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References thirteen other udp members, includ- ing former President and current Bradley, Joseph. 2009. Presentation given Jabat Senator , signed at the Association of Pacific Island Legisla- the motion, although in entering the tors General Assembly held in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. June. motion they acknowledged that they lacked the minimum seventeen votes gec, Guam Election Commission Web site. needed to unseat Tomeing. Among http://gec.guam.gov/results/ the list of reasons for the motion, the Guam Legislature Web site. http://www United Democratic Party cited deterio- .guamlegislature.com/ rating relations with the United States, kuam, kuam.com: Guam’s News the inaction on the part of the Tome- Network. http://www.kuam.com/ ing government to respond adequately to the recent loss of jobs for Marshal- PDN, Pacific Daily News. Hagåtña, Guam. http://www.guampdn.com/ lese citizens at the US Army base on Kwajalein, failing to support a bill in uog, University of Guam Web site. the US Senate that would have ear- http://www.uog.edu/ marked $4 million per year for the next fifteen years for health services to Marshallese from nuclear-affected atolls, and the administration’s “refusal” to move forward with the The past twelve months in the Repub- newly approved Uliga Elementary lic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) have School (Chutaro and Johnson 2008). been characterized both by the break- According to the RMI constitu- ing of new political ground—including tion, the Nitijela must vote within five two votes of no confidence, cabinet to ten days after the submission of a shake-ups, and emerging diplomatic no-confidence motion, regardless of prospects—and by the reappearance whether or not Parliament is in ses- of entrenched electoral, fiscal, and sion during that time. Sensing that the demographic challenges. United Democratic Party did not have Certainly the most highly antici- the votes necessary to prevail, Speaker pated and watched political events of , a ruling aka party the last year were the two votes of no member, convened the Nitijela on 21 confidence filed against the adminis- October; after preliminary opening tration of President , remarks, udp chairman Ailinglaplap heading a coalition government led Senator Ruben Zachras withdrew by the Aelon Kein Ad (aka) majority the motion. The United Democratic party, within his first fifteen months Party was further embarrassed by the in office. The first no-confidence vote absence of one of the original sign- was introduced to the Nitijela (Parlia- ers of the motion, Senator ment) by Ebon Senator John Silk of Wilfred Kendall, who later explained the opposition United Democratic that he failed to attend the meeting Party (udp) on 14 October 2008, the as he thought the vote would fail last sitting day of the year’s parlia- anyway. While significant as only the mentary session. In addition to Silk, third no-confidence motion in RMI 138 the contemporary pacific • 22:1 (2010) history, this motion was also the first the removal of deBrum as minister to be withdrawn before a vote was (Johnson 2009b). taken (Johnson 2008c; Yokwe Online When the Nitijela reconvened 2008c). its session on 10 March, deBrum The fourth no-confidence motion, promptly took his usual ministerial however, proved to be much more seat next to the president. Prior to provocative as well as more personal, the start of the assembly, however, both for the president and for a deBrum was approached by the number of his cabinet members. The Nitijela clerk and asked to attend a events leading up to the vote of no private meeting with Speaker Jurelang confidence of 18 April 2009 began Zedkaia and Minister in Assistance two months earlier, when Minister of and Ailinglaplap Senator Christopher Foreign Affairs and Kwajalein Sena- Loeak. Reentering the chamber after tor Tony deBrum publicly criticized ten minutes, deBrum quickly gathered President Tomeing in an open session his things and left the Nitijela before of Parliament on 4 February. Citing a the start of the roll call, during which lack of confidence in the president’s he was addressed as “Senator” rather ability to negotiate successfully with than “Minister” (MIJ, 2009e). the United States on the Kwajalein After two weeks of political dead- Land Use Agreement (lua), deBrum lock and internal wrangling in the also took a swipe at the president’s president’s own party, President Tome- closest political advisers and described ing named udp party member Sena- a “cancer in this government” (MIJ, tor John Silk as the new minister of 2009l). foreign affairs on 23 March, marking On 25 February, President Tomeing the first time an opposition member sacked deBrum as minister of for- was appointed to the president’s cabi- eign affairs in response to the public net. Three days later, on 26 March, comments made three weeks earlier, the Nitijela session was again canceled and the president assumed the foreign indefinitely. The next day, a vote of no affairs portfolio in the interim (John- confidence was submitted by Kwaja- son 2009f). That same day, a letter lein senators Iroij Mike Kabua and signed by the fifteen members of the Tony deBrum, along with five other ruling aka party, including the entire members of the governing party, forc- cabinet except for the minister of ing Tomeing to cancel an extended trip transportation and communications, to Hawai‘i and Fiji (Johnson 2009e). Mejit Senator Dennis Momotaro (who The confusion surrounding the was off-island at the time), was sent first time a vote of no confidence was to the president’s office, fervently filed against a president by members calling for deBrum’s reinstatement of his own party led to weeks of in the cabinet. As a result of the rift public speculation as to who would within the ruling party, the Nitijela replace Tomeing as president. Much session was suspended indefinitely, at of this speculation was fueled by the the request of the president’s office, so country’s only print media outlet, that the Speaker could make appropri- the Marshall Islands Journal, which ate seating arrangements reflecting reported on several occasions that pol i t ical reviews • micronesia 139 the members of the ruling party had ministers with members of the opposi- enough votes to topple Tomeing and tion udp party: Minister in Assistance promptly endorsed Minister of Health was replaced by and Utrik Senator , Ailinglaplap Senator Ruben Zach- the Parliament’s only female member, ras; Minister of Transportation and as the next president (MIJ, 2009d). Communications Dennis Momotaro For his part, Senator Mike Kabua was was replaced by Rongelap Senator reported to favor Speaker Zedkaia as Kenneth Kedi; Minister of Resources the next president (MIJ, 2009h); the and Development and Ujae Senator aka party leadership, however, was Frederick Muller was replaced by quick to criticize the “what-if” sce- Namdrik Senator Mattlan Zachras; narios the Journal had been running and Minister of Public Works and Mili for three weeks, stating that the party Senator Kejjo Bien was replaced by leadership had not yet decided on a Ailuk Senator Maynard Alfred (John- replacement for Tomeing (MIJ, 2009a). son 2009a). By the time of the vote, however, all On the day of the no-confidence of the conjecturing as to who would vote, Speaker Zedkaia again tried to replace Tomeing proved unwarranted, delay the proceedings by citing the as he rather convincingly survived the confusion surrounding the official vote. But Tomeing’s victory did not seating of the new cabinet ministers. come before a minor constitutional After an hour and forty-five minutes crisis was initiated by Speaker Zed- of debating whether or not to proceed kaia, who set the date for the vote for with the vote (which included a dis- 22 April, ten “sitting” days after the cussion of the Speaker’s housewarm- official motion was filed in Parliament. ing party that evening as a reason Since the original proposal of no con- to delay the procedure), the Speaker fidence was “pre-filed” by the original announced that the motion would seven signers of the motion when move forward (Johnson 2009a). Once the Nitijela was not in session on 27 the vote was taken, Tomeing survived March, its official submission did not by a vote of 18 to 14, securing his happen until 8 April, after Parliament political authority for perhaps the first had reconvened. On the evening of time in his administration. 17 April, the high court chief justice The ability of Tomeing to endure ruled that the constitution was clear and prevail over an unprecedented that a vote of no confidence must take two votes of no confidence was vital place within five to ten calendar days to the ability of his administration to of its submission—not parliamentary govern, coming into power as it did “sitting” days as Speaker Zedkaia had after the 2007 election (what many argued—meaning that the last day for consider to be the worst-run elec- the vote was the next day, Saturday, tion in RMI history). As one of his 18 April (MIJ, 2009g). first acts as president, Tomeing had The same day of the high court called for the establishment of an ruling, and one day before the no- independent commission of inquiry to confidence vote, Tomeing made a bold evaluate the 2007 election and make move by replacing four more cabinet recommendations for future elections. 140 the contemporary pacific • 22:1 (2010)

On 12 August 2008, the commission’s emergency in order to find ways to findings were made public in its report overcome an estimated $18 million to the Nitijela. The report laid the shortfall in revenue for the utility com- blame for the electoral mess squarely panies on Majuro and Ebeye, as well at the feet of Jaluit Senator Rien Mor- as to secure an immediate $8.5 million ris, who had been minister of internal in order to purchase the next shipment affairs at the time, criticizing him for, of fuel from the country’s supplier, among other things, interfering in the sk Networks. As part of the admin- Public Service Commission (psc) selec- istration’s response to the emergency, tion committee’s hiring process for the the government instituted a freeze on position of chief electoral officer. The spending from the general fund and report argued that Morris’s meddling reallocated resources toward the next in psc affairs led to the appointment payments on fuel (MIJ, 2008b). Addi- of the relatively inexperienced Carl tionally, the rise in world food prices Alik over the selection committee’s hit the country so hard that the Con- comparatively more qualified choice sumer Price Index noted a 33 percent for the position (Johnson 2008d). increase in the cost of food (Yokwe In addition to pointing the finger at Online 2008b). The government and Morris and Alik, the commission of local businesses also cited the alarming inquiry’s report also laid out nineteen rate at which a twenty-pound bag of recommendations for future elections, rice, a local staple, had risen from $7 including making election day a public per bag to over $16 per bag in 2008 school holiday in order to use school alone. The government responded by facilities as polling stations; ensuring exempting imported rice, milk, flour, that election day falls on a Tuesday or poultry, and fruits and vegetables from Wednesday in order to have adequate the import tax. On 17 August, in the preparation time instead of the cur- midst of the economic crisis, the gov- rent election day of Monday, which ernment acted on a recommendation leaves little time to set up on Sunday, from the National Disaster Committee a customary day of rest; establishing and extended the state of economic an independent five-member election emergency an additional thirty days commission charged with selecting (MIJ, 2008b). After seeking consulting the chief electoral officer; and provid- assistance from the Asian Develop- ing greater transparency regarding ment Bank in September, the fuel crisis the counting of postal ballots, as well seemed to dissipate as world oil prices as an advanced deadline for ballots dropped from a high of $150 a barrel by mail so that they may be counted to under $80 a barrel by mid-October. earlier (coi 2008). By March 2009, the Consumer Price Meanwhile, the Tomeing govern- Index for food items had declined 15.1 ment was also busy dealing with a percent since the state of economic variety of fiscal issues that hit the emergency period in September (eppso Marshall Islands hard in the wake 2009), and the economic crisis seemed of the world economic crisis. On 3 to have been resolved. July 2008, the government declared The near-collapse of the US and a thirty-day state of economic global financial markets, however, pol i t ical reviews • micronesia 141 brought a separate set of challenges. landowners to establish a formal With the severe drop in stock market agreement by 17 December 2008 (the prices in September 2008, the Mar- five-year anniversary of the second shall Islands Social Security Admin- Compact of Free Association) over use istration lost $2.1 million, most of it of the atoll for US military purposes over the course of only a few days, in order to access the $20 million of while the two Bikini trust funds lost US rental payments held in escrow. 11.3 percent and 9.4 percent, respec- However, with no agreement immi- tively. The biggest hit was taken by nent between the government and the the RMI Trust Fund, which lost over landowners, and under threat of losing $20 million, or 25 percent of its value, the rent money as it would be perma- in 2008 (MIJ, 2009k; Yokwe Online nently returned to the US Treasury, 2008a). While the trust fund cannot President Tomeing wrote a letter in be accessed until the second Compact late November to then-US President of Free Association with the United George W Bush asking for an exten- States expires in 2023, there is a worry sion of the deadline. On 16 December, that the extent of current losses will one day before the deadline, Bush be difficult to overcome should the granted Tomeing’s request for an Marshall Islands need to utilize those indefinite extension in order to pro- funds in the future. duce a new Land Use Agreement, and In February 2009, the government the rent money was kept in escrow. also reported a 30 percent decrease While Tomeing publicly declared he in income taxes collected during the was optimistic about a new agree- first quarter of fiscal year 2009 (MIJ, ment, his then-Minister of Foreign 2009j). This loss of tax revenue addi- Affairs Tony deBrum stated, “no lua tionally reflected the series of job cut- is in sight” (Johnson 2008a). In Febru- backs initiated by the Kwajalein Range ary, at the Kwajalein Liberation Day Services in February 2008, which ceremonies, Iroij , the continued into 2009 and resulted in a most powerful Kwajalein landowner, 15 percent reduction (approximately reiterated his stance that there would 300 jobs) in employment for Marshal- be no new agreement under the cur- lese workers (Johnson 2008b). rent provisions of the compact (MIJ, The situation in Kwajalein seemed 2009f). to exacerbate apparently strained Meanwhile, as official RMI and US relations between the Marshall Islands relations seemed to be on the mend and the United States, as President after the lua deadline extension was Tomeing and US Ambassador Clyde granted, the Marshall Islands still had Bishop engaged in a public back and no official ambassador to the United forth dialogue that hinted at criticism States. Originally appointed in April of the other side’s refusal to cooper- 2008, the RMI nominee, Ben Graham, ate (MIJ, 2008c). The focus of this was unacceptable to the US State debate soon settled once again on the Department. The department objected Land Use Agreement (lua) in effect to Graham’s dual RMI-US citizenship, for Kwajalein. The compact required citing the complexities of recognizing the RMI government and Kwajalein a US citizen as a foreign diplomat. 142 the contemporary pacific • 22:1 (2010)

In early August, then-Foreign Affairs ters. With Majuro as the location of Minister Tony deBrum brought the the pna Secretariat, RMI government issue up with then-US Secretary of officials hope that investment in the State Condoleezza Rice (MIJ, 2008d), regional fishery agency will have a but on 20 August, the State Depart- direct economic effect on the capital, ment officially rejected Graham unless as well as give the Marshall Islands a he would agree to relinquish his US more influential voice within the orga- citizenship (MIJ, 2008a). In early nization (Johnson 2009d). Majuro March 2009, in a surprise move, US will also play host in July 2009 to the Ambassador Clyde Bishop abruptly Micronesian Presidents’ Summit, as announced his retirement from diplo- well as the Micronesian Chief Execu- matic service effective April 30, leav- tives’ Summit. ing his post in the Marshall Islands A pair of government reports eight months early (MIJ, 2009c). In released in June 2009 may dampen July, US President Barack Obama the mood in the Marshall Islands, nominated Martha Campbell, who as the population in the capital, had helped establish the first US repre- Majuro, increased dramatically at sentative office in the Marshall Islands the same time that the numbers of shortly after the implementation of one-way departures to the United the first Compact of Free Association States jumped sharply in 2008. The in 1987, as Bishop’s replacement (MIJ, Marshall Islands Journal reported on 2009i). For the time being, however, a survey published by the Economic official diplomatic representation for Policy, Planning and Statistics Office the Marshall Islands and the United (eppso), part of the RMI President’s States remains characterized by tem- Office, which described a 25 percent porary embassy delegations in both increase in both people and house- Majuro and Washington dc. holds in Majuro Atoll in the past Internationally and regionally, decade. The report allegedly states however, the Marshall Islands has that the population in the capital has spent the past year burnishing its dip- increased by 8,000 individuals, with a lomatic credentials, most notably (and concurrent increase of approximately popularly) by taking part in its first 1,100 households. The immediate official Olympic Games in Beijing in implication of this unprecedented August 2008. While no RMI athletes growth for the atoll has been exacer- earned medals in the games, the act bated by a current water shortage, as of participation was a point of pride a similar percentage of households (26 for the Marshallese. In November, the percent) have been reported as lacking United Nations opened its first three water catchment facilities (Johnson agency offices in Majuro, represent- 2009c). In a separate report based ing the undp, unicef, and unfpa on US Department of Transportation (Johnson 2008e). Perhaps the most statistics, the Economic Policy, Plan- important development came in May ning and Statistics Office reported that 2009, when members of the Parties to the number of Marshallese leaving the the Nauru Agreement (pna) selected Marshall Islands permanently in 2008 Majuro as the pna regional headquar- (1,503) was triple the number in 2007 pol i t ical reviews • micronesia 143 and the highest since 2001. The report ———. 2009d. Regional Fisheries Office blamed the rise in fuel and food costs for Majuro. Marshall Islands Journal, 29 for the growing number of departing May. Marshallese. The long-term implica- ———. 2009e. RMI on Hold. Marshall tions for the country of the high level Islands Journal, 3 April. of out-migration remain to be seen ———. 2009f. Tony’s Out. Marshall (MIJ, 2009b). Islands Journal, 27 February.

david w kupferman MIJ, Marshall Islands Journal. 2008a. dc Out for Ben. Marshall Islands Journal, 22 References August. ———. 2008b. Emergency Extended. Mar- Chutaro, Suzanne, and Giff Johnson. shall Islands Journal, 22 August. 2008. Jelke Vote. Marshall Islands Journal, 17 October. ———. 2008c. Litokwa Calls For More US Dialog. Marshall Islands Journal, 25 coi, Commission of Inquiry into the 2007 July. General Election. 2008. Final Report and Recommendations. Majuro: Republic of ———. 2008d. Tony Pushes US on Ben’s the Marshall Islands. dc Job. Marshall Islands Journal, 8 eppso, Economic Policy, Planning and August. Statistics Office. 2009. Republic of the ———. 2009a. “100% Untrue Article.” Marshall Islands Consumer Price Index. Marshall Islands Journal, 17 April. Republic of the Marshall Islands. http:// www.spc.int/prism/country/mh/stats/.../ ———. 2009b. 1500 Leave RMI in 2008. CPI/2009/CPI_Q1_09.pdf Marshall Islands Journal, 26 June. Johnson, Giff. 2008a. Bush Puts Out the ———. 2009c. Ambassador to Leave Fire. Marshall Islands Journal, 19 Decem- Service. Marshall Islands Journal, 6 March. ber. ———. 2009d. Amenta for President. ———. 2008b. Kwaj Jobs Disappear. Marshall Islands Journal, 3 April. Marshall Islands Journal, 25 July. ———. 2009e. Gripping Episode of the ———. 2008c. No Confidence Motion Tony Show. Marshall Islands Journal, 13 Fizzles. Marshall Islands Journal, 24 March. October. ———. 2009f. Imata Stands Firm on lua. ———. 2008d. Rien, psc to Blame. Marshall Islands Journal, 13 February. Marshall Islands Journal, 15 August. ———. 2009g. Ingram Ruling Leads to ———. 2008e. UN Steps Up Its Programs Saturday Vote. Marshall Islands Journal, in RMI. Marshall Islands Journal, 28 24 April. November. ———. 2009h. No Confidence Scenarios. ———. 2009a. Litokwa Takes Decisive Marshall Islands Journal, 10 April. Action. Marshall Islands Journal, 24 April. ———. 2009i. Nomination for New ———. 2009b. Nitijela and Cabinet in Envoy. Marshall Islands Journal, 19 June. Limbo. Marshall Islands Journal, 6 March. ———. 2009j. RMI Tax Income Sees ———. 2009c. No Tanks is Trouble. Big Decline. Marshall Islands Journal, 13 Marshall Islands Journal, 26 June. February. 144 the contemporary pacific • 22:1 (2010)

———. 2009k. RMI Trust Fund Loses plea bargain with the federal attorney Over $20m. Marshall Islands Journal, 9 and agreed to testify against the other January. three. ———. 2009l. Tony’s Blast. Marshall At issue was the sale, over several Islands Journal, 6 February. years, of Rydlyme, a chemical used Yokwe Online. 2008a. Marshall Islands to clean pipes around generators. A Government: Trust Funds, Visits, and company owned by Joaquina and Legislation. http://yokwe.net/index.php James Santos sold 8,000 gallons of the ?name=News&file=article&sid=2285 descaler to the utilities corporation at a 400 percent markup. The federal ———. 2008b. Marshall Islands Govern- ment Outlines Response Efforts to Emer- charges include three felony counts gency. http://yokwe.net/index.php?name of wire fraud, conspiracy and theft =News&file=article&sid=2276 involving federal funds, and bribery. Villagomez, his sister, and her hus- ———. 2008c. No Confidence Vote band were all charged and released on Motion Withdrawn. http://yokwe.net/ index.php?name=News&file=article $50,000 unsecured bonds; Guerrero &sid=2308 was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond. Investigations lasting eight months revealed that only 11 percent of the chemical was ever used. Accord- Commonwealth of the ing to the twelve-page indictment, the chemical, which was bought in several installments over several years In July 2008, rumors began circulat- for about $300,000, was used only ing that Lieutenant Governor Timothy for cleaning floors or was put into Villagomez was under investigation storage on Rota and Tinian. Despite for some unknown federal crime. The the charges, Villagomez remained in fbi called members of the Common- office, actively performing his duties wealth Utilities Corporation (cuc) in as lieutenant governor. to a grand jury. By mid-August, it was The trial lasted for almost three rumored that Villagomez had been weeks and incorporated some defense arrested at a convention of lieuten- techniques that will probably go ant governors in New York. This down in the annals of jurisprudence was denied by the administration of as very unconventional. The first Governor Benigno Fitial. However, by was the “mango defense,” in which Monday, 14 August, both local news- one defense attorney, in his closing papers had front-page articles about remarks, faced the jury from behind a the arrest and indictment of Villago- podium and pulled out two mangoes. mez, his sister Joaquina Santos, and He presented them to the jury and said Secretary of Commerce James Santos, that the one in his right hand was a who is married to Villagomez’s sister. Hayden mango, which was imported Also arrested was Tony Guerrero, from Hawai‘i. In the other hand, he who was cuc executive director at the held a carabao mango, which was time, having succeeded Villagomez. grown locally. The local mango was, Tony Guerrero immediately accepted a of course, sweeter than the imported.