Kiribati Governance Information

Government Type:

Republic

Capital city:

Tarawa

Population:

110,356 (July 2008 est.)

Independence :

12 July 1979 (from UK)

Year of current Constitution:

12 July 1979

President:

Anote Tong (since 10 July 2003)

Vice President:

Teima Onorio (since 10 July 2003)

Ministers:

The cabinet comprises  the President, Vice President, and 10 Cabinet Ministers (appointed by the President) who are members of the House of Assembly. 

THE CABINET PORTFOLIOS[2]

Min. for Commerce, Industry, & Cooperatives

Ioteba REDFERN

Min. for Communications, Transport, & Tourism Development

Naatan TEEWE

Min. for Education, Youth, & Sport Development

Teima ONORIO

Min. for Environment, Lands, & Agricultural Development

Martin TOFINGA

Min. for Finance & Economic Development

Nabuti MWEMWENIKARAWA

Min. for Foreign Affairs & Immigration

Atone TONG

Min. for Health & Medical Services

Natanera KIRATA

Min. for Human Resources Development

Bauro TONGAAI

Min. for Internal Affairs & Social Development

Amberoti NIKORA

Min. for the Line and Phoenix Islands

Tawita TEMOKU

Min. for Natural Resources Development

Tetabo NAKARA

Min. for Public Works & Utilities

James TAOM 

Parliament:

The legislative branch is the unicameral "Maneaba Ni Maungatabu" (House of Assembly). It has 42 elected members, including by constitutional mandate 1 representative of the Banaban people in Fiji (Rabi Island, former Ocean Islanders), in addition to the Attorney General, who serves as an ex-officio member, and 40 members in single-seat and multi-seat constituencies. Legislators serve for a four-year term.

Electoral System:

Universal suffrage at age 18.   The House of Assembly chooses the presidential candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete in a general election; The President is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for two more terms under the constitution).

Most recent election:

Presidential elections will be held in Kiribati on 30 August 2007, a week after the parliamentary election 22nd August 2007 to elect 44 MPs in 23 electoral districts.

Previous elections:

 9 and 16 May 2003 House of Assembly of Kiribati and July 2003 Presidential elections. Earlier election years are 1978 | 1982 | 1986 | 1990 | 1994 | 1998 [3]

Political Parties and Alliances:

Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON];

Maneaban Te Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO];

Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP;

Judicial System:

The judiciary consists of magistrates' courts, the High Court, and the Court of Appeal.

The constitution provides for the right to a fair public trial, and an independent judiciary generally enforced this right. There is no trial by jury. An accused person must be informed of the charges and be provided adequate time and facilities to prepare a defense. The law also provides for the right to confront witnesses, present evidence, and appeal convictions. Defendants facing serious criminal charges are entitled to free legal representation. Procedural safeguards are based on British common law and include the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

Cases of extrajudicial traditional communal justice, in which village elders decide cases and mete out punishment, remained a part of village life, especially on remote outer islands. In the past there were reports that in extreme cases, those deemed guilty were banished from an island or even killed; however, the incidence of communal justice was declining under pressure from the codified national law. [4]

Chief Justice:

Not Available

Speaker of the House of Representatives:

The Speaker is elected to office by Members of Parliament but is not a Member of Parliament.   The Speaker has neither an original nor a casting vote in Parliamentary decisions.

Auditor General:

Not Available

Electoral Commissioner:

Rine Ueara

Attorney General:

Titabu Tabane

Solicitor General:

David Lambourne

Director of Public Prosecution:

Not Available

Commissioner of Police:

Not Available

Chairman of the Public Service Commission:

Not Available

Military:

Kiribati does not have military forces. Defense assistance is provided by Australia and New Zealand. The police operate the RKS Teanoai (301), a Pacific-class patrol boat provided to Kiribati by Australia as part of the Pacific Patrol Boat Program.

International Memberships:

African, Caribbean , and Pacific Group of States (ACP)

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Commonwealth of Nations

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

International Development Association (IDA)

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS)

International Finance Corporation (IFC)

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

International Labour Organisation (ILO)

International Maritime Organization (IMO)

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM)

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)

Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (Sparteca)

United Nations (UN)

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Universal Postal Union (UPU)

University of the South Pacific (USP)

World Health Organisation (WHO)

World Meteorological Organization (WMO

Sources:

(1) Government of Kiribati
http://www.parliament.gov.ki/constitution.html

(2) Kiribati World Fact Book
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kr.html

(3) Date of Information: 4/27/2007 from website https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/world-leaders-1/world-leaders-k/kiribati.html

(4)see Wikipedia for more information on previous election results en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiribatian_presidential_election%2C_July_2003

(5) US Department of State
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78776.htm