SI Elections 2024- Congratulations and Good Riddence!

The voting was smooth sailing aside from some minor scuffles in small Mala. People also slowly going back to their routines. The results so far have been good depending on where you are standing. Personally, I say congratulations and good riddance!

A tide of new, educated and young leaders is coming in, most in the independents and United Party (UP). Assessments for next week and beyond suggests either a continuity of Sogavare’s OUR party government or Wale’s SIDP/CARE coalition will finally take the helm.

Some are not too keen to return OUR Party to power- the return of Gordon Darcy Lilo (a.k.a GDL) presupposes this claim with a staggering 8000 votes in his favor by far the biggest any election has seen. This should not be unnoticed. GDL in the minds of his voters is the only man, who can unsurp Sogavare. His challenge however will be convincing another 25 candidates to join him being the only winning candidate from his SIPRA Party. Under Matthew Wale, SIDP has at least 13 on his side under the CARE coalition. He has been alternative Prime Minister in the last government and may be aiming for the actual position this time. CARE like OP, needs the support of the independents and UP to claim government.

The issue of leadership has been the advantage of OP over the rest. Sogavare seem to have the understanding of his members that the spot of Prime Minister is non-negotiable. OP has been quite consistent with this and has been a critical factor in their success. This cannot be said for the rest of our regarded careered politicians. CARE and any merging coalition be it independent or UP for example will have to sort this one out. Wale, GDL and Peter Junior may seem obvious contenders for Prime Minister with Wale having the numbers yet as history would suggest, one just never know when it comes to actual crunch time. They could be forced to raise a neutral candidate and Wale probably assuming Deputy PM under someone from SIDP even, if OP is to be dethroned. Ministerial portfolios, Chairman of Public Standing Committees are always on offer for the rest. If the CARE coalition, UP and majority of the Independents cannot sort this leadership question, then the race for Solomon Islands next Prime Minister can get really ugly. A foot note, I would never underestimate GDL’s ability to maneuver in this game having an almost religious following and huge city support and his experience in these matters!

For the independents some candidates are already quietly affiliated to parties. Some will make up their minds in the next few days if they are allowed to. I’ve been told that secretly some major parties have fielded shadow candidates and already know whose who amongst the independents especially.

Irrespective, the NGE 2024 felt different, it was calm and it showed in the results and leaves me with three possibilities. First, the CARE coalition merging with, UP, Kadere , GDL and a number of the independents can agree to disagree and take government- that simple. Second, OP on the other hand is a master in this game. They already have a leader, they have ties to the SIFP which already puts them at 16, they have money and they have covert support all of which can fissure any coalition making them difficult to beat. Thirdly, Solomon Islands can witness the creation of a totally new party, coalition and government in a few weeks with a new leader and new direction born out of a majority of the independents.  The results so far support all these scenarios.   

Congratulations again to our new MPs and wishing them well on the road ahead. To those who got unseated, (not all) but to those who having the opportunity to better this country but chose something else- I say with relief – good riddance!

Pelise, Tanuli Ridge

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