KIRIBATI PRESIDENT TO FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING ECONOMY
Tong says nation not given fair share of fisheries revenue

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Jan. 17, 2012) – The newly re-elected president of Kiribati says building a stronger economy will be his government’s focus for this term.

Anote Tong won his third and final term as president, with just over 40% of the vote, beating his nearest challenger, Tetaua Taitai by more than 2,000 votes.

Mr. Tong says Kiribati’s fisheries resource is substantial, but the country has been unable to get a significant share of it.

"We need a stronger coalition with our Pacific partners in advocating that the resource is ours, so we should be able to get a larger share. At the moment, much of the harvesting, much of the processing is actually done offshore, and other countries are actually benefitting out of this. So we must be able to domesticate the industry to a greater extent than has been the case."

Anote Tong says the Government is trying to develop the skills of young people, through the Marine Training Centre, and the Technical Institute.

[PIR editor’s note: Tong also says he is confident that he can win majority support in Kiribati’s parliament over the next week. According to Tong, he and other parliamentary groups "share the same objective, and that’s to serve the people that we have promised to serve, and hopefully... we will be able to come to agreement on what is best for the nation at the end of the day."]

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