30 Apr 2013

Nauru parliament again fails to reach quorum

6:33 pm on 30 April 2013

The Nauru parliament has failed to reach a quorum after ten members failed to show up to today's sitting.

This is the second consecutive meeting of parliament that the speaker, Godfrey Thoma, had to adjourn for not having enough members to debate the President's advice to dissolve parliament and hold general elections.

The speaker delivered a statement to those present explaining why the dissolution of parliament cannot yet take effect.

In it, he says that for the dissolution to go ahead, the president's advice must first be referred to members who must be given the opportunity to debate it, which has not happened.

He also suggested members who are insisting that dissolution should have taken effect on April the 25th should consider resolving the matter in court.

Parliament is next scheduled to sit on Thursday.