28 Jul 2015

No invite for suspended Nauru MPs to meet Forum chief

8:12 am on 28 July 2015

Nauru's suspended opposition MPs have not been invited to meet the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum during her visit to the island.

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Secretary-General, Dame Meg Taylor.

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Secretary-General, Dame Meg Taylor. Photo: RNZI

Dame Meg Taylor arrived in Nauru on Sunday as part of a tour of all Forum countries before the Forum leaders meet in September.

Her visit comes amid concerns about a breakdown in democracy on Nauru and at least one suspended MP Roland Kun has said she needs to hear how democratically elected MPs have been prevented from representing their people in parliament.

The Nauru government has invited the three remaining opposition MPs to meet Dame Meg today and one of them Marcus Stephen says he will raise concerns about the separation of powers, and various actions taken by the government.

He says he will also ask Dame Meg if she would like to meet the suspended MPs.

"That's one thing I would like to find out from her. Why is she here? Is it just a tick of the box or are they really serious, that they're here to do something about things if they do see things that are not right?"

Mr Stephen says he is not satisfied Dame Meg will get a full picture of the situation on Nauru if she doesn't meet the suspended MPs.

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