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political reviews • micron e s i a 211 Democratic party candidates for the 1998, joined forces with opposition governorship: Geri Gutierrez, wife of leaders to run on a platform of anti- the current governor, Congressman co r ruption, transparen c y , and account- Robert Underwood, and Madeleine ab i l i t y . Bordallo. Guam’s election 2000 may In nearly every way this election be a harbinger of future political broke new ground. Unlike elections of alliances and opposition. the past, votes were tallied in public donald r shuster and at record speed, and the na t i o n ’ s radio station broadcast res u l t s Special thanks to Cathy Gault, Leland throughout the night. Individuals Bettis, and Robert Rogers for com- used the Internet to spread the news ments on an earlier draft of this instantly across the ocean, on a near review. hourly basis. Winning a majority of seats, even those of four of six long- Re f e re n c e s term cabinet ministers, the United Democratic Party gained control of Gutierrez, C T C, A R Unpingco, and the Nitijela (parliament). Robert A Underwood. 2000. Letter to Most surprising were the defeats Peter Donigi, Chairman, UN Special Com- of Ministers Tony deBrum (Finance), mittee on Decolonization. 2 February. and Phillip Muller (Foreign Affairs Murkowski, Frank H. Draft proposal. and Trade), both four-term officials Committee on Energy and Natural who in previous elections garnered Resources, United States Senate. June top numbers of Majuro votes. As the 2000. dominant leaders of the nation, par- P D N, Pacific Daily News. Hagatna. ticularly since Amata Kabua’s death in 1996, their defeat points to the Underwood, Robert A. 2000. Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to HR 755. extreme dissatisfaction of Majuro vot- US House of Representatives. Washington, ers, who elected opposition leaders in d c . record numbers, most notably Wilfred Kendall and Witten Philippo. In other seats, even first-time politicians were elected over incumbents, including M a rshall Islands some of traditional iroij (chief) status. The Republic of the Marshall Islands’ John Silk beat Iroij Mamoru Kabua most dramatic political upheaval (Ebon Atoll), Abacca Anjain-Maddi- occurred in November 1999 with the son won against Minister Johnsay first national election of the post– Riklon (Rongelap), and Mike Kone- Amata Kabua era. The governing lios defeated Lomes McKay (Maloe- party, in power since constitutional lap). Senator Anjain-Maddison is the government began in 1979, was only woman to currently serve in the rejected by Marshall Islanders and Nitijela. replaced by the former opposition In January, the Nitijela unani- party. The United Democratic Party, mously elected as its president Kessai a coalition of former ministers ousted Note, a third-term senator and former by Imata Kabua in the aftermath of Speaker from Bikini. The nation’s first the defeat of gambling legislation in commoner to serve as president, Note 212 the contemporary pacific • spr ing 2001 distinguishes himself by shunning the and the direct attack on particular title His Excellency and driving his government leaders. The absence own car. Yet, he maintains the respect of serious repercussions for those of his past opponents. During the involved strengthened the resolve of presidential nomination process, a general public often reluctant to Imata Kabua, in a conciliatory ges- directly express criticism, particularly ture, closed the process after Note’s of powerful government leaders. The nomination (M I J, 7 Jan 2000, 21). strike is an extended example of what Note’s prior position as Speaker was began during the gambling legislation filled by Iroij and Senator Litokwa debates of 1998 as an organized pub- Tomeing; his ten-member cabinet con- lic outcry against the will of a few sists of eight new ministers, including dominant individuals (Walsh 1999). three who are first time senators. The shift in political power and the Two significant events prior to the focus on accountability has strength- elections provided fuel for United ened the trend of greater public Democratic Party fire. First, the gov- acknowledgment of silent but well- ernment party had once again boy- known examples of prior political cotted the August 1999 session of influence. In short, the nation began the Nitijela. United Democratic Party airing its dirty laundry, even as the members appeared daily, despite the first US Government Accounting government party’s absence. The Office audit of the use of compact politicians’ absences angered con- funds revealed the fiscal results of stituents, particularly public sector that influence. The previous govern- employees. When the session ended ment had maintained the position that without the quorum required to pass US funding is not aid, and thus US a national budget for fiscal year 2000, oversight of funding provided in a antagonisms only grew. Second, hos- bilateral agreement is an insult to the pital workers organized in protest of nation’s sovereignty (M I J, 5 Nov political interference in the hiring and 1999, 26). firing of hospital administrators and The new government has attempted employees (M I J, 3 Sept 1999, 1). In to pursue transgressors; for example, the nation’s first strike, the govern- the statute of limitations on crimes ment’s initial reactions were to fire was extended from three to six years hospital leaders and threaten other in the January session of the Nitijela workers’ jobs. In response, health-care (M I J, 2 Feb 2000, 9). Further, leaders workers gathered outside the nation’s are keeping their campaign promises. capital to hold signs and banners call- Nearly every government agency con- ing for the resignation of the health tains a newly formed or reformed minister and reform of the Public board of directors and administrator, Service Commission. particularly those agencies with severe No news of the strike was broad- fiscal problems, including the Mar- cast on national radio, but word of it shall Islands Social Security Adminis- spread rapidly. Ultimately the strikers tration, Air Marshall Islands, the sought a compromise with the health Marshalls Electric Company, and the mi n i s t e r . The strike was unprec e d e n t e d Marshall Islands Marine Resources for the public expression of discontent Authority ( m i m r a ) . In many cases political reviews • micron e s i a 213 people holding government positions vessel available for collection. Copra are prohibited from board member- production decreased 38 percent from ship. 1997 to 1999 (M I J, 16 July 1999, 1; The new government has also insti- 2 Feb 2000, 2). tuted and enforced a government- Fisheries developments have greatly vehicle policy, unheard of in past affected the nation in 1999–2000. years, that requires government vehi- Eighty percent of the 322 jobs created cles to be compounded at night and at the new Majuro pm&o fish loining prohibits family members of officials facility that opened in November 19 9 9 from driving them (M I J, 14 Feb 2000, went to women (M I J, 18 Feb 1999, 1). It is strengthening the relationship 24; 3 March 2000, 22). The increase with the Asian Development Bank by in purse seiners (65 percent from Tai- continuing with the final re d u c t i o n - wan) using Majuro as a transshipment i n -force recommendation that has center contributed $5 million to reduced the size of government by 30 mimra through fees in addition to percent since the mid-nineties. Trans- adding to the local economy via fuel portation, fisheries, outer-island devel- and provisions purchased on Majuro. opment, an independent judiciary, Between October 1998 and Septem- education, and accountability are, to ber 1999, 266 purse seiners had date, the key areas of interest of this stopped in Majuro lagoon. Residents new government. felt their impact economically and Options for transportation to environmentally, with traces of oil Hawai‘i increased on 2 September beginning to appear on the small when Aloha Airlines began service to islands of the atoll (M I J, 28 Jan 2000, Johnston Atoll, Majuro, and Kwaja- 28; 17 Sept 1999, 1). lein. Continental later followed suit, Arno Atoll has produced world- resuming a third weekly flight through class pearls for locally owned Robert Majuro. Additionally, pm&o Shipping Reimers Enterprises. With twenty- Line added an extra trip to the islands, eight potential atoll sites the Marshall increasing service between Hawai‘i Islands has excellent potential to and Majuro to every two weeks (M I J, expand this great revenue earner, 13 Aug 1999, 1). following the example of the Cook Increased attention to inter-atoll Islands, where three atolls produce tr a n s p o r tation by the new governm e n t $30–40 million in pearls annually convinced Air Marshall Islands board (M I J, 17 March 2000, 15). members to back out of a $30 million The Marshall Islands Judiciary has deal for two Dornier planes, made by been especially busy, and was com- the previous government, in favor of mended by P re s i d e nt Note for its land- smaller, more efficient aircraft. mark decision in July–August of 19 9 9 , The governments of Japan and ruling that the previous government’s Taiwan have committed funds for boycott in the Nitijela of the fall 1998 boat purchases so fish and copra vote of no confidence was unconstitu- from outer islands can be delivered tional and illegal. The landmark rul- to Majuro more efficiently. In 1999 ing resulted in a shift in political copra production was discouraged by power, though a bit too late for Chief the limitation of a single functioning Justice Dan Cadra, whose contract 214 the contemporary pacific • spr ing 2001 was terminated by the previous board is implementing a collection administration after the court ruling.

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