Apathy In Bsip's

First General

Elections

Apathy was the keynote in the general elections in the British Solomon Islands Protectorate from mid-May to mid-June for seats in the Legislative Council.

Only about 16,500 people voted

out a total population of roughly 150,000.

THE elections were the first to be held under a new constitution which provides for elections to 14 unofficial Legco seats. Previously, an election was held only in the town of Honiara, and there were then only eight unofficial seats.

With more than 60 nominations for the 14 seats, it seemed that the Solomon Islanders were beginning to take an interest in politics, and that election fever might be gripping the protectorate.

But this notion was soon dispelled when the results were announced for the Honiara poll, which was the first to be held—on May 16.

With a population of 8,000 and a roll of 1,278 registered voters, only 391 turned out to cast their votes.

Some of the reasons given for the poor showing were: • Most people knew little or nothing about the elections. • Some people, who were registered and voted in the last elec tion, thought they had to re-register to be eligible to vote again, but neither sought to re-register nor to vote. • Some didn’t have any interest in the election. • The time for voting, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a working day, did not suit everybody, and private enterprise did not allow employees time off to vote.

Australian elected

The successful candidate in Honiara was an Australian, Mr.

William Ramsay, who is manager of the BSIP Ports Authority.

He defeated Mr. Bartholomew Buchanan, a Solomon Islander public servant, and Mrs. Lily Poznanski (nee

Ogatina), another Solomon Islander,

who was a member of the last Legco.

The Honiara seat was previously held by Mr. Eric Lawson, who did not stand for re-election.

Only three of the unofficial mem bers of the old Legco gained seats in the new one. They are: Mariano Kelesi (North East Malaita), David Kausimae (South Malaita) and Jack

Campbell (Makira).

In addition to Mr, Lawson and Mrs. Poznanski, there are three other former members who will not be seen in the new council. They are Messrs.

Michael Rapasia, Lucius Noi and J. H. MacDonald, all of whom were defeated in their electorates.

The new Legco is due to hold its first meeting on July 11.

Results of the election were: CENTRAL MALAITA: Peter Taloni, 566 votes (three other candidates, total 367).

NORTH EAST MALAITA; Mariano Kelesi, 615 (three others, 259).

SOUTH MALAITA: David Kausimae, 1,382 (two others, 550).

ISABEL-RUSSELLS: Willie Betu, 1,810 (five others, 453).

NEW GEORGIA; John Wesley Kere, 763 (four others, 1,487).

EASTERN OUTER ISLANDS; Archdeacon Edmund Kiva elected by electoral college (two others).

CENTRAL SOLOMONS: John Plant Hoka, 646 (seven others, 1,102).

North Western Solomons: George

Siama, 1,595 (seven others, 1,102).

NORTH GUADALCANAL: Baddeley Devesi, 1,200 (five others, 407).

HONIARA: William David Ramsay, 211 (two others, 177).

MAKIRA; Jack Campbell, returned un opnosed.

NORTH CENTRAL MALAITA: Archdeacon Peter Thompson, 579 (two others, 310).

South Guadalcanal: Leone Laku, 520

(three others, 770).

NORTH MALAITA: Dr. Celement Ofai, 388 (two others, 400).

Only three of the old familiar faces will be seen among the unofficial members of the new BSIP Legislative Council. One is that of Mariano Kelesi (pictured), who easily won the North East Malaita seat from three other candidates.