Settling in

Politics

THE National Coalition Partnership (NCP) government in the Solomon Islands, which came into power on June 18, immediately settled into business wasting little time in rhetoric. Prime Minister Francis Billy Hilly, leader of the Independent Group in the coalition appointed his cabinet comprising of what could be considered the most abled politicians to head a government in the Solomon Islands 15 years of indepen dence.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Ministers, Francis Saemala, is no stranger to foreign affairs being a former ambassador to the United Nations and the United States and High Com missioner to Canada. Experienced poli tician, former leader of opposition and lawyer, Andrew Nori is Finance Minister and former trade unionist, Joses Tuhanuku is responsible for Commerce, Employment and Trade. Educationists Dennis Lulei looks after education and lawyer Jackson Piasi takes charge of the newly created Ministry of Justice. For mer Prime Minister and strong supporter

of sustainable development Ezekiel

Alebua is Minister of Natural Resources and the list continues.

Even before, the NCP government released its statements of policy, it made decisions on issues which it had criticised the previous government of Solomon Mamaloni, The new government im mediately moved to resume dialogue -vith Papua New Guinea on the issue of he spill-over effects of the Bougainville xmflict. PNG’s Foreign Minister, John iCaputin made a visit to Honiara and icld talks with the new government.

Despite only being few weeks old, Prime Minister Hilly made his first trip overseas o the 7th summit of the Melanesian ipearhead Group in Rabaul, PNG.

Mamaloni boycotted the MSG last year >ecause of the trouble with PNG.

Hilly’s government has cancelled the even-month, 515200,000 contract of Australian lawyer, Julian Mod who was mployed by the previous government to dvise on privatisation and other econ mic ventures. Mod became involved in case involving the suspension of Central ank directors by the Minister of Fi ance and was later declared a pro fited immigrant for allegations of r orking outside his contract.

The Hilly government has also can died a SIS 12 million contract signed by ie old government with Japanese com-

Just a few weeks into their term and the new Solomon Islands government has already made some drastic decisions

pany, Kitano Construction for the build ing of a new state house in Honiara. The government explained it cannot justify such a huge amount of public money being spent on a house for one family.

The new state house, which was to have been the residence of the Solomon Islands’ Governor General had to be build after the old government sold the old state house to a Japanese company to build a hotel. After about two years the project has not started. The present government says the money received from the sale of the old state house has already been spent to purchase arms for the Police Field Force,

The Hilly government’s 35-page pol

icy statements set out a number of priorities which the government expects to achieve in its first 100 days in power.

Among these is the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry to investigate corruption, malpractices or abuses of power by the country’s leaders.

“Where there are public allegations

against leaders for corruption, malprac

tice or abuses of power, they must be fully investigated.” The government also wants to see a new planning strategy, effective control of the use of government assets and utilities, review the eight per cent goods tax and provincial establish ments. It pledged to review and reassess the country’s overseas diplomatic mis sions and formulate a new foreign

assistance policy.

A few weeks into power and the NCP govt has already terminated the contract of two senior diplomats appointed by the previous govenment. It has also tightened control on the use of govern ment vehicles. In the past the public had been very critical of government vehicle abuse. Now only constitutional post holders and cabinet ministers are entitled to keep government vehicles after hours.

Another action taken is the cancellation of the work permits of 25 foreigners involved in logging. Minister of Employ ment Tuhanuku said these work permits had been approved by former ministers

despite being rejected by the Com

missioner of Labour. Tuhanuku said his action was not being anti-foreign but

these foreigners mostly Asians have taken away jobs from Solomon Islanders.

The new government also accepted back national doctors who resigned from government service last year because of a dispute with the Mamaloni govern ment over working conditions. The contracts of permanent secretaries are now being reviewed. The new govern ment has the options of taking them back into the public service or making them political appointees.

The parliamentary opposition is yet to make any public criticism of the govern ment’s statement of policy despite dis

cussing it several times during meetings.

But public opinion is that the new government should be given the chance to deliver their pledges.

The only stumbling block is the election petitions filed against five min isters by candidates who lost in the May elections. The government must also work hard to increase its single majority in Parliament. But as Prime Minister Hilly commented at a recent press conference, he is comfortable as leader of a coalition government made up of seven political groups. □