Opposition false claims shows election eve desperation
The Government of Nauru has
rejected accusations in foreign media by Sprent Dabwido MP, that
Opposition MPs are being prevented from advertising on local media,
labelling the claims as "childish and desperate political point
scoring".
Communications Minister Shadlog Bernicke said the opposition knows
that Nauru TV and radio has a long standing policy of not airing
political advertising from either side, and that no Government MP
has done any election promotion on local media.
"Not now and not when opposition MPs were in government has local
media aired political advertising for any MP, so it is laughable
that they are attempting to use foreign media to make untrue claims
against this Government.
"It simply shows how desperate they are to regain power, how
willing they are to trash our country internationally and how unfit
they are to govern," he said.
Mr Bernicke said the Opposition was trying to influence
international observers who have arrived in Nauru to monitor the
election at the Government's invitation.
"Nauru's elections have always been run fairly and democratically,
proven by the fact that the government has changed so much over
recent years until the Waqa administration brought stability to the
nation.
The Waqa Government, elected in June 2013, has run a full term, a
fact the minster explained "has brought tremendous economic and
social benefits to the Nauruan people".
"Government MPs have worked hard for the people of Nauru and we
have put an end to the cronyism and corruption that was the
hallmark of the previous administration which was made up of the
same opposition MPs that are now trying to get back into
power."
The minister said he was quietly confident the Nauruan people will
re-elect Government MPs because "our people are more prosperous now
than under previous governments and they don't want to return to
the old ways".