KIRIBATI DEMOCRACY


DEMOCRACY IN KIRIBATI SINCE INDEPENDENCE


The introduction of Westminster-style parliamentary democracy changed the culture of a small central Pacific nation – and not always for the better, says a senior Member of the Parliament of Kiribati.


Hon. Taomati Iuta, MP, in Tarawa. Mr Iuta has currently been the Speaker of the Parliament of Kiribati, the Maneaba ni Maungatabu, since 2007, having held the office briefly in 2003. He was a Minister from 1979 to 1994, including serving as Vice-President from 1991 to 1994. He was a Member of Parliament from 1994 to 2002. This article is based on a presentation most recently to a conference on democracy at the McMillan Brown Centre of Pacific Studies at Canterbury University, Christchurch, New Zealand.


of governing all the islands when the British annexed Kiribati and the Ellice Islands as a British colony. The Chiefly system, which was


practiced mainly in the islands of northern and central Kiribati, slowly died out, though there was an effort to nurture it by some British colonial officers.


Hon. Taomati Iuta, MP


Before the missionaries set foot in the Kiribati islands and before Kiribati was annexed as a British protectorate there were mainly two systems under which the people were governed. The method of a government


in the southern islands was “the Maneaba system” and in the northern islands “the Chiefly system”. The Maneaba system suited the Kiribati lifestyle better and was the system


26 | The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue One


Wisdom by the consensus of old men Government under the Maneaba system consisted of the old men from the village from different families meeting together in the village “Maneaba”. This was a big building in the centre of the village, where people came together to celebrate, eat, be entertained, talk and debate all matters of concern. When the Maneaba discussed


matters for the good governance and the welfare of the village, everyone was encouraged to attend and listen;


but at such meetings only the old men, traditionally regarded as wise counsel, could talk. They were lengthy discussions, as decisions that came as an outcome had to be accepted by all and not only by the majority. The discussions were very polite and respectful to all those present. If ever there was a dissenting voice, efforts were made to achieve a consensus. The debate in the Maneaba


traditionally was never adversarial but always conciliatory. When a decision was reached, all in the village had to abide by it as it was considered a good decision for the welfare of the village and for everyone in the community. Anyone who disobeyed the decision of the old men was liable to be punished; and again their punishment was decided by the old men. It was the type of system I


grew up with and that in turn future generations were taught to accept it as one day it would be their turn


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