YAREN, Nauru – Nauru’s Finance and Foreign Minister David Adeang has been accused by a group of MPs of associating with businessmen in Thailand who are selling and distributing Nauruan passports.  The group also alleges that he received gifts, travel funding, and other benefits in conjunction with this venture, which he failed to declare under Nauru’s public accountability laws.

Adeang dismissed these claims, saying that the MPs are playing for control of the government and that the accusations are false.  He further stated that the businessmen in question had become Nauruan citizens when former president Rene Harris had been running his own passport scheme.  Adeang dubbed the allegations “spurious” and criticized the group for not building a case to prove the allegations.

The breakaway MPs are moving for a no confidence motion against Nauru president Ludwig Scotty if he does not deal with the issue, and are pressuring him to reconvene parliament to deal with the misconduct allegations against Adeang.

For more information, please see:

Islands Business – President may face no confidence vote over Adeang – 12 November 2007

Radio New Zealand International – Rebel MPs in Nauru claim to be building support for no confidence vote – 22 November 2007

Radio New Zealand International – Nauru’s Adeang dismisses claims that Asian colleagues involved in passport sales – 22 November 2007

Islands Business – Rebel MPs claim to be building support for no confidence vote– 22 November 2007