John Roughan jroughan@solomon.com.sb

Honiara, 11 August 2003 

Over the last few weeks, I with many others have called for Sir Allan and his government to step aside, to resign. But that is only half the problem our country faces! Who then in parliament should take his place? Would a new PM be any better than the one we suffer with now? The old English saying--Better to work with the devil you know than one you don't know--carries much wisdom. 

Our last national election is a case in point. Citizens across the nation thoroughly cleaned out the 1997-2001 parliament. More than 64% of that house were sent packing. We elected 32 new members. Only 18 old members managed to hold on to their seats. On the face of it, Solomon Island citizens tossed out a lot of 'dead wood', corrupt individuals and brought in fresh, new blood. 

Unfortunately, however, instead of voting in many winners, some worse than the ones we threw out, squeaked in. One winning member actually had and still has criminal cases lodged against him. Another candidate publicly declared and was paid by the former government to convince people that it couldn't possibly run a valid election in 2001. Yet, he ran and unfortunately, didn't he win! Others gained their seats with guns not far in the background. Others bought--spending well over the $5,000 is allowed to spend--their way to the seats of power. So the old saying--Better to work with the devil . . .etc--still has meaning for us today. 

A number of today's opposition members can hardly be called angels. Their conduct does not fill the ordinary citizen with great confidence. Some opposition members work closely with known criminals (have yet to turn in their guns), ex-politicians with poor track records with money and known political and business losers. This kind of conduct is not a great change from what we currently suffer. In other words the public is asked to throw out "the devil they know" only to embrace a "new devil" already known to be sleazy, corrupt and power hungry. No great choice there! 

Some people are now calling for a fresh, new election, to clean out the whole lot of them. It's tempting to think this way. It's doubtful, however, if donors would shell out another $18 million for a new election without a guarantee that a new election would choose better men (hopefully some women!) than we elected in December 2001. No, I'm afraid we are stuck with the 50 members we already have. However, perhaps the ordinary person could have more of a say than they have had in the past. 

Does it make sense for opposition members to come up with three parliamentarians whom they are convinced has clean hands, a clear head and sensible heart to lead the nation over the next two years. Then go to the people of the nation BEFORE the parliamentarians elect one of them constitutionally. People across the nation would be asked who they would prefer of the three members chosen by parliament. Of course the members of parliament would be free to choose anyone of their members. 

The public's choice, however, would already be made known to them before they made their decision. The people's choice could be known within three weeks of the opposition members choosing three of their members, any one of them they could creatively work with over the next two years. SIDT's survey workers would travel to all provinces, listen to thousands of people's choices and record these choices for parliament to know. 

If the Kemakeza government is replaced, who leads a new government? Parliament itself over the past 20 months has failed the nation The intervention military force now patrolling our streets and shores is a stark reminder of how far our government institutions, especially parliament, have fallen. The nation's weakness is a government one, a Honiara disease and much less that of the village. Listen to the villager! Ask the rural person to assist in governing the nation and stop doing your best to forget them. These people couldn't possibly destroy the nation as badly as the current leadership has done.

John Roughan jroughan@solomon.com.sb

Honiara, 11 August 2003