Lionel Aingimea

Nauru President returns negative rapid antigen test

The testing was prompted following a positive PCR test done on PM Morrison after the meeting.

President Aingimea took a Covid-19 rapid antigen test returning a negative result, and then later took a second test using a Panbio antigen test.

The Panbio test kit is currently used in Nauru which the Nauru Covid-19 Taskforce confirms has a 98 per cent sensitivity rate.

However, President Aingimea is taking extra precautions and was due to do a PCR test yesterday.

PCR testing is the gold standard for detecting Covid-19 in the community.

Nauru President represents MPS at Forum Leaders meet

The meeting coincides with the 50th Anniversary of the Pacific Islands Forum. Nauru is a founding member of the Forum, along with six others - Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Tonga and Western Samoa – now Samoa.

Nauru’s President, Lionel Aingimea, and chair of the Micronesian Presidents' Summit (MPS), attended the meeting as a representative of the Micronesia leaders, who standing on the principles of the Mekreos Communique, are not attending the retreat.

VCP re-appointment not illegal, says USP Chancellor and Nauru President

A sub-committee chaired by President Aingimea presented six recommendations to the USP Council which convened a special meeting on 25 May and 2 June 2021, and agreed, among other matters, to offer a new contract to Professor Pal Ahluwalia  as the Vice-Chancellor and President (VCP) of the USP.

Students and staff are pleased with the recommendations and the outcome of the Council deliberations in re-appointing the VC.

“The Council stands for what’s right and that’s what the students and staff wants.”

USP special council meeting resolves to terminate proceedings against VCP

The meeting was held today (Friday).

The motion reads: “The Council resolved that based on the detailed and painstaking work undertaken by the Special Executive Committee, that found as at 24 August 2020 there being no allegations where the consensus or clear majority view were deemed material, that the proceedings initiated against the vice-chancellor and president is terminated.”  

Today’s meeting is a continuation of the special council meeting held on Friday, 3 July, convened to address allegations made against Professor Ahluwalia.

Nauru President Aingimea continues as USP council chair, BDO report released to members

This follows legal advice that it “would not be in breach of the Charter and the Statutes for His Excellency the President of Nauru to continue in his capacity as a member of the Council and to chair the continuation of the meeting on Friday (3 July).”

The second council meeting on Friday resolved that the report from international accounting and auditing firm BDO be released to council members only and endorsed the proposal by Tuvalu in regards to the ordinance to govern the discipline of the Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pal Ahluwalia.

USP Council reinstates Vice Chancellor Prof Pal Ahluwalia

 A statement said the Council was not persuaded that due process was followed by the Executive committee in the suspension of Professor Ahluwalia.

The Council has also directed that the process as prescribed in An Ordinance to Govern the Discipline of the Vice-Chancellor be followed in investigating any allegations against the Vice-Chancellor & President.

Fiji’s Minister for Education Rosy Akbar said the government will support whatever decision is made by the University of the South Pacific council following its special meeting today.

President Aingimea wants unity for Nauru

Mr Aingimea won the vote for presidency 12 votes to six against former finance minister David Adeang.

President Aingimea acknowledged the tough work ahead, and as the “father of the nation” likened the 12,000 population of Nauru as being children that need protecting and guiding.

“My vision for Nauru is for us to work together, all members of parliament, because everybody has a contribution, everyone. Everyone has ideas, everyone needs those ideas to be voiced and when they need to be tempered, to be tempered.

Lionel Aingimea is new President of Nauru

Mr Aingimea, a second term MP, defeated David Adeang by 12 votes to 6.

He succeeds Baron Waqa, who lost his seat in Saturday's general election.

Former president Marcus Stephen, is the new Speaker of Parliament.

He won by 12 votes to 7 over Shadlog Bernicke when the new Parliament voted today.

Mr Aingimea is a former secretary of justice and served as an assistant minister in various portfolios in the previous government.