Dear Frens,
It is ironic to see PM Sikua making such statements in the media, especially in light of the many controversial decisions and issues the CNURA government which he leads has gone through. While I hold a lot of respect and regard for the Prime Minister as a person, politically I have no reservations in voicing my opinion in this personal blog.
Consequently, the blooper of the PM's statement, I believe is the call that "if Solomon Islands want to develop, then disputes, violence, corruption and maladministration must be stopped". I find it really hard to accept that the PM himself is saying this to ordinary Solomon Islanders at a time when he it is quite obviouse that he can no longer control the behaviour of his Ministers, making prominent leaders to question his leadership capability, thus asking him to 'step down'.
Evidently, if media reports are anything to go by then the CNURA government is in total disarray. And the situation thus worsened by the mounting political pressures of a looming general election is one by which individual politics now overides the binding attire of a coalition government in its committment to pursuing and achieving and national development and growth.
The Prime Minister's statement that development cannot occur in the prevalence of disputes, violence, corruption and maladministration is unquestionable. Indeed development is an all encompassing responbility that is borne by all Solomon Islanders. But what does ordinary Solomon Islanders have to do with 'bad management of state finances'? While there are indirect correlations, obviously the solution to the issue is central only to the role and behaviour of the government of the day and instead of worsening the country's current state of fiscal stress, tightened fiscal and/or monetary policies should be employed.
Recently the government has been under immense pressure from the public to clean up its act or step aside. As the leader the PM bears the responsibility to either tighten the political grip of his coalition and make redress or otherwise relinquish prime ministership, and allow a new government or leadership to assume authority. The only reason why I believe he should opt for the former is because of the time factor as it is now too short for a new government to be formed.
So instead of making sweeping statements that are only aimed at trying to shift the attention of the public on the government to peripheral issues, the PM should make efforts to tighten his grip and control over his political flock before thier time is over. By all means personally I believe that at the moment what we have as CNURA is a very weak government that is unable even to manage its own house-keeping.
We are now at the eleventh hour for another political chapter and so far it has been indeed a challenging journey for all us. Thirty-one years onwards, Solomon Islands as a country and people are still struggling. We only hope that come the next general elections we will be able to properly and effectively exercise our democratic rights to select a parliament and form a government that can take us forward in a more sustainable and amicable manner to the moment when real 'joy, peace, progress and prosperity' can be trully realised.
i agree
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