Life in Kiribati/Buildings

House of Parliament in Kiribati
This is the House of Parliament in Kiribati. It is situated at Ambo on South Tarawa and was recently built by a Japanese company. The House of Parliament in Kiribati sits about at least twice a year. The term of office for representatives is 4 years. The most current term starts this month. The last general election was completed on 30th August 2007. The recent provision has 46 members of Parliament. Each island is represented and the bigger constitutiencies have 2 for medium ones and 3 for big ones. The big constituancies include Kiritimati, South Tarawa, Betio, and Rural Tarawa. The President is elected by the people of Kiribati from amongst a group of presidential candidates. A president can be for only 3 terms after which he/she is not allowed by law to become a president thereafter. Return to Life_in Kiribati.

Bariki-Betio Dai Nippon Causeway
This is the longest causeway in Kiribati. It links up Betio and South Tarawa. This causeway was built again by a Japanese Company called Dai Nippon. With the causeway completed, travelling between Betio and urban Tarawa became so much more convenient and fast. Betio is the centre for trade and business between Tarawa and foreign exporters like Australia and New Zealand. The sea port located on Betio is a gateway to foreign Countries, fishing companies, foreign boats, tourists, and general merchandise trade and commercial activities. The causeway breaks in between to allow sea water and boats to access both sides of the sea. This provides a convenient passage through which fishing boats can easily traverse the ocean and the lagoon paths as well as fishing areas on Tarawa or at nearby islands - especially close by Maiana island which is around 30 km away from Tarawa. Return to Life_in Kiribati.

The Longest Causeway in Kiribati
The Dai Nippon Causeway links up Betio and South Tarawa. Before the causeway was built travelling between these two places involve a ferry that leaves each station at every half hours. Workers on each side have to extensively travel each day to and from their houses to their work stations. Now with the causeway in place transporting containers of food and general merchandise, and general travel has become so much easier and faster. The causeway was built by Dai Nippon Construction Company from Japan. The built involve piling sand up from the adjacent lagoon sea bed obtained from Betio and nearby lagoon floors. Return to Life_in Kiribati.

The Kiribati National Youth Council Maneaba
This is a modern Maneaba. It is of permanent material but is designed from the local structure of a traditional Maneaba. This is basically a huge meeting and gathering house. The traditional Maneaba is meant to be a meeting and decision making house for village and island functions. The new ones are used to hold meetings, workshops, and large gatherings such as weddings and festivals especially during the independence cerebrations. This KNYC maneaba is located on Bairiki - the seat of Government. As such it provides a public hall for large gatherings and is conveniently placed in the capital, which makes it accessible for big and public forums. Return to Life_in Kiribati.

The Junior Secondary School at Betio
This is a junior secondary school. This is the type built by AusAID in early 2000. There is a JSS on every island. This offers basic education from years 7 to years 9. At the end of JSS an I-Kiribati student would have undergone the 9 years of free and compulsory basic education. This JSS building is located on Betio where a large part of the population is concentrated and on a very small piece of land mass. The roll in this JSS could well exceed a thousand. There are other JSS on outer islands all serving the same functions. Return to Life_in Kiribati.

The Betio Sports Complex
This photo shows the sports complex recently completed by Taiwan. This sports complex is situated on Betio and is in the centre of the Town. The complex has faicilities for indoor sports and outdoor games. Originally this complex was started by the Republic of China. However when the present government came into power, it invited Taiwan - a move that displeased China and consequently China withdrew from Kiribati including it's aid work for the sports complex. Four years down the track, Taiwan finally completed the sports complex and handed it over to the government of Kiribati in July 2007 as a sign of strengthened bilateral relationships between the two Countries. Return to Life_in Kiribati.

Commercial Store in Betio
Betio is the hub of commercial activity in Kiribati. On Betio one would find the largest commercial centres. This includes the MOEL trading centre as pictured. One would find most shopping needs from this shop and is a popular shopping spot for people from Betio and from nearby South Tarawa. The shop is privately owned and is located in down town in Betio. Return to Life_in Kiribati.

The Office of the Public Service
This is the office of the Public Service and also is the office of the Beretitenti. This is the centre of the public service in Kiribati and is the seat of government administration. This office is situated in Bairiki, the capital of Kiribati. The office houses the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Public Service Office, and Cabinet. Return to Life_in Kiribati.

The Openning of the New House of Parliament Plaque
This plaque commemorates the handover of the new house of parliament from Japan to the government of Kiribati. It is found in front of the House of Parliament at Ambo. This is a declaration on the opening of the new House of Parliament and handing over from the Government of Japan to the Government of Kiribati. This shows the assistance of the government of Japan to the government and people of Kiribati, and goes some way to show their concern for the re-construction of Kiribati especially after the mess and destructions of World War II which many tries to forget and erase from their personal and political memories. Return to Life_in Kiribati.

The United States Plaque
This is a plaque set up to commemorate the second world War on Betio which was fought on Betio to liberate Tarawa from the Japanese occupying forces. It was one of the fiercest battles ever fought and cost the lives of many American marines who walked straight into the merciless bullets of the defending japanese entrenched and protected in cement pill boxes. The battle showed the gallantry, bravery and viciousness of wars and the costs in terms of human lives, sacrifice, and values for democracy in ensuring peace and protecting freedom especially by the Americans who sailed thousands of miles away from their home soils to die on a foreign South Pacific soil for the freedom and liberty of the I-Kiribati people entrenched deep in the South Pacific warm waters - such as on Betio where many acts of bravery and sacrifices were displayed. Return to Life_in Kiribati.

Memorial US Navy Plaque for the 2nd World War Heroes
The photo shows further the plaque devoted to the US soldiers and civilians who have given in their lives as they pursued their lines of duties to provide essential services required to progress the War on Betio. These men and women provided the support services frontline men require as they battle their way through mines, guns, walls, traps, snipers, piles of dead soldiers, and unknown territory, as the US Marines came, fought and conquer Betio and Tarawa back from the Japanese Pacific forces. Return to Life_in Kiribati.

The US Marines Commemoration Plaque for the Fallen Heroes During the Battle of Tarawa
This Plaque clearly stated the honour both the United States of America Marines salute their fallen comrades who have given their lives to protect the freedom of fellow I-Kiribati who were at that time and space under siege from the japanese imperial forces occupation. The plaque aptedly quoted the number of men killed and wounded in one of the most bloodiest and fierciest fought battles during World War II, staged on a coral atoll thousands of miles away from the United States and Japan. The battle liberated Tarawa and later pierced through the Japanese defences in the Pacific, and Asia. The outcome of the battle of Tarawa shifted the balance of power in the Pacific which also edged the superiority of the Allied Forces across all war frontiers. The plaque remained a deep reminder that the Kiribati independence was part and partial of an history of bloodshed, rivalry, battles, sacrifices, clash of values, universal and global committment, democracy and human aspirations for a peaceful, free and just world of nations. Return to Life_in Kiribati.