HE Ruben James Kun (30 March 1942 – 21 September 2014) was a political figure from the
Pacific
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
nation of
Nauru
Nauru ( or ; na, Naoero), officially the Republic of Nauru ( na, Repubrikin Naoero) and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country and microstate in Oceania, in the Central Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in K ...
and was
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese f ...
of the Republic of
Nauru
Nauru ( or ; na, Naoero), officially the Republic of Nauru ( na, Repubrikin Naoero) and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country and microstate in Oceania, in the Central Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in K ...
.
Early career
Kun was a lawyer before becoming a political figure.
He was the
minister assisting the president of Nauru in the cabinets of
Lagumot Harris
Lagumot Gagiemem Nimidere Harris (23 December 1938 – 8 September 1999) was a political figure from the Pacific nation of the Republic of Nauru, and served as its President. He was a cousin of René Harris.
First term as President of Nauru
L ...
in 1978 and 1995–1996. He was the
speaker of the Parliament of Nauru from August 1981 to December 1986.
He was
Minister of Finance
A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation.
A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...
under
Bernard Dowiyogo
Bernard Annen Auwen Dowiyogo (14 February 1946 – 9 March 2003) was a Nauruan politician who served as President of Nauru on seven separate occasions. During this time, he also served as a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Ubenide. ...
and
Lagumot Harris
Lagumot Gagiemem Nimidere Harris (23 December 1938 – 8 September 1999) was a political figure from the Pacific nation of the Republic of Nauru, and served as its President. He was a cousin of René Harris.
First term as President of Nauru
L ...
from January 1978 to May 1978, and again in the cabinet of
Lagumot Harris
Lagumot Gagiemem Nimidere Harris (23 December 1938 – 8 September 1999) was a political figure from the Pacific nation of the Republic of Nauru, and served as its President. He was a cousin of René Harris.
First term as President of Nauru
L ...
from November 1995 to November 1996.
President of Nauru
Kun succeeded
Kennan Adeang
Kennan Ranibok Adeang (23 December 1942 – 26 December 2011) was a Nauruan politician who served as President of Nauru for three separate periods during the late 20th century. Born in Nauru, and educated in Australia, including at the Australi ...
as president of Nauru from 19 December 1996 to 13 February 1997, and was succeeded by
Kinza Clodumar
Kinza Godfrey Clodumar (8 February 1945 – 29 November 2021) was a Nauruan politician who served as President of Nauru from 1997 to 1998.
Background
Clodumar was born in Boe. He was a member of the indigenous population of Nauru, and he was ...
.
Post-presidency
Kun was again
Minister of Finance
A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation.
A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...
under
Bernard Dowiyogo
Bernard Annen Auwen Dowiyogo (14 February 1946 – 9 March 2003) was a Nauruan politician who served as President of Nauru on seven separate occasions. During this time, he also served as a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Ubenide. ...
from August 1998
to December 1998. Under the
Pacific Solution
Pacific Solution is the name given to the Government of Australia policy of transporting asylum seekers to detention centres on island nations in the Pacific Ocean, rather than allowing them to land on the Australian mainland. Initially imp ...
asylum policy,
Australia has an arrangement with Nauru that allows asylum seekers arriving in Australia to be detained on the island. Kun represented detainees in a case before the nation's Supreme Court.
See also
*
Politics of Nauru
The politics of Nauru take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Nauru is the head of government of the executive branch. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the ...
References
Speakers of the Parliament of Nauru
Members of the Parliament of Nauru
Presidents of Nauru
Finance Ministers of Nauru
People from Buada District
1942 births
2014 deaths
Government ministers of Nauru
Ministers Assisting the President of Nauru
20th-century Nauruan politicians
{{Nauru-politician-stub