With governor disabled and hospitalized from a car accident for over two months now and
legislative speaker under court indictment for serious felony charges, the 8 th Olbiil Ra
Ngerchumelbai (Airai state legislature) finally acted to resolve an apparent government
crisis.They removed the current speaker and selected a successor back to back on Wednesday
night.
A special session of the legislature was called Wednesday evening at the Legislative Hall in Airai
State during which Resolution No. 8-25 was introduced by nine members to remove Delegate
Clinton J. Freese as the Speaker and Presiding Officer of the 8 th Olbiil Ra Ngerchumelbai. The
resolution states that “the members of the Eight Olbiil Ra Ngerechumelbai have lost confidence
in the leadership of Speaker Clinton J. Freese” and “such loss of confidence is manifested in the
desire for his removal to allow for changes in the leadership and direction of the Eighth Olbiil Ra
Ngerchumelbai. “
Speaker Freese and vice speaker Helena Rois Yoichi Arurangdid not show up so Floor Leader
Sano Sakurai presided and called the vote according to a Delegate. It was 9 YES and 2 NO. The
nine who introduced the resolution and voted for it are Delegates StephanieNgirchoimei, David
Orrekum, O’DearYobech, Ralph Kanai, Peter Adelbai, Ricky Rubario Simeon, Clive Kelib Telei,
Sherman Daniel, and Kimberly Elarionoff.
Two legislators reported that right after Freese removal, another resolution, number 8-26 was
introduced by the same nine members to appoint David A. Orrukem as the new Speaker and
was voted on. The result was the same, 9 YES to 2 NO.
As soon as Orrukem was sworn into office, one legislator said the legislature will declare a
vacancy in the office of the governor due to the disability of Gov. Tmewang Rengulbai as shown
in court documents. Airai constitution provides for a vacancy of the office of the governor if the
governor resigns, dies, or is disabled, The Speaker will fill the position for 60 days in which a
special election willheld if the over six months remain as in this case. The next Airai election will
be in 2022. If within six months, the Speaker will serve the remaining months of the term of the
disabled governor.