Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk

Members of Parliament today elected Rick Houenipwela, MP for Small Malaita, as Prime Minister of Solomon Islands in a 33-16 vote – and he pledged to fight corruption.

John Moffat Fugui, MP for Central Honiara, was the opposing candidate, SIBC reports.

Speaking outside Parliament, Houenipwela said his priority as Prime Minister would be to maintain political stability, rectify the country’s fiscal situation and stamp out corruption.

“I stand here today as your newly elected Prime Minister,” he said with his new government flanking him. “This is an awesome responsibility which I take with sincere humility.

“I would like to thank you for your prayers and your support . . . and for the citizens for maintaining peace and order.

“The road ahead is challenging. I am fully aware of the enormity of the task before us.

“My good people, I can ensure you that our new administration will quickly put in place a strategy that entails a set of priorities deemed achievable in this short period.

Stabilisation a priority
“It is my government’s priority to stabilise our ailing fiscal situation. It is a priority to immediately address the cash-flow situation, to make sure there is fiscal discipline.”

He said his officials had already identified key areas of prioritisation in the short-term.

“Given the limited time frame we will concentrate on those infrastructure programs that are considered achievable in the period, projects that will resuscitate the government’s finances and the economy in general.”

Prime Minister-elect Hou also highlighted the reopening of closed health clinics and the submarine cable as key priorities. He also spent much of his speech addressing the public backlash over the anti-corruption bill.

“Corruption has caused inefficiencies in government operations (and) it has undermined public trust in government,” he said.

“It has robbed vital resources from our schools and hospitals. I can guarantee our administration will deliver this important legislation and we are committed its implementation before the end of the 10th Parliament.”

“In conclusion, I call on all Solomon Islanders to embrace peace and national unity. I call on all members of Parliament to work together in governing our beloved country. We can move the country forward if we put our differences aside and work towards the national interests.”

Experienced record
Houenipwela is a seven-year member of Parliament who has been governor of the Central Bank, minister of Finance and Treasury and chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.

Prior to entering Parliament, Houenipwela worked for the World Bank in the United States where he was a senior advisor to the executive director. He resigned from the World Bank to contest the election for the Small Malaita Constituency in August 2010.

Since then, Houenipwela has been a member of the Bills and Legislation Committee and a member of the Public Accounts Committee.

He was minister of Public Service from April 2011 to November 2011 and minister of Finance and Treasury from November 2011 to September 2014. He was re-elected to Parliament in November 2014.

Amid continued “political turbulence” in the Solomon Islands, candidates for the position of prime minister have been announced, the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation reports.

MP for Central Honiara John Moffat Fugui will go head-to-head with Small Malaita MP Rick Houenipwela for the position on Wednesday morning.

Solomon Star News reports Fugui and Houenipwela were the only two candidates, nominated by the Honiara Hotel camp (opposition) and Heritage Park Hotel camp (caretaker government) respectively.

SIBC reports Houenipwela is considered the better candidate by the public.

In government for seven years, Houenipwela’s top priorities if elected are political and fiscal stability.

He told Solomon Star News these were the fundamental reasons the Democratic Alliance Party switched from the opposition to the caretaker government.

Houenipwela also told SIBC the DAP made the move in an effort to form a new coalition which would provide the nation with desperately needed political stability.

‘Never accepted’ money
“Political and fiscal stability underpin the general stability of any nation and these were the fundamental reasons for switching sides.

“We did not join the caretaker government in search of positions or in search of money. We were never offered any money because everyone in Parliament knows that when we were offered money, we never accepted them,” Houenipwela said.

Houenipwela’s DAP walked away from the opposition due to a lack of consultation over a proposed cabinet line-up, he said.

The DAP’s move comes amidst a three week period which has been marked by changed allegiances and moves to consolidate power.

Solomon Star News reports the Heritage Park Hotel camp is now comprised of the Kadere Party, People’s Alliance Party, People’s First Party and the DAP, bringing their numbers up from 23 to 30.

Houenipwela confirmed the caretaker government coalition partners consist of the two political parties that formerly made up the opposition and three political parties of the former Sogavare-led Democratic Coalition for Change Government (DCCG).

The opposition’s numbers have dwindled to 20 MPs, reports Solomon Fresh Beat Online.

Fugui announces policies
Opposition candidate for prime minister, Fugui, told SIBC the value leaders placed on their duty to the nation was more important than setting political and fiscal stability as priorities, as good governance and a stable economy result from leaders valuing their role.

Fugui’s policies included greater support of rural people and beefing up the country’s foreign reserves, SIBC reports.

The group which nominated Houenipwela included former Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who was ousted last week following a 27 to 23 no-confidence vote, after initially refusing to resign.

During the nine hour debate in parliament, Sogavare defended his strong stance on West Papua, following criticism from Fugui, Solomon Star News reports.

Fugui said Sogavare should withdraw support of the Indonesian-ruled region and not waste the Solomon Islands time, as Papua New Guinea had not been advocating for West Papua.

Sogavare hit-back in his rebuttal and said the government’s position must be consistent with its position on New Caledonia’s independence, French Polynesia’s decolonisation agenda and Taiwan’s bid for United Nations membership.

He added the Solomon Islands must stand beside its Melanesian brothers and sisters, as they did not enjoy the same basic rights.

Sogavare survived a no-confidence motion in October 2006 despite deteriorating relations with Australia, but did not survive a vote of no-confidence in December 2007.

The election of Houenipwela or Fugui to the top post of prime minister takes place on Wednesday, November 15 at 9.30am.