David Adeang

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David Adeang : biography

24 November 1969 –

The crisis continued into early April 2008, with Adeang stating that he would consider the Supreme Court’s ruling as "just an opinion", and Keke responding that the Supreme Court, not the Speaker, had the jurisdiction to determine a member of Parliament’s eligibility.

Adeang questions Supreme Court ruling; suspends President Stephen and his ministers

On 7 April, it was reported by the government that the Supreme Court had ruled in the government’s favour, apparently confirming that the law forbidding members of Parliament from holding dual nationality was anticonstitutional and invalid, due to lack of quorum. The Court also reportedly rejected Adeang’s claim that the courts have no jurisdiction over Parliament., Pacific magazine, 8 April 2008 Adeang said that he would seek legal advice before responding to the court’s ruling., ABC Radio Australia, 8 April 2008

Relations between Adeang, as Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru, and the Stephen Administration, remained under severe strain following the ruling, and the Administration’s ministers continued to exercise executive powers without the support of Parliament.

Following the 7 April release of the Supreme Court decision which ruled against the dual nationality law, with the passing of which Adeang was particularly identified, Adeang indicated that forty years of post-independence Parliamentary precedent had been set aside. For its part, the government of Marcus Stephen strongly welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling: whether or not for ideological and principled reasons also, it was seen as ensuring the immediate survival of the Administration.

On 10 April, following allegations of unruly behaviour in the chamber of the Parliament of Nauru, Adeang, as Speaker, suspended President Marcus Stephen from Parliament, along with all members who supported Stephen’s Administration. On 18 April, Stephen declared a state of emergency, dissolved Parliament, and announced fresh elections. In so doing, President Stephen claimed to be seeking a way out of the impasse which has characterized the relationship between the Government and the Parliament of Nauru, since the Stephen Administration lost a working majority there. For Adeang, the step was one which he had been advocating for several weeks., Phil Mercer, BBC, 18 April 2008, ABC Radio Australia, 18 April 2008

Replacement as Speaker

Adeang was replaced as Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru by Riddell Akua (who also preceded him as Speaker), following the elections of 26 April 2008, when President Marcus Stephen increased his support.

Loss of ally

With the death in July 2008 of former President Rene Harris, David Adeang lost an important ally with whom he had closely worked in the earlier part of 2008.

Developments in 2007

Adeang was easily reelected in the August 2007 parliamentary election. He received the most votes in the Ubenide constituency, which elects 4 seats.Sean Dorney, , abc.net.au, 26 August 2007.

Praise of Cuba

In September 2007, Adeang, as Foreign Minister, made a number of public statements deemed in the United States to be controversial. He extolled Cuba and criticized US foreign policy, during a visit to the Caribbean island.

Report of criticism of Adeang by US State Department

The US Department of State, referring to events investigated in 2007, reported criticism of Adeang in its Human Rights Report, issued for 2008. This criticism was included in the State Department’s report, despite the fact that police, having undertaken an investigation of allegations of wrongdoing, made no attempt to prosecute Adeang.

Involvement with the demise of the Scotty government

Allegations of misconduct on the part of Adeang and Scotty’s unwillingness to act against Adeang led to the resignation of several members of the government—Kieren Keke, Frederick Pitcher, and Roland Kun—and an unsuccessful motion of no-confidence against Scotty’s government on 13 November 2007. Although a majority of those voting supported the motion (eight in favor, seven opposed), it fell short of the necessary nine votes., AAP (Sydney Morning Herald), 14 November 2007. However, another vote on 19 December was successful in ousting Scotty, and Marcus Stephen was elected President; Stephen named Kieren Keke to replace Adeang as Foreign Minister., ABC Radio Australia, 20 December 2007.

Developments in 2013

Waqa Cabinet

Following the 2013 parliamentary elections, in which he was re-elected, Adeang supported the election of Baron Waqa to the presidency. Adeang was appointed to the cabinet by Waqa, and was given the portfolios of Finance and Sustainable Development, Justice, Eigigu Holdings Corporation, Nauru Air Corporation. He was also appoint "Minister Assiting the President".http://www.naurugov.nr/government-information-office/media-release/president-waqa-names-his-cabinet-13june2013.aspx