He served as Speaker of the Nitijela for eight years before defecting from the governing United Democratic Party (UDP) to the opposition in November 2007, shortly before the November 2007 parliamentary election.
Dia menjabat Ketua Nitijela selama delapan tahun sebelum keluar dari pemerintahan Partai Demokrat Bersatu (UDP) ke pihak oposisi pada November 2007, sesaat sebelum pemilu parlemen November 2007.