Naboua Ratieta
{{Short description|Kiribati politician (1938–1986)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Naboua Ratieta
| image = 160px
| office1 = Chief Minister
| term1 = 1974–1978
| predecessor1 = Reuben Uatioa
| successor1 = Ieremia Tabai
| office2 = Minister of Communications, Works and Utilities
| term2 = 1971–1974
| successor2 = Bwebwetake Areieta
| office3 = Member of the House of Assembly
| term3 = 1974–1986
| office4 = Member of the Legislative Council
| term4 = 1971–1974
| constituency4 = Marakei
| office5 = Member of the House of Representatives
| term5 = 1968–1971
| predecessor5 = Buren Ratieta
| constituency5 = Marakei
| birth_date = 26 April 1938
| birth_place = Ocean Island, Gilbert and Ellice Islands
| death_date = {{death date and age|1986|6|12|1938|4|26|df=y}}
| death_place = South Tarawa, Kiribati
}}
Naboua T. Ratieta {{post-nominals|CBE}} (26 April 1938 – 12 June 1986) was an I-Kiribati politician who became the first Chief Minister of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands in 1974. The Ellice Islands separated from the colony the following year, and he remained Chief Minister of the Gilbert Islands until 1978. He also served as an MP from 1968 until his death.
Biography
Ratieta was born on Ocean Island in April 1938,Who's who in Oceania, 1980–1981, p161 the son of Bauro Ratieta of Marakei. He was adopted by Naboua on Nonouti island, where he grew up as a Roman Catholic.[https://books.google.com/books?id=eGIpZovENB4C&pg=PA115 Kiribati: Aspects of History], p115 He was educated at Bairiki Primary School and then King George V School from 1951 to 1956. He joined the civil service as a cadet assistant administrate officer in 1957, before becoming an information officer in 1962 and a senior executive officer in 1965. Between 1968 and 1973 he was secretary of the Medical Department. In 1965, he was amongst the founders of the Gilbertese National Party (GNP).
Ratieta was first elected to the House of Representatives in a September 1968 by-election in Marakei,[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-327440427/view?partId=nla.obj-327482675#page/n117/mode/1up People] Pacific Islands Monthly, November 1968, p116 following the death of the incumbent member, his brother Buren of the GNP. After being re-elected in 1971 he was appointed Minister of Communications, Works and Utilities in the cabinet of Reuben Uatioa.[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-332069776/view?partId=nla.obj-332125698#page/n25/mode/1up New-look Gilbert and Ellice politics may spark ailing public interest] Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1971, p24 The following year he was appointed Acting Leader of Government Business when Uatioa was absent due to illness.[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-332179190/view?sectionId=nla.obj-337532141&partId=nla.obj-332205875#page/n39/mode/1up People] Pacific Islands Monthly March 1972, p38 After Uatioa lost his seat in the 1974 elections, Ratieta was appointed to the post of Chief Minister.[https://www.un.org/en/decolonization/pdf/decolonization/decon_num_15-1.pdf Decolonization] United Nations, July 1979
He was awarded a CBE in the 1977 New Year Honours.
He was re-elected again in the February 1978 parliamentary elections, but direct elections had been introduced for the post of Chief Minister. Although he was one of five candidates nominated by the House of Assembly for the post of Chief Minister, the constitution only allowed for four members to be put to voters and Ratieta was the one to miss out.[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-335671570/view?partId=nla.obj-335703688#page/n4/mode/1up Leader ousted] Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1978, p5
Following the 1982 parliamentary elections, he was nominated to contest the subsequent presidential elections, but received only 10.5% of the vote, finishing last out of the four candidates. He died in Kiribati Central Hospital in 1986 from heart disease, and was given a state funeral.[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-335603168/view?partId=nla.obj-335634922#page/n49/mode/1up Transitions] Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1986, p50