Ieremia Tabai facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ieremia Tabai
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Tabai in 2009
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| 1st President of Kiribati | |
| In office 12 July 1979 – 4 July 1991 |
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| Vice President | Teatao Teannaki |
| Preceded by | Himself (as chief minister) |
| Succeeded by | Teatao Teannaki |
| Chief Minister of the Gilbert Islands | |
| In office 1978 – 12 July 1979 |
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| Preceded by | Naboua Ratieta |
| Succeeded by | Himself (as president) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 December 1949 Nonouti, Gilbert and Ellice Islands (now Kiribati) |
| Political party |
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| Spouse | Meleangi Kalofia |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Tarawa Palace Razidans |
| Alma mater | Victoria University of Wellington |
Ieremia Tienang Tabai (born 16 December 1949) is a well-known politician from Kiribati. He made history as the first president of Kiribati, serving from 1979 to 1991. Before Kiribati became an independent country, he was the Chief Minister of the Gilbert Islands from 1978 to 1979. After his time as president, Tabai returned to the House of Assembly, which is like the parliament, in 1998. He still represents his home island, Nonouti, as of his re-election in 2024.
Contents
Early Life and Path to Politics
Ieremia Tabai was born on 16 December 1949, on the island of Nonouti. When he was 11, he went to King George V High School in Tarawa. He was very smart and earned a scholarship from the New Zealand government to continue his studies there. This was a big change for him, as he was far from his family and had less money than other students. However, he learned to be careful with money, which he said helped him later in life.
Tabai attended college at St Andrew's College, Christchurch from 1967 to 1968. He then went to Victoria University of Wellington, where he studied business and government. He graduated in 1972 with a bachelor's degree. While in New Zealand, he watched how politicians worked, and the Prime Minister, Norman Kirk, especially inspired him.
After finishing university in 1973, Tabai returned to the Gilbert Islands. Since not many people had a university degree back then, he quickly got a job at the Ministry of Finance. He worked there for a year before deciding to enter politics. He married Meleangi Tabai, who was from the Ellice Islands.
Starting His Political Journey
In 1974, Ieremia Tabai was elected to represent Nonouti in the House of Assembly. The next year, he became the leader of the opposition, meaning he was the main critic of the government. He and his supporters called themselves the Democratic Labour Party.
Tabai was very critical of the government led by Naboua Ratieta. He felt that the government was focusing too much on the main island, Tarawa, and not enough on the smaller outer islands. He also disagreed with the idea of creating a defense force. Tabai presented himself as a regular person who understood the needs of people on all islands. He was known for being down-to-earth, often riding his bicycle and talking informally with people.
Becoming Chief Minister
In 1978, the House of Assembly decided that the Chief Minister should be chosen by the people. Tabai ran for this important role. The election for Chief Minister was held on 17 March 1978. Tabai won with 55.6% of the votes. He was only 27 years old when he became Chief Minister, making him the youngest candidate. People trusted him because of his education and his understanding of how the government should work.
Leading Kiribati to Independence
As Chief Minister, Tabai had the big responsibility of negotiating Kiribati's independence from the United Kingdom. In June 1978, he traveled to London and Washington D.C. with a team to discuss important matters. They talked about how much financial support Kiribati would get from the UK, especially since the country's main resource, phosphate, was running out. They also discussed the future of Banaba island and claims from the United States in the region.
Tabai strongly believed that Kiribati should become independent with all its land intact. He worked hard during the constitutional meetings to create a new system of government for Kiribati. This new system included an executive president with term limits, which Tabai believed would help keep the country stable.
Kiribati officially became an independent nation on 12 July 1979. At this point, Tabai's title changed from Chief Minister to the first president of Kiribati. The independence celebration was a huge event, and Tabai had to manage many important visitors. By this time, he had two children.
Tabai's Time as President
First Term: 1979–1982
As president of a new nation, Tabai wanted to make sure people understood how their government worked and how democracy functioned. Kiribati was a very poor country with many distant islands, and it relied on foreign money. Tabai's main goal was to make Kiribati financially independent. He tried to keep government spending low and encouraged people to rely more on their own resources, like fishing and farming. He even continued to climb a 10-meter-tall coconut tree twice a day to get coconut milk, saying it was cheaper than buying drinks!
Tabai was careful about developing a tourism industry. He worried that too many wealthy tourists could overwhelm the small island nation. He suggested waiting "50 or 100 years" before thinking about it.
In 1980, a workers' union went on strike, which became violent. This led to a vote in parliament that was like a "no confidence" vote against Tabai's government, but it failed. In the 1982 elections, Tabai was re-elected as president with 48.7% of the votes, showing that he was still very popular.
Challenges and Re-election: 1982–1987
After his re-election in 1982, Tabai's government faced challenges in parliament. A bill he introduced was defeated, which led to new elections. However, in the 1983 parliamentary election, Tabai gained more supporters. He was then re-elected as president for another term with 49.6% of the vote.
From 1983 to 1986, Tabai also served as the chancellor of the University of the South Pacific.
In 1985, Tabai made a controversial decision to sign a fishing agreement with the Soviet Union. Kiribati received US$1.5 million in exchange for allowing Soviet fishing boats into its waters for one year. Tabai explained that this was a way for Kiribati to become self-sufficient and not rely on British money. This decision caused protests both in Kiribati and from other countries like the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. They worried about the Soviet Union's presence in the Pacific. The agreement was not renewed after one year.
As the 1987 presidential election approached, there was a legal challenge about whether Tabai could run again because of term limits. The court decided that his time as Chief Minister before independence did not count towards his presidential term limits. Tabai won re-election again with 50.1% of the vote.
Final Term and Successor: 1987–1991
In his last term, Tabai had to work closely with independent members of parliament because he didn't have a clear majority. In 1990, he received an honorary doctorate degree from his old university, Victoria University.
Tabai was re-elected to his seat in the House of Assembly in 1991. However, he had reached his term limit for the presidency and could not run again. He used his popularity to support his Vice-President, Teatao Teannaki, who ran as the candidate for the National Progressive Party. Teannaki won the election, continuing many of Tabai's policies. Tabai later said he felt relieved when his time as president ended.
After the Presidency
Leading the Pacific Islands Forum
After leaving the presidency, Ieremia Tabai was chosen as the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum in 1992. This organization helps Pacific island nations work together. He held this important role until 1998. In 1992, he also received Kiribati's highest honor, the Kiribati Grand Order.
As Secretary-General, Tabai traveled a lot to listen to the concerns of member nations and to stay updated on global politics. He believed in expanding trade, especially with Asian countries. In 1996, he was honored by Australia for his work in improving relations between Australia and Pacific Island countries.
Returning to Parliament and Media
After his time at the Pacific Islands Forum ended in 1998, Tabai decided to return to politics as a member of the House of Assembly. He also wanted to create independent media outlets in Kiribati.
He co-founded a radio station called Newair FM 101. At first, the government tried to stop it, but Tabai fought for it in court and eventually got a license in 2002. He also started a newspaper called Newstar with his brother. This was the first newspaper in Kiribati that was not owned by the government. Tabai believed that independent media was very important because it could report on the government without being controlled by it.
As a member of the opposition party, Boutokaan te Koaua, Tabai has continued to be an important voice. He has spoken about the importance of including women in politics. In 2014, he suggested that families in Kiribati should have fewer children, perhaps two or three, to help manage the growing population and prevent unemployment. He also said this would help with challenges from climate change.
Tabai has also spoken out against Kiribati's closer ties with China, arguing that it was a political move. In 2022, he criticized the government's decision to leave the Pacific Islands Forum without asking parliament or the public. In 2024, he protested the deportation of an Australian-born judge, believing it was unfair.
