keiren Keke had an augment over the president’s interview, which triggered his decision to resign from his ministerial post at the first parliament sitting in 2013.
At the first Parliament sitting in 2013, date Thursday 7, February 2013, lot of surprises occurred. Firstly the President’s party including his own Ministers deserted the president and voted against him while the Opposition party voted alongside the President for the decision to differ the motion under article 24 to the next sitting, which motion is being defeated.
Secondly, the Minister for Transport Riddell Akua entering parliament under intoxication of alcohol and interrupting members adjournment debate and posting offensive gestures during the parliament proceedings. Finally the Speaker of Parliament the Hon. Ludwig Scotty after trying to put the house in order and members are strangely reluctant to adhere to the Speaker, he stood up and walked out of Parliament while the house is in session due to member’s misconduct behaviour.
Few days after the first parliament sitting in 2013, the President terminated the Minister for CIE Marcus Stephen and the Minister for Finance Roland Kun resigned from his ministerial post, leaving the government office bearers to just three cabinet ministers including the President.
On Tuesday 12, of February 2013, nine members of Parliament including the Hon. Marcus Stephen, Hon. Keiren Keke, Hon. Roland Kun, Hon. Godfrey Thoma, Hon. Landon Deireragea, Hon. Matthew Batsiua, Hon. Frederick Pitcher, Minister for Transport Riddell Akua and Minister for NRC Dominic Tabuna petition the Speaker of Parliament the Hon. Ludwig Scotty to call for an urgent parliament and the Speaker didn’t entertain their request due to the offences caused at the last parliament sitting.
Then sometimes later the President Sprent Dabwido called for a cabinet meeting and was advised by his legal advisor that cabinet cannot meet as it doesn’t have the number to have a quorum. Thus the President is advised by his legal advisor to select at least two to three more members of parliament to constitute a quorum, which resulted in the appointment of the Minister for Education Aloysius Amwano and the Minister for Health Shadlog Benicke, on Thursday 21, of February 2013.
On Friday 1, of March 2013, parliament reconvened. First the Speaker of Parliament read out the President’s letter to dissolved parliament and then secondly the Speaker express is disappointment on the member’s behaviour at the last parliament sitting saying that parliament is left into shambles, and then the Speaker adjourned the house sine die.
Following the Speaker’s decision to sine die parliament, on the same day the Hon. Marcus Stephen appeared on Nauru Television News expressing his concern and disappointment against the Speaker’s action to sine die parliament, without allowing the members of parliament to contest the president’s motion to dissolve the twentieth parliament under article 41 of the Constitution of Nauru, and will file a complaint at the Supreme Court.
The following week on Tuesday 5, March 2013, the Minister for Education Aloysius Amwano said on Nauru Television News that he couldn’t find any fault with the Speaker’s decision to sine die, since there is nothing under the Constitution of Nauru that says the Speaker of Parliament cannot adjourn parliament.
On Wednesday 6, March 2013, the Supreme Court of Nauru issued it verdict on the matter concerning the Speaker’s decision to sine die parliament, and it went in favour of the opposition party, except also made known that the matter lies in the hands of the Speaker of Parliament to decide whether to consider or not consider the Supreme Court decision, since Supreme Court has no power over the parliament of Nauru.
On Friday 8, March 2013, the Hon. Matthew Batsiua said on Nauru Television News that parliament will not dissolve unless the Speaker of Parliament reconvene parliament and tabled the president’s motion to be contested. Later on the same day, the Speaker issued a declaration that parliament is dissolved and that the next general election will be held in April 6, 2013.
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