Yearbook 2010
Solomon Islands. This year's parliamentary elections were
threatened by the election authorities' lack of resources.
According to
COUNTRYAAH, the electoral lengths needed updating, and there was no
funding for work on a new federal constitution that was not
ready for the election. But the election was held, and a new
opposition party had been formed. Opposition leader Manasseh Sogavare headed the OUR party (Ownership, Unity and
Responsibility Party).
The elections in early August became calm without feared
violence. The winner was the Democratic Party, led by
Planning Minister Steve Abana, who took 14 of Parliament's
50 seats. OUR took four terms. Otherwise, it was small
parties and independent members elected. Prime Minister
Derek Sikua entered parliament, but many of his allies were
voted out. The government negotiations became difficult, but
after three weeks Parliament elected Danny Philip from the
RDP (Reform Democratic Party) as new prime minister. The OUR
party and the Rural Party were part of the government
together with independent politicians.
At the end of the year, violence occurred in the capital
Honiara, since the former militia leader and later Minister
Jimmy Lusibaea were sentenced to prison for violent crimes
during the civil war. The ruling also deprived Lusibaea of
his seat in Parliament.
The government's problems increased when Prime Minister
Philip was forced to dismiss Forest Minister Bodo Dettke,
after he was accused of abuse of power with the aim of
promoting personal business interests.
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