NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Politics of the Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands is a parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth, with a unicameral Parliament and a ministerial system of government. The British monarch is represented by a governor general, chosen by the Parliament for a 5-year term. The national Parliament has 50 members, elected for 4-year terms. However, Parliament may be dissolved by majority vote of its members before the completion of its term. Parliamentary representation is based on single-member constituencies. Suffrage is universal for citizens over age 18. The prime minister, elected by Parliament, chooses the other members of the cabinet. Each ministry is headed by a cabinet member, who is assisted by a permanent secretary, a career public servant, who directs the staff of the ministry. Image File history File links Ac. ... Image File history File links Ac. ... The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as The Commonwealth, is an association of 53 independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ... Insert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text here:This article is about the legislative institution. ... The British monarch or Sovereign is the monarch and head of state of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, and is the source of all executive, judicial and (as the Queen-in-Parliament) legislative power. ... A Governor-General (in Canada, Governor General) is most generally a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above ordinary governors . ... Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ...

For local government, the country is divided into 10 administrative areas, of which nine are provinces administered by elected provincial assemblies, and the 10th is the town of Honiara, administered by the Honiara Town Council. This article is about political regions. ... Honiara, population 30,413 (1986), is the capital of the Solomon Islands. ...

Land ownership is reserved for Solomon Islanders. At the time of independence, citizenship was granted to all persons whose parents are or were both British protected persons and members of a group, tribe, or line indigenous to the Solomon Islands. The law provides that resident expatriates, such as the Chinese and Kiribati, may obtain citizenship through naturalization. Land generally is still held on a family or village basis and may be handed down from mother or father according to local custom. The islanders are reluctant to provide land for nontraditional economic undertakings, and this has resulted in continual disputes over land ownership. An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is someone temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of their upbringing and/or legal residence. ... Naturalization is the act whereby a person voluntarily and actively acquires a nationality which is not his or her nationality at birth. ...

No military forces are maintained by the Solomon Islands, although the police force of nearly 500 includes a border protection element. The police also have responsibility for fire service, disaster relief, and maritime surveillance. The police force is headed by a commissioner, appointed by the Governor General and responsible to the prime minister. Emergency operations or Emergency preparedness is a set of doctrines to prepare civil society to cope with natural or man-made disasters. ...

Political parties and elections

An election is a decision making process whereby people vote for preferred political candidates or parties to act as representatives in government. ... A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues. ... Political parties in Solomon Islands lists political parties in Solomon Islands. ... An election is a decision making process whereby people vote for preferred political candidates or parties to act as representatives in government. ... Elections in Solomon Islands gives information on election and election results in Solomon Islands. ... The National Parliament of the Solomon Islands has 50 members, elected for a four year term in single-seat constituencies. ... The Peoples Alliance Party is a political party in the Solomon Islands. ... The Solomon Island Liberal Party is a political party in the Solomon Islands, led by Bartholomew Ulufaalu. ... Solomon Islands Labour Party, a political party in the Solomon Islands. ... Image File history File links Solomonislandspm. ... Image File history File links Solomonislandspm. ...

Political conditions

Solomon Islands governments are characterized by weak political parties and highly unstable parliamentary coalitions. They are subject to frequent votes of no confidence, and government leadership changes frequently as a result. Cabinet changes are common.

The first post-independence government was elected in August 1980. Prime Minister Peter Kenilorea was head of government until September 1981, when he was succeeded by Solomon Mamaloni as the result of a realignment within the parliamentary coalitions. Following the November 1984 elections, Kenilorea was again elected Prime Minister, to be replaced in 1986 by his former deputy Ezekiel Alebua following shifts within the parliamentary coalitions. The next election, held in early 1989, returned Solomon Mamaloni as Prime Minister. Francis Billy Hilly was elected Prime Minister following the national elections in June 1993, and headed the government until November 1994 when four Cabinet Ministers were allegedly bribed by a foreign logging company to shift their parliamentary loyalties and bring Solomon Mamaloni back to power.page 32 [1] Sir Peter Kenilorea (born May 23, 1943) is a Solomon Islands politician. ... For other uses of the word Solomon, see Solomon (Disambiguation) Solomon Mamaloni (1943 - January 11, 2000) was the prime minister of the Solomon Islands three times: August 31, 1981 - November 19, 1984 March 28, 1989 - June 18, 1993 November 7, 1994 - August 27, 1997 Categories: Politician stubs ... Mr. ... Francis Billy Hilly (b. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

The national election of August 6, 1997 resulted in Bartholomew Ulufa'alu’s election as Prime Minister, heading a coalition government, which christened itself the Solomon Islands Alliance for Change. In June 2000, an insurrection mounted by militants from the island of Malaita resulted in the brief detention of Ulufa’alu and his subsequent forced resignation. Prior to this Ulufa'alu had requested Australian intervention to stabilise the deteriorating situation in Solomon Islands, which was refused. Manasseh Sogavare, leader of the People's Progressive Party, was chosen Prime Minister by a loose coalition of parties. New elections in December 2001 brought Sir Allan Kemakeza into the Prime Minister’s chair with the support of a coalition of parties. Bartholomew Ulufa’alu was Leader of the Opposition. August 6 is the 218th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (219th in leap years), with 147 days remaining. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bartholomew Ulufaalu (born 1950) was the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands from August 27, 1997 to June 30, 2000. ... The Solomon Island Alliance for Change is a political alliance in the Solomon Islands, led by the Solomon Islands Liberal Party of Bartholomew Ulufaalu. ... Malaita Province is one of the largest provinces of the Solomon Islands. ... -1... The Peoples Progressive Party is a political party in the Solomon Islands. ... Sir Allan Kemakeza (born 1951) is the current Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands. ...

Kemakeza, himself a known criminal[2], attempted to address the deteriorating law and order situation in the country, but the prevailing atmosphere of lawlessness, widespread extortion, and ineffective police, prompted a formal request by the Solomon Islands Government for outside help. In July 2003, Australian and Pacific Island police and troops arrived in the Solomon Islands under the auspices of the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). The mission, consisting of a policing effort, military support, and a large development component, has largely restored law and order to Honiara and the other provinces of Solomon Islands. Efforts are now underway to identify a donor base and reestablish credible systems of governance and financial management. Extortion is a criminal offense, which occurs when a person obtains money, behaviour, or other goods and/or services from another by wrongfully threatening or inflicting harm to this person, reputation, or property. ... The Pacific Ocean has an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 islands; the exact number is unknown. ... Map of the Solomon Islands The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), also known as Operation Helpem Fren, was created in 2003 in response to a request for international aid by the Governor General of the Solomon Islands. ...

In the 2006 legislative election Kemakeza's People's Alliance Party suffered a major defeat, losing more than half it's seats. However Deputy Prime Minister Synder Rini succeeded in gaining the support of enough Independent Members of Parliament to form government. RAMSI forces fired tear gas at the crowds who traditionally gather outside parliament awaiting the result of the election. This resulted in rioting in the capital of Honiara. Much of the violence was directed at Chinese businessmen who were accussed of influencing the election result. Reinforcements to RAMSI stabilised the situation, but not before serious damage was done to the nations already fragile economy. Rini resigned shortly before a motion of no confidence was due to take place, and was succeeded by Manasseh Sogavare, a former Prime Minister.

The inability of RAMSI to oversee a peaceful election has raised serious doubts about the success of the intervention.

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands
former: British Solomon Islands

Government type: parliamentary democracy A parliamentary system, or parliamentarism, is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ...

Capital: Honiara Honiara, population 30,413 (1986), is the capital of the Solomon Islands. ...

Independence: July 7, 1978 (from UK) The Central Province is one of the provinces of the Solomon Islands. ... Choiseul can refer to: Etienne Francois, Duke of Choiseul Choiseul, Haute-Marne, a commune in the Haute-Marne département in France Choiseul province, Solomon Islands, a province of the Solomon Islands Choiseul, Saint Lucia This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... Guadalcanal, a 2,510 square mile (6,500 kmÂ²) island in the Pacific Ocean and a province of the Solomon Islands, is largely a jungle. ... Honiara, population 30,413 (1986), is the capital of the Solomon Islands. ... The Island of Makira (formerly San Cristobal) in the Solomon Islands is the largest island of Makira/Ulawa Province. ... Malaita Province is one of the largest provinces of the Solomon Islands. ... Rennell and Bellona is a province of the Solomon Islands comprised of two atolls, Rennell and Bellona, or Mu Nggava and Mu Ngiki respectively in Polynesian. ... Temotu is the easternmost province of the Solomon Islands. ... The Western Province of the Solomon Islands is really the jewel of the country, containing many small lagoons and most of the countries tourist trade (outside of Honiara). ... July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ...

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978) July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ...

Constitution: 7 July 1978 July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ...

Legal system: English common law This article concerns the common-law legal system, as contrasted with the civil law legal system; for other meanings of the term, within the field of law, see common law (disambiguation). ...

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since February 6, 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Nathaniel Waena (since July 7, 2004) Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor) (born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen independent nations known as the Commonwealth Realms. ... February 6 is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... A Governor-General (in Canada, Governor General) is most generally a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above ordinary governors . ... Sir Nathaniel Waena Rt Hon. ... July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Head of government: Prime Minister Allan Kemakeza Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... Sir Allan Kemakeza (born 1951) is the current Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands. ...

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament

Elections:
None; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament Insert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text here:This article is about the legislative institution. ...

Legislative branch:
Unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Last held 6 August 1997 (next to be held by August 2001)
election results: Percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6, other 3 August 6 is the 218th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (219th in leap years), with 147 days remaining. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal Court of Appeals is the title of certain appellate courts in various jurisdictions. ...

Political parties and leaders:
Characterized by fluid coalitions: A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues. ...

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, United Nations, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO The ACP States are the countries that are signatories of the LomÃ© Convention. ... The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a non-profit finance institution with many Asian governments as shareholder members who are also the recipients of funding where appropriate. ... The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), located in Bangkok, Thailand, is the regional arm of the United Nations Secretariat for the Asian and Pacific region. ... FAO can mean: Food and Agriculture Organization Faro Airport (Portugal), IATA airport code For (The) Attention Of This page concerning a three-letter acronym or abbreviation is a disambiguation pageâ€”a list of articles associated with the same title. ... link titlelink titlelink titlelink titlelink title--210. ... The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, in Romance languages: BIRD), better known as the World Bank, is an international organization whose original mission was to finance the reconstruction of nations devastated by WWII. Now, its mission has expanded to fight poverty by means of financing states. ... The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency of the United Nations, develops the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. ... The Red Cross and the Red Crescent emblems, the symbols from which the Movement derives its name The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement consists of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Federation), and the 183 national... The International Development Association (IDA) was created on September 24, 1960, is a UN specialized agency. ... The International Fund for Agricultural Development is an agency of the United Nations. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS) is an international humanitarian organisation, often better known as the Red Cross or the Red Crescent. ... The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations to deal with labour issues. ... The flag of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the international organization entrusted with overseeing the global financial system by monitoring foreign exchange rates and balance of payments, as well as offering technical and financial assistance when asked. ... Headquarters of the International Maritime Organisation in Lambeth, adjacent to the east end of Lambeth Bridge Headquarters building taken from the west side of the Thames Headquartered in London, U.K., the International Maritime Organization (IMO) promotes cooperation among governments and the shipping industry to improve maritime safety and to... Intelsat, Ltd. ... Alternative meanings at IOC (disambiguation) The International Olympic Committee is an organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894 to reinstate the Ancient Olympic Games held in Greece, and organize this sports event every four years. ... Monument in Bern, Switzerland. ... Flag of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community The Secretariat of the Pacific Community or SPC is a regional intergovernmental organisation whose membership includes both nations and territories. ... The Pacific Islands Forum is an inter-governmental consultative process which aims to enhance cooperation between the countries of the Pacific Ocean and represent their interests. ... United Nations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body, UNCTAD is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment and development issues. ... UNESCO logo UNESCO (the Kajal Sen/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... The Universal Postal Union (UPU) is a international organization that coordinates postal policies between member nations, and hence the world-wide postal system. ... The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) was established in the wake of the Second World War to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations. ... WHO emblem The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations, acting as a coordinating authority on international public health, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. ... The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 187 Member States and Territories. ... For other uses of the initials WTO, see WTO (disambiguation). ...

Flag description:
Divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green

Politics of Oceania

Politics of Australia: Australia · Norfolk Island Image File history File links Australia. ...

Politics of Micronesia: Guam · Kiribati · Marshall Islands · Northern Mariana Islands · Federated States of Micronesia · Nauru · Palau Image File history File links Micronesia. ...

Politics of Polynesia: American Samoa · Cook Islands · French Polynesia · New Zealand · Niue · Pitcairn · Samoa · Tokelau · Tonga · Tuvalu · Wallis and Futuna Image File history File links Polynesia. ...

Political parties and elections var ACE_AR = {Site: '756743', Size: '300250'};

Political conditions

Political parties and elections