Marshall Islands Senator Debrum Explains No Confidence Vote Against President Note

Marshall Islands Journal/January 12, 2001

Majuro, Marshall Islands -- No confidence vote mover Senator Justin deBrum said in remarks Wednesday that the motion put to Nitijela Tuesday should not be viewed as a personal attack or an effort to destroy the government.

"In the past, a no confidence vote was like a declaration of war," he told the Journal after Tuesday's Nitijela session. But this motion is just a tool provided by the constitution for senators to bring issues and concerns to public attention and to make the government accountable, he indicated.

In a statement, deBrum said that a vote of no confidence wasn't something to be scared of, nor was it something to attack the government. Instead, he said, the motion is an instrument used by many governments who operate under a parliamentary system as a means of cleaning up and providing a report card that is true and which emanates from all members of the Nitijela.

Among issues listed by deBrum as reasons for the motion of no confidence:

Kwajalein issues

Negotiations for the Compact

Local governments and their $100,000 appropriations

Air Marshall Islands

Travel expenses

Legal Aid Office and people's constitutional rights

Task Force on Accountability

Hiring, firing and suspension

Passport issues

Rev. Moon.

DeBrum said that the hospital needed medicine, doctors and nurses, the Ministry of Education needs new teachers, the public service needs big improvements and outer islands need better service by ship and air.