Ludwig Scotty

Infobox_President
honorific-prefix = His Excellency
name = Ludwig Scotty


order = President of Nauru
vicepresident =
term_start = 22 June 2004
term_end = 19 December 2007
predecessor = René Harris
successor = Marcus Stephen
vicepresident2 =
term_start2 = 29 May 2003
term_end2 = 08 August2003
predecessor2 = Derog Gioura
successor2 = René Harris
birth_date = birth date and age|1948|06|20|df=y
birth_place = Anabar, Nauru
spouse =
party =

Ludwig Derangadage Scotty (born June 20, 1948, in Anabar) is a political figure from the Pacific nation of Nauru and was President of the Republic of Nauru. He served as President from May 29, 2003 to August 8, 2003, then from June 22, 2004 to his ousting in a vote of no confidence on December 19, 2007.

Background and earlier career

Scotty grew up in Anabar in the north of Nauru; he attended secondary school from 1960 until 1964 and studied law at the University of the South Pacific in the Fijian capital city Suva. On March 15 1983 he was first elected to the Parliament for his district Anbar; in his longterm tenure as parliament member Scotty was the chairman of the Bank of Nauru, the Nauru Rehabilitation Corporation and in the board of directors of Air Nauru.

Ludwig served as Speaker of Parliament from the late 1990s until 2000 while representing the Anabar district.

President of Nauru 2003

At the end of the short administration of Derog Gioura, Ludwig Scotty was elected President of Nauru by a parliamentary vote of 10-7, defeating Centre Party leader and former President Kinza Clodumar.

President Scotty's cabinet included himself as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baron D. Waqa of Boe as Minister of Education, David Adeang of Ubenide as Minister of Finance, Dr. Kieren Keke of Yaren as Minister of Health, Russel E. Kun of Ubenide as Minister of Justice and Dogabe A. Jeremiah of Meneng as Minister of Public Works.

Ludwig was ousted in a vote of no confidence in August 2003 and was replaced as President by René Harris.

Period in Opposition 2003-2004

Scotty spent a short period in Opposition from August 2003 until June 2004, remaining a member of the Parliament of Nauru.

President of Nauru 2004-2007

Ludwig Scotty returned as President on June 22, 2004 after a member of Harris's faction of the Parliament of Nauru defected. Ludwig was re-elected to Parliament in elections in October 2004, and most of his allies also did well. In this term, Scotty became the first president of Nauru to give up the foreign affairs ministry, as David Adeang was appointed to that position.

Scotty's government implemented major reforms to restore the country's economy. [http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Scotty-returned-as-Nauru-president/2007/08/28/1188067093864.html "Scotty returned as Nauru president"] , AAP (smh.com.au), August 28, 2007.]

Scotty and his supporters won a landslide victory in the parliamentary election held on August 25, 2007. On August 28, Scotty was re-elected as president with the support of 14 of the 18 members of parliament, defeating Marcus Stephen.

Despite the grave problems which the Nauruan authorities faced in the early 21st Century, the years under the Presidency of Ludwig Scotty saw some measure of stability return to the island Republic, albeit constrained by austerity measures. The liberal use of Parliamentary no-confidence motions, the occasion of many crises of government over several years, seemed initially to have subsided under Ludwig Scotty's widely respected tenure of office. A constitutional review was being proceeded with, with a view to improving the functioning of Parliament and the offices of state.

On November 13 2007, a motion of no-confidence against Scotty's government was unsuccessful; although a majority of those voting supported the motion (eight in favor, seven opposed), it fell short of the necessary nine votes. The motion was led by Dr.Kieren Keke, and it was based on allegations of misconduct on the part of Adeang and Scotty's unwillingness to act against Adeang. [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Rebel-faction-fails-to-oust-Nauru-govt/2007/11/14/1194766757975.html "Rebel faction fails to oust Nauru govt"] , AAP ("Sydney Morning Herald"), November 14, 2007.]

On December 19, 2007, however, a newly comprised majority in Parliament did succeed in ousting President Scotty through a new vote of no confidence (ten votes in favour, seven opposed). The motion was based on the same causes as the November vote. Marcus Stephen was sworn in as President of Nauru. [http://news.smh.com.au/mps-oust-naurus-president/20071219-1i12.html "MPs oust Nauru's president"] , "Sydney Morning Herald", December 19, 2007.]

Post-Presidency and legacy

Ludwig Scotty remained a member of the Parliament of Nauru, following the no confidence defeat in Parliament of his Administration in 2007. Coming as it did only a few months after the landslide victory of his supporters at the polls in August 2007, his relinquishing of office so soon afterwards can be seen in terms of an element of promise and expectations unfilled.

It remained to be seen whether Scotty, who turns 60 in 2008, and whose Administration was replaced by a ministerial team several of whom were many years his junior, would in the future seek a further term of office as President. His second Administration of 2004 - 2007, however, is increasingly regarded by some observers as one which was characterized by relative stability for the Republic of Nauru in contrast with the political upheavals and crises which occurred before and after this Administration. It also arguably represented a period when the Nauru electorate and their representatives were appearing to come to terms with being educated into the perceived need for economic austerity measures and the disciplines which coincided with them, and into a broader reflection on improvements in political culture. In the earlier part of 2008, somewhat of an oblique compliment was being paid to constitutional review process identified with Scotty when both Government and Opposition were claiming it as part of their legacy [ [http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=38918, 'Nauru Speaker says end of dual nationality for MPs reflected aims of constitution review'] "Radio New Zealand International" April 2, 2008 ] .

In April 2008 Scotty stood again for the Parliament of Nauru and was reelected to serve as a Member [ [http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=39441, 'Nauru president broadens support following snap election'] , Radio New Zealand International, April 29, 2008 ] .

References