Pitcairn Islands election, 2004
Encyclopedia
An election was held in the Pitcairn Islands
, the last remaining British
dependency
in Oceania
, to elect a Mayor, a Council Chairman, and four Councillors to sit on the Island Council
. (The six elected members of the Council, including the Mayor and the Council Chairman, both of whom hold membership ex officio, will co-opt a seventh member; the British Governor
will appoint two more, and the non-elected Island Secretary will hold office ex-officio).
For the Mayoralty (the chief executive position), Jay Warren
(a former longtime Magistrate, as the Mayor's office was known prior to 1999) defeated the incumbent Mayor Brenda Christian
, who had held the office since 8 November in an interim capacity following Governor Richard Fell's
dismissal of her brother, Steve Christian
, on 29 October following his five rape convictions
.
The Chairmanship of the Council was won by Mike Warren. The four ordinary Councillors to be elected were Meralda Warren
(Jay Warren's sister), Olive Christian (wife of convicted former Mayor Steve Christian), Carol Warren and Lea Brown. All were elected on a secret, nonpartisan ballot (there are no political parties in the territory) by the 35 Pitcairners of voting age. By tradition, statistical details of the vote were not revealed.
Speaking from his British High Commission office in Wellington
, New Zealand
, Deputy Governor Matthew Forbes told Radio New Zealand
that he welcomed Jay Warren's election as Mayor. "We appointed Jay as chairman of the (island's) internal committee in the period after the trials and before this election," Forbes said. "He's very experienced and I'm sure he'll make a very good mayor."
Pitcairn Islands
The Pitcairn Islands , officially named the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, form a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The islands are a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Pacific...
, the last remaining British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
dependency
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
in Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
, to elect a Mayor, a Council Chairman, and four Councillors to sit on the Island Council
Island Council (Pitcairn)
The Island Council is the legislative body of the Pitcairn Islands. It also doubles as the court of the British dependency, making it one of the few bodies in the world to possess both legislative and judicial authority.The Council has ten members...
. (The six elected members of the Council, including the Mayor and the Council Chairman, both of whom hold membership ex officio, will co-opt a seventh member; the British Governor
Governor of the Pitcairn Islands
The Governor of the Pitcairn Islands is the representative of the British crown in the Pitcairn Islands, which are the last remaining British territory in the Pacific Ocean...
will appoint two more, and the non-elected Island Secretary will hold office ex-officio).
For the Mayoralty (the chief executive position), Jay Warren
Jay Warren
Jay Calvin Warren is a political figure from the Pacific territory of the Pitcairn Islands.-Political roles:Jay Warren was elected Mayor of the last remaining British dependency in Oceania in the general election held on 15 December 2004, defeating Brenda Christian, who had held the Mayoralty in...
(a former longtime Magistrate, as the Mayor's office was known prior to 1999) defeated the incumbent Mayor Brenda Christian
Brenda Christian
Brenda Vera Amelia Lupton-Christian is a political figure from the Pacific territory of the Pitcairn Islands.-Mayor of the Pitcairn Islands :...
, who had held the office since 8 November in an interim capacity following Governor Richard Fell's
Richard Fell
Richard Taylor Fell CVO was the British High Commissioner to New Zealand and the colonial Governor of the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands from 2001 to 2006....
dismissal of her brother, Steve Christian
Steve Christian
Steven Raymond Christian is a political figure from the Pacific territory of the Pitcairn Islands.-Mayor:...
, on 29 October following his five rape convictions
Pitcairn sexual assault trial of 2004
On 30 September 2004, seven men living on Pitcairn Island , went on trial facing 55 charges relating to sexual offences. On 24 October, all but one of the defendants were found guilty on at least some of the charges they faced...
.
The Chairmanship of the Council was won by Mike Warren. The four ordinary Councillors to be elected were Meralda Warren
Meralda Warren
Meralda Elva Junior Warren is a Pitcairn Island nurse, radio operator , artist, and author of the cookbook Taste of Pitcairn...
(Jay Warren's sister), Olive Christian (wife of convicted former Mayor Steve Christian), Carol Warren and Lea Brown. All were elected on a secret, nonpartisan ballot (there are no political parties in the territory) by the 35 Pitcairners of voting age. By tradition, statistical details of the vote were not revealed.
Speaking from his British High Commission office in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Deputy Governor Matthew Forbes told Radio New Zealand
Radio New Zealand
Radio New Zealand is a New Zealand public service radio broadcaster and Crown entity formed by the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. It operates news, current affairs and arts network Radio New Zealand National and classical music and jazz network Radio New Zealand Concert with full government funding...
that he welcomed Jay Warren's election as Mayor. "We appointed Jay as chairman of the (island's) internal committee in the period after the trials and before this election," Forbes said. "He's very experienced and I'm sure he'll make a very good mayor."