Opposition attempted to smuggle sick government MP to their camp

The CNRA government has accused the Opposition group of using extraordinary measures to topple the government. 

The allegation came after Opposition member and MP for East Honiara, Douglas Ete was alleged to have used an ambulance to try and smuggle sick government MP and Chairman of Caucus from his home to the Opposition camp.

Speaking to Radio New Zealand International, Prime Minister's Press Secretary, Alfred Sasako, said that the incident was reported and: "when the police arrived at the scene and opened the ambulance door they saw the member for East Honiara sitting in there in the ambulance. There were no doctors in there. There were no other paramedics. The family members just told the police to get the ambulance moving or it would be stoned,” he said. 

Numbers back in favour of CNRA government?

Unconfirmed reports from Honiara have suggested that the numbers are back in favour of the government.

This came after claims by the government that Stanley Sofu has rejoined them to make their numbers to go up to 25 and 23 for the Opposition.

However, the Opposition maintained that Sofu is with them and that the number still stands at an equal 24 - 24.

Prejudiced understands that the government has planned a swearing-in ceremony for Sofu at the Government House this afternoon.

However, despite them submitting relevant papers to the Government House, Sofu was physically unavailable for the ceremony to eventuate.

Sofu is the former Minister for Public Service in the CNRA government who resigned from the port folio on Saturday 22 January to join the Opposition.

Sofu is the MP for East Kwaio, who first entered Parliament in 2006 general elections. He is serving his second parliamentary term.

He and the other  MPs like James Tora, Mark Kemakeza and Martin Sophage are known to be easy targets during chaotic political situations.

Those in their category won't hesitate to 'cross the floor' several times and in many cases the reasons given for their actions are childish and self-serving.

It is therefore of no surprise that now the focus is on him.

As it is the situation remains highly unpredictable and  fickle. 

Constitutional Crisis Looms over 'Hapi Isles'

Solomon Islands is heading towards a constitutional crisis after Martin Sophage rejoined the government after only 5 days with the Opposition.

Mr. Sophage is the second MP to rejoin the CNRA Government after Mark Kemakeza made a similar move few days ago.

The move by Sophage now put the number balance at 24 - 24 for both the government and the opposition.

At 24 - 24 any intended motion of no confidence by the opposition will be defeated if the votes are reflective of the number balance as any equal votes in a no confidence motion is a defeated motion.

In addition, at the current number balance, the CNRA government is still surviving at the brink as it is still not a minority government.

Hence, despite the fact that a notice for a motion of no confidence has been submitted to the Clerk of Parliament and should be effective seven clear days after it has been submitted, at this point there is no pressure on the PM to recall Parliament to sit and debate a no confidence motion.

As we know, according to relevant sections of the Constitution, on normal occasions, Parliament can only be recalled by the Governor-General in consultation with the Prime Minister. However, in crisis situations, such as in the event of a constitutional crisis, using his reserve powers, the Governor - General can recall Parliament to meet to decide on the national budget.

The CNRA government has scheduled the 2011 budget sitting for March.

In that case, a constitutional crisis will only happen if a budget is tabled and not passed, or if between now and March the number shifts in favour of the Opposition and for that reason the PM refuses to consult the Governor-General for Parliament to sit.

So from now until March we hope and pray that things will turn out positively for the betterment of Solomon Islands. 

Former Minister left government because he owed money

Former Minister of Police and National Security, James Tora left the CNRA government because he owed money to Dodo Dettke, another CNRA defector. 

This was revealed to the media by the Prime Minister's Press Secretary, Alfred Sasako yesterday.

Speaking to Radio New Zealand International yesterday, Mr. Sasako said that Tora told the CNRA government that he left them because he owed Bodo some money and that he would return once he has made the repayments.

Mr. Bodo however denied the allegations saying that this, along with the government's claims that he owes the country millions in tax and failed to deliver on an airfield building project are not true.

Mr. Tora, however is renown in Solomon Islands politics as one of the sneaky and slippery ones. Just like in this occasion, those in his category often use childish and rather short-sighted excuses to justify their actions. 

The irony is that though not very influential, these 'hang-loose' types as they are called in the streets of Solomon Islands are the power brokers. They hold the balance of power with their ability to swing the numbers to whichever side that offers the highest bid. 

Their movements are very unpredictable and given their illusiveness they are ones that can most financial gains out of such political crisis situations. It is indeed sickening, but true. 

Another of this category is the MP for Ngella, Mark Kemakeza, whom the local media reported now holds the balncing vote between CNRA and the Opposition.

Like Tora, people like him make decisions, based not on matters of national significance and urgency but on their own personal interests and ambitions.

It is those in this category, the 'hang-loose' ones that make Solomon Islands politics even more defying.

Political drama unfolds - the only certainty is uncertainty

Yesterday, Prime Minister Danny Philip had come out fighting in the media, releasing 'secrets' of certain MP's, mainly Opposition members.

It was clearly a desperate move by the PM to try and save the CNRA boat from sinking to the bottom of the Iron Bottom Sound.

The implicated MP's told the local media that they will defend themselves when the time is right and that they will revel more secrets of Members of the government side. Since then we have heard nothing from them in the local media.

Personally, there is little doubt in my mind that the allegations by PM are true. Some of these revelations were already known to some public officers, only that they were never made public through the mainstream media.

Thus, it would be very difficult for some of them, like the Deputy Leader of Opposition to rebut the claims made by the PM.

Instead, what might see transpire as we move along would be a tit-for-tat exchange of political arsenal by both sides just to to try and save face and possibly convince Solomon Islanders that the other party had committed more wrong than the other.

In my view, both parties are throwing stones at each other from inside glass houses.

Despite the PM's desperate move, with the petition now submitted to the Government House and signed by 25 MPs, it has become apparent that the CNRA boat is living its last moments on the surface of water. It is very likely that few days from now, the boat will submerge into water and another will be floated as the new vessel to lead Solomon Islanders.

The question now is, how good would that new vessel be?

The real answer to that will only be known when a new government is formed. Before that we can only speculate.

However, if history is something to go by, we can almost be certain that about a third or more of the new government will be made up of crew members of the current vessel and thus at the end of the day only a few of the new group will stand out as good or better performers.

For the rest, the status quo will remain the same- unproductive, slippery and sneaky, corrupt, dubious, self-serving and so forth.

Thats the reality of politics in Solomon Islands; that most of our political leaders are leaders only to and for themselves, their relatives and their cronies- not for the rest of Solomon Islands and the nation as a whole.

Whenever the moment dawns on them to stand up and make a difference by being respectable, honest and reliable, they turn their back to Solomon Islanders and seek ends that only them benefit from.

That is the problem we have; a leadership crisis. What we need are leaders with vision and heart for the people. Leaders that can lead to serve others and make sacrifices for the greater good.

Off course, no person or any political leader for that matter will be perfect. But aspiring for perfection is what our political leaders should focus on.

On the basis of the above considerations, the current Opposition group must be careful and make sure that dubious characters that are now within their own group and with those that have eloped to their side from the government must not be included in any new political grouping that forms the government.

They should try and put together like-minded people that have a similar vision and level commitment for the rebuilding of Solomon Islands. This as we know, would be a very difficult thing to do in the case of Solomon Islands politics. But for sure, it is not impossible. It can be done.

Otherwise, even with the formation of a new government, we will still be sailing through chartered waters- same old route as in the past.

It would be very interesting to see how the current Opposition group lines up its port folios. I suspect that despite their strong bond, the candidacy for PM will be highly contested.

For now, we can only sit and watch as the drama unfolds. The least we can do is sit, pray and hope for the better.