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240 the Contemporary Pacific • Spring 1998 Tuvalu

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240 the Contemporary Pacific • Spring 1998 Tuvalu 240 the contemporary pacific • spring 1998 members. Elections are held every four Tuvalu years. Cabinet consists of the prime Since this is the first review of Tuvalu minister and four other ministers, and to be published in The Contemporary cabinet meetings are attended by two Pacific, some basic information is pro- ex-officio members: the secretary to vided before the events of 1996–97 are the government and the attorney- discussed. general. The prime minister is elected Independent from Britain in 1978 by Parliament from among its mem- after nearly eight decades of colonial bers, and in turn he appoints the min- rule, Tuvalu, formerly the Ellice isters. There are no political parties in Islands and ruled jointly as part of the the western sense, but those not with Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, the government form an unofficial consists of eight main small islands. opposition. The current constitution, The total land area of 26 square adopted in 1986, replaced the indepen- kilometers is spread over 900,000 dence constitution of 1978. Tuvalu is square kilometers of the central not a member of the United Nations, Pacific. The highest point in the coun- but it is a member of a number of try is no more than four meters above UN specialized agencies and the Asian sea level, and most areas are lower. Development Bank, and is a signa- The adverse consequences of global tory to many UN treaties and con- warming, sea-level rise, and the threat ventions. It has special status within of natural hazards are matters of con- the Commonwealth and is a full mem- siderable concern. Of the total popula- ber of many of the Pacific regional tion of 10,114, about 2,000 live or organizations. work overseas and over a third are on Because it is small, remote from the capital island of Funafuti, making markets, and lacking exploitable it one of the most densely populated natural resources, Tuvalu’s economy atolls in the Pacific. The skewed popu- suffers from many constraints. These lation distribution, exacerbated by a include limited skilled human high rate of natural increase, puts con- resources; severe problems in adminis- siderable pressure on economic and tration, transportation, and communi- social services. cations; and inadequate social and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth is Tuvalu’s economic infrastructure. Tuvalu head of state, locally represented by a depends highly on development aid Tuvaluan governor-general whose assistance for most of its capital for- functions are mainly ceremonial. Par- mation and technical assistance. Tradi- liament consists of a single chamber of tional donors include Japan, Australia, twelve members elected by universal New Zealand, the Asian Development suffrage. Of the eight main islands, Bank, UN specialized agencies, the four return two candidates each and European Union, and regional organ- the rest one each. Niulakita, the ninth izations. The Tuvalu Trust Fund—the island, is not considered a separate first to be established in a developing electoral district. The legislature is country predominantly through dona- presided over by a Speaker elected by tions from other countries—was set up political reviews • polynesia 241 in 1987 to provide a source of revenue ways of consultation, dialogue, and to the government in order to improve consensus. The matter was amicably and strengthen its finances, improve settled, and relationships between the social services, and help develop the government and the Niutao people economy. With initial contributions were normalized. totalling a$27.1 million, it has grown The agreement allowing Asia Pacific to a$45 million in the first ten years. Telecommunications to rent many of Lavish government and community Tuvalu’s international telephone num- celebrations, together with a five-day bers came under heavy criticism from public holiday commemorating the the opposition in 1996. The main fund’s tenth anniversary in June 1997, reason was that some of these numbers must have made a sizeable dent in the were being used outside Tuvalu for fund’s revenues. “phone sex,” a practice that critics say In the year under review, Tuvalu is unchristian. However, the agreement underwent a most stressful period earns much-needed foreign exchange politically as it grappled with issues of for the country. governance involving traditional As the country geared up for the values and foreign political systems. eighteenth independence anniversary The coalition government led by Prime on 1 October 1996, the government Minister Kamuta Latasi had initiated a and the opposition found themselves process to implement major constitu- in the middle of an unprecedented tional changes. These included chang- political crisis. The opposition ing the national flag, preparing the demanded the resignation or dismissal country for a republican type of gov- of Prime Minister Latasi and his min- ernment, introducing legislative isters. The crisis had started several reforms to effectively support national months before the independence cele- development programs, and making brations. Deputy Prime Minister amendments to the electoral law. The Otinielu Tausi had been at loggerheads impetus of public sector and local gov- with Minister of Finance Koloa Talake ernment reforms was being success- for some time. The latter had a litany fully maintained through the personal of queries probing the former’s failure interest of Latasi as minister responsi- to submit his tax returns over a num- ble for these two areas. ber of years, excessive claims for travel In July 1996, Latasi and his official allowances, disputed payments for entourage paid a visit to Niutao parliamentary privileges, and pur- Island—the home of former Governor- chase of departmental stores from the General Tomu Sione, who was dis- deputy prime minister’s private shop missed in 1994 after being “unwisely” contrary to government purchasing appointed by former Prime Minister procedures. Tausi had failed to submit Bikenibeu Paeniu. The people of satisfactory responses to the Ministry Niutao had been bitter about the dis- of Finance and was demanding that missal, and the purpose of the historic the minister of finance should either be meeting was to try and reconcile any moved away from the ministry or be differences by applying traditional dismissed. Tausi stopped attending 242 the contemporary pacific • spring 1998 caucus meetings. Unable to bring him political situation. The constitution back to the fold, and under mounting provides that the prime minister may pressure from other colleagues, Latasi be removed from office due to a lack dismissed Tausi from public office on of majority supporting him only by 16 September 1996. As this was the way of a motion of no-confidence first time that a cabinet minister was moved in a session in Parliament. But dismissed in such a manner, Tuvaluans a session of Parliament may only be witnessed the exercise of such political called on the advice of the prime powers with a mixture of astonishment minister. and trepidation. Latasi was not to be intimidated Tausi accused other ministers of into resigning and indicated that the similarly abusing parliamentary privi- opposition should await the session of leges. He had also been very discon- Parliament, set for December, at which tented with efforts by Latasi to time it could move a motion of no persuade the opposition leader, Biken- confidence. He advised that it was con- ibeu Paeniu, to join their group with- stitutionally legal for him to remain in out discussing the matter first with all his post until the December session of members of the coalition. Although Parliament. This angered the opposi- strongly denied by Latasi, there may tion, who claimed that Latasi was well be some truth in the assertion, as hungry for power and argued that Paeniu was not only often seen during since they had the majority, it was this period with the prime minister, but incumbent on him to resign immedi- his performance in Parliament against ately. Alternatively, the opposition the government had suddenly become members argued, a session of Parlia- less effective. Tausi joined the opposi- ment should be called at once—and tion, accompanied by Tomasi Puapua, not delayed to December—so that the Speaker of Parliament and former Latasi’s minority government could be prime minister. This left the govern- voted out of power. The opposition ment in the minority. With the change increased its attacks on the govern- in fortune and the possibility of lead- ment and declared a war of scathing ing the new government, Bikenibeu personal remarks against Latasi, Paeniu disassociated himself from including putting considerable pres- Latasi and launched a vicious cam- sure on island communities to rise paign against the government. The against the government. opposition canvassed strongly for the In an unprecedented move, the immediate resignation of Latasi and opposition intervened in the public solicited the interventions of the over- service and advised the public service seas media, the governor-general, commission and the budget committee island communities, island chiefs, and (which was then preparing the 1997 elders, as well as the civil service. The budget) to cease all functions until opposition petitioned the governor- the opposition had installed a new general on 27 September 1996, but the government. governor-general advised that he was In responding to opposition calls for not empowered to address such a support, the four most populous political reviews • polynesia 243 islands (Nanumea, Vaitupu, Nuku- may have acted in a political way that fetau, and Funafuti) said that the polit- was advantageous to a member of its ical crisis would be resolved in accor- team, or whether they are looking only dance with the constitution when for those who may have acted against Parliament met in December 1997. their political interests. Defeated in the historic motion of As prime minister, Paeniu was no confidence on 18 December 1996, better placed to ingratiate himself with the Latasi regime was succeeded by the the Niutao community over his government of Bikenibeu Paeniu, “unwise” appointment of Tomu Sione formerly prime minister from 1989 to as governor-general in 1993.
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