1971 Gilbert and Ellice Islands general election

General elections were held in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands on 19 March 1971. 42(4) Pacific Islands Monthly Gilbert, Ellice To The Polls Under A Blazing Noonday Sun 1 April 1971 https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-332066213/view?sectionId=nla.obj-337425582&partId=nla.obj-332102397#page/n26/mode/1up 2 October 2021Barrie Macdonald (1971) Policy and practice in an atoll territory: British rule in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, 1892 – 1970 Background Prior to the elections constitutional changes saw the House of Representatives replaced with a 33-member Legislative Council consisting of 28 elected members, three ex officio members (the Assistant to the Resident Commissioner, the Attorney General and the Financial Secretary) and two civil servants.Howard Van Trease (1993) Atoll Politics: The Republic of Kiribati, p8 Campaign A total of 110 candidates contested the 28 elected seats, all running as independents. Of the 23 incumbent members, only 13 ran for re-election. Results Only five of the 23 incumbent MPs were re-elected, with eight of them losing their seat. Tekarei Russell became the first female member of the legislature.New-look Gilbert and Ellice politics may spark ailing public interest Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1971, p24 Director of Agriculture Ray Harberd and Director of Education Harry Urquhart were appointed as the two nominated official members. ConstituencyElected memberAbemamaBauro TokatakeBeruOtiuea TanentoaFunafutiBenjamin KofeKuriaPaul Binatake TokatakeMaianaBwebwetake AreietaMakinIbeata TonganieiaMarakeiNaboua RatietaNanumeaTelavi FatiNiutaoTomu SioneNuiSione Tui KleisNukulaelaeIsa PaeniuSouth TabiteueaBureua KamaotoUrban TarawaTekarei RussellReuben UatioaSource: PIM, PIM, PIM, PIM Aftermath The new Legislative Council met for the first time on 14 April. Reuben Uatioa was elected Leader of Government Business.Decolonization United Nations, July 1979 An Executive Council was subsequently appointed by Resident Commissioner John Osbaldiston Field after consultation with Uatioa. Executive CouncilPositionMemberLeader of Government BusinessReuben UatioaMember for Communications and LandsNaboua RatietaMember for Internal AffairsOtiuea TanentoaMember for Natural ResourcesIsa PaeniuMember for Social ServicesBwebwetake Areieta References Gilbert Category:Elections in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Category:1971 in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Category:Non-partisan elections Category:March 1971 in Oceania