Solomons remains unmoved
Solomon Islands government stands firm
The Solomon Islands government has taken a bold stand in sticking to its decision declaring Australian and Police Commissioner Shane Castles and "undesirable immigrant."
Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Patteson Oti stood firm on his decision to ban Mr Castle from returning to Solomon Islands. The ball is again in Australia's court to respond.
The process of forming new provincial government continues this week. Hopeful most Premier should be elected by Friday this week. Yes, newly elected provincial assembly members seem to taking their responsibility as leaders seriously. Solomon Islanders hope that is what they would focus on during their next four year term.
Foreign Minister explains
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration, Patterson Oti has finally spoken out against criticisms leveled against him.
In a press conference today he said his action followed the government's decision late last month to declaring Australian Police Commissioner, Shane Castles an undesirable immigrant. Mr Oti said reported statements by Mr Castles that he still intended to serve out 20 months of his contract as Police Commissioner were grossly inaccurate on two counts.
Mr Oti said firstly, Mr Castles was not under any formal contract with the Solomon Islands government. The Minister said Mr Castles was appointed to the position on secondment from the Australian Federal Police under an exchange of letters between former Australian High Commissioner, Patrick Cole and the then Solomon Islands Minister of Police. Mr Oti said secondly, in any event, his appointment was only for a period of two years effective from April, 2005. His time would have been up in early April this year, which is less than four months away.
Mr Oti also revealed that the current Solomon Islands government had for some time held serious reservations and concerns over the terms of Mr. Castle’s appointment; in particular, the indemnity clauses under which he served.
The Minister said there is no precedent for such an arrangement where a Police Commissioner is exempted from constitutional and legal obligations which apply to every other citizen of the Solomon Islands, regardless of their position. He said Mr. Castles was effectively indemnified from any court action or even from appearing before a properly convened tribunal. In other words, the terms of his employment placed him above the constitutional laws of this country and we were not prepared to condone that situation.
The Minister said he also wished to correct media reports that the Solomon Islands government had instigated the declaration against Mr Castles over his handling of the so-called Julian Moti affair. Mr Oti said the declaration had nothing to do with anything other than the constitutional and legal obligations of every resident of the Solomon Islands and what we believe to be Mr Castle’s abuse of powers.
Mr Oti said the government made this decision after long deliberations based on the Police Commissioner’s conduct in several instances, including his role in the 2005 Honiara riots and the well-publicised raiding of the Prime Minister’s office last year, to name just a few examples. Mr Oti questioned what other country, including Australia, would tolerate a senior police officer bashing down the door of the Prime Minister in his absence and not having to even justify his actions or be accountable for them.
MyBlog comments
How do Mr Castles and Australia respond to that?
Maybe Australia should just forget about the Mr Castles issue. It seems to have forgotten the expulsion of its former High Commissioner Patrick Cole from Honiara and the Julian Moti issue. Or are there some covert actions that Australia had been slowly but surely implementing to teach Solomon Islands which many commentators have described as a "failed state" how not to approach its big brother?
MyBlog hopes this does not happen.
Provincial Governance
Temotu Province
Today, Temotu's re-elected Premier announced his new Executive.
Below is the complete line-up.
Premier Johnson Levela
DPremier/Minister for Finance, Treasurer and Economic Planning -- Francis Badenogo.
Minister for Education and Human Resources Development -- Patrick Bwakolo
Minister for Infrastructure -- David Maina
Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Investment -- Noel Keniano
Minister for Natural Resources -- David Daiwo
Minister for Home Affairs -- Ernest T Fea
Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey -- Simon Backlay
Speaker of Assembly -- Gabriel Teao
Guadalcanal Province
Guadalcanal Provincial Assembly this morning elected its Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Stephen Ngele was elected with 16 votes and was declared Speaker ahead of two other candidates, Savino Kokopu and Silas Lauvisu. Teddy Babaua, the Provincial Assembly Member for Birao Ward, was elected unopposed for the Deputy Speaker position.
Central Province
The Central Province's process of electing the Assembly Speaker and Deputy has been a concern to people of the Province.
Reports from the Province have indicated that the ordinary people want to see a new government formed to run the province. But the newly elected members have other ideas. They seem to be playing political games in making it difficult to compromise and cooperate to work for the people.
Today, saw the two candidates contesting the Assembly Speaker drew the equal votes on two rounds of votes. Following that incident, the Care-taker Speaker James Vaukei, had no chose but adjourned the meeting for two weeks. A new meeting will be called later for the election process to go ahead. There were concerns among the Central Province people that there may be very strong political influences influencing the election process.
MyBlog's view
The people of the province are hoping that the newly elected Assembly members make up their minds to form a government. If the situation continues with a stalemate, then the Minister for Provincial Government and Rural Development could decide the fate of the Assembly. The dissolution of the Assembly could be an option.
The earth continues to spin and each moment is a new beginning. Hop on the spaceship and have fun.
The Solomon Islands government has taken a bold stand in sticking to its decision declaring Australian and Police Commissioner Shane Castles and "undesirable immigrant."
Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Patteson Oti stood firm on his decision to ban Mr Castle from returning to Solomon Islands. The ball is again in Australia's court to respond.
The process of forming new provincial government continues this week. Hopeful most Premier should be elected by Friday this week. Yes, newly elected provincial assembly members seem to taking their responsibility as leaders seriously. Solomon Islanders hope that is what they would focus on during their next four year term.
Foreign Minister explains
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration, Patterson Oti has finally spoken out against criticisms leveled against him.
In a press conference today he said his action followed the government's decision late last month to declaring Australian Police Commissioner, Shane Castles an undesirable immigrant. Mr Oti said reported statements by Mr Castles that he still intended to serve out 20 months of his contract as Police Commissioner were grossly inaccurate on two counts.
Mr Oti said firstly, Mr Castles was not under any formal contract with the Solomon Islands government. The Minister said Mr Castles was appointed to the position on secondment from the Australian Federal Police under an exchange of letters between former Australian High Commissioner, Patrick Cole and the then Solomon Islands Minister of Police. Mr Oti said secondly, in any event, his appointment was only for a period of two years effective from April, 2005. His time would have been up in early April this year, which is less than four months away.
Mr Oti also revealed that the current Solomon Islands government had for some time held serious reservations and concerns over the terms of Mr. Castle’s appointment; in particular, the indemnity clauses under which he served.
The Minister said there is no precedent for such an arrangement where a Police Commissioner is exempted from constitutional and legal obligations which apply to every other citizen of the Solomon Islands, regardless of their position. He said Mr. Castles was effectively indemnified from any court action or even from appearing before a properly convened tribunal. In other words, the terms of his employment placed him above the constitutional laws of this country and we were not prepared to condone that situation.
The Minister said he also wished to correct media reports that the Solomon Islands government had instigated the declaration against Mr Castles over his handling of the so-called Julian Moti affair. Mr Oti said the declaration had nothing to do with anything other than the constitutional and legal obligations of every resident of the Solomon Islands and what we believe to be Mr Castle’s abuse of powers.
Mr Oti said the government made this decision after long deliberations based on the Police Commissioner’s conduct in several instances, including his role in the 2005 Honiara riots and the well-publicised raiding of the Prime Minister’s office last year, to name just a few examples. Mr Oti questioned what other country, including Australia, would tolerate a senior police officer bashing down the door of the Prime Minister in his absence and not having to even justify his actions or be accountable for them.
MyBlog comments
How do Mr Castles and Australia respond to that?
Maybe Australia should just forget about the Mr Castles issue. It seems to have forgotten the expulsion of its former High Commissioner Patrick Cole from Honiara and the Julian Moti issue. Or are there some covert actions that Australia had been slowly but surely implementing to teach Solomon Islands which many commentators have described as a "failed state" how not to approach its big brother?
MyBlog hopes this does not happen.
Provincial Governance
Temotu Province
Today, Temotu's re-elected Premier announced his new Executive.
Below is the complete line-up.
Premier Johnson Levela
DPremier/Minister for Finance, Treasurer and Economic Planning -- Francis Badenogo.
Minister for Education and Human Resources Development -- Patrick Bwakolo
Minister for Infrastructure -- David Maina
Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Investment -- Noel Keniano
Minister for Natural Resources -- David Daiwo
Minister for Home Affairs -- Ernest T Fea
Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey -- Simon Backlay
Speaker of Assembly -- Gabriel Teao
Guadalcanal Province
Guadalcanal Provincial Assembly this morning elected its Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Stephen Ngele was elected with 16 votes and was declared Speaker ahead of two other candidates, Savino Kokopu and Silas Lauvisu. Teddy Babaua, the Provincial Assembly Member for Birao Ward, was elected unopposed for the Deputy Speaker position.
Central Province
The Central Province's process of electing the Assembly Speaker and Deputy has been a concern to people of the Province.
Reports from the Province have indicated that the ordinary people want to see a new government formed to run the province. But the newly elected members have other ideas. They seem to be playing political games in making it difficult to compromise and cooperate to work for the people.
Today, saw the two candidates contesting the Assembly Speaker drew the equal votes on two rounds of votes. Following that incident, the Care-taker Speaker James Vaukei, had no chose but adjourned the meeting for two weeks. A new meeting will be called later for the election process to go ahead. There were concerns among the Central Province people that there may be very strong political influences influencing the election process.
MyBlog's view
The people of the province are hoping that the newly elected Assembly members make up their minds to form a government. If the situation continues with a stalemate, then the Minister for Provincial Government and Rural Development could decide the fate of the Assembly. The dissolution of the Assembly could be an option.
The earth continues to spin and each moment is a new beginning. Hop on the spaceship and have fun.
posted by Myblog | 10:24 pm
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