7 Jul 2010

Nauru Government breaks parliamentary deadlock but Speaker blocks vote

1:20 pm on 7 July 2010

The government of Nauru says it has secured the additional member it needs to form a government and elect a President, but the Speaker has refused to let the motion proceed.

It says the speaker and opposition member, Aloysius Amwano, refused to allow government member Mathew Batsiua to put the motion to elect a president to parliament yesterday.

Jo O'Brien reports.

"In a media release, the government information office says the speaker refused to allow the motion despite it having a seconder, the current president, Marcus Stephen. It says Mr Amwano claimed there had been no progress in talks to resolve the political deadlock, but it is known that one of the opposition members, Rykers Solomon, had agreed to join the government, giving it the majority it requires to govern. The government information office says the Speaker then ignored standing orders when he suspended parliament until Thursday morning. It says this can only be done with unanimous agreement by members."