THE DEFERMENT OF NATIONAL GENERAL ELECTION -CONSTITUTION

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THE DEFERMENT OF NATIONAL GENERAL ELECTION -CONSTITUTION [AMENDMENT] BILL NO.3 OF 2022.

Transparency Solomon Islands notes that yesterday 31^st of August 2022 was the last day for all written submission to the Parliamentary Bills and Legislation Committee on the proposed Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2022 (No.3 of 2022).  The DCGA led Executive Government through this Bill proposes to amend the Constitution using section 61(5)(b)(ii) and (iv) to suspend the operation of section 73(3) of the Constitution to 31^st December 2023. This means that the current parliament or the 11^th Parliament will not be dissolved till 31^st December 2023 instead of when its four-year term is up counting from 15^th May 2019 when the first meeting of the 11^th Parliament was convened. Transparency Solomon Islands as do the respondents to the survey carried out in April this year is still unconvinced that SPG23, and lack of funding are the real reason for this move by the Executive Government.

Transparency Solomon Islands just like concerned citizens, organisations, and individuals of the democratic country of Solomon Islands urges the DCGA Executive Government to re-think this and shelve the Bill. TSI urges the Executive Government of Prime Minister Hon. Manasseh Sogavare to put more efforts into finding the funds to run the National General Election and the Pacific Games 2023, than insulting the Constitution of the people of Solomon Islands. The Constitution belongs to the citizens and the democratic sovereign state of Solomon Islands and not the temporary Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement [DCGA] dominated by a political party [OUR] that did not contest the election. The South Pacific Games costs, and countries that have hosted it have been assisted by development partners like here in Solomon Islands our diplomatic partner China has stepped in to build the state-of-the-art games infrastructure that is going up now.  When we have asked China to step in, preparing the infrastructures, the Australian Government contributing $100 million towards Solomon Islands to host the games, the DCGA led Executive Government should swallow its pride and ask our development partners and diplomatic friends to help fund the election so that both the National General Election and the SPG23 can be held in year 2023.  Furthermore, the timing of the amendment of the Constitution a move, shortly before the election arouses more suspicion, polarises and is likely to fuel conflict. Delaying the running of the National General Election to middle of 2024 is unacceptable to the people of the democratic sovereign country of Solomon Islands.

The voters and citizens of Solomon Islands demand that the National General Election is run in 2023 and not a year longer to allow people through their ballot paper inform any incoming government about the importance of addressing the issues observed in 2014 and 2019 National General Elections. Issues that continue to affect the confidence of the people in our electoral processes and political system development. For whilst the public servants, government authorities and institution have done their work reviewing the Constitution, the Political Parties Integrity Act, the Electoral Act, the Freedom of Information Bill, and other related legislations since the 10^th Parliament, the Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare led Executive Government in both the 10^th and 11^th Parliament whilst making it their fundamental policies and reforms have continued to refuse to bring those reforms before the parliament for no good reason.  Therefore, citizens see no other alternative but to hold the election 2023 so that they can vote in a party that contested the election, representatives that have a heart for Solomon Islands, its people, those residing and doing business in it, their resources and therefore their mandate. They prefer to see a representative that contested the election under a political party become the Prime Minister and not those who contest as independent candidates.  They want to see the strengthening of the legislation to ensure a representative who contests the election as an independent candidate does not end up being the Prime Minister.

Here we share with you again how we voted in the 2019 National General Election, the parties that contest the election, and where each Member of Parliament sits in terms of political party allegiance is to date to remind our current representatives that issues relating to this be dealt with in the next parliament.

Election completed 2019 here is how we voted them in 21 Independent Members and 29 MPs contesting as party candidate per Table 1 below:

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As can be seen in this table, OUR Party did not contest the National General Election 2019.  Hon Manasseh Sogavare the Prime Minister stood as an Independent Member. The people want to address this at the election time as soon as possible, therefore are opposed to the proposed amendment to the Constitution.

After the National General Election OUR Party was registered, that changes everything but the biggest let down by these representatives of the people is that they have lied to the people as they change their allegiance and have portrayed a picture of not being accountable to the people of Solomon Islands. Table 2 shows how they have grasshopped and through that let down the citizens whose entrusted power got them into power. The people therefore are calling for the National General Election to be held 2023 for the way in which the Executive Government of Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare has govern or not governed has done nothing but has sought change in a favourable manner for its own benefits, the benefits of an outside foreign superpower to score points with another superpower.  Respect for democratic principles and rights and professional transparent, and impartial conduct are becoming more and more in short supply, trust in government is at its lowest so the National General Election can no longer be delayed the people say.

Table 2.  The numerical strength of Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement and the and the Political Parties in the coalition.

With this number, it is obvious that the DCGA have the two third it needs to pass this amendment but is it of no concern that OUR Party is holding the voters at ramson using the games as an excuse. There is no guarantee that come December 31^st, 2022, they will not make another change again. They have the number to do so and anything they like. The power belongs to the people of Solomon Islands and not temporary governments and politicians that we vote in.  Have your say and make a submission to the Bills and Legislations Commission, join the advocacy against this selfish move through public petition organised by Civil Society, talkback show over SIBC and articles to Media to drive home to DCGA and the 50 Members of Parliament that amending the Constitution for a Games event is totally unacceptable and demeaning to the Supreme Law of Solomon Islands.  Doing that means the Pacific Games Charter is above the Constitution of Solomon Islands. Petition Pacific Games Council not to deny us the opportunity to host the games and our democratic right to go to the polls as provided for in the Constitution.  Just because DCGA has the numbers and the legal right to amend the Constitution, does not make it right.

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