Solomon Islands Governance Information

Type of Government:

Parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth

Capital city:

Honiara, on the island of Guadalcanal

Administrative Divisions:

1 capital territory - Honiara; and 9 provinces - Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, and Western.

Population:

566,842 (July 2007 est.)

Independence :

7 July 1978 from the United Kingdom

Year of current Constitution:

The Constitution of Solomon Islands - 7 July 1978

Solomon Islands New Draft Federal Constitution 2004

Previous constitutions:

NA

Head of State:

Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II

Governor General:

Mr Nathaniel Waena (since 7 July 2004)

Prime Minister:

Derek Sikua

Deputy Prime Minister

Fred Fono

Ministers:

DEPARTMENTS MINISTERS

Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet

Prime Minister - Derek SIKUA


Minister of Agriculture & Livestock

Selwyn RIUMANA


Minister of Commerce, Trade, & Employment

Francis Billy HILLY


Minister of Communications & Aviation

Varian LONGMEI


Minister of Culture & Tourism

Seth GUKUNA


Minister of Development Planning & Aid Coordination

Steve ABANA


Minister of Education & Human Resources Development

Job Duddley TAUSINGA


Minister of Environment, Conservation, & Meteorology

Gordon Darcy LILO


Minister of Finance & Treasury

Snyder RINI


Minister of Fisheries & Marine Resources

Nollen LENI

Minister of Foreign Affairs

William HAOMAE


Minister of Forestry

Allan KEMAKEZA, Sir


Minister of Health & Medical Services

Johnson KOLI


Minister of Home Affairs

James TORA


Minister of Indigenous Affairs

Fred FONO


Minister of Infrastructure Development

Stanley SOFU


Minister of Justice & Legal Affairs

Toswel KAUA


Minister of Lands, Housing, & Surveys

Martin MAGGA


Minister of Mines, Energy, & Rural Electrification

Edward HUNI'EHU


Minister of National Reconciliation & Peace

Sam IDURI


Minister of Police & National Security

Samuel MANETOALI


Minister of Provincial Govt

David Dei PACHA


Minister of Public Service

Milner TOZAKA


Minister of Rural Development

Fred FONO


Minister of Women, Youth, & Children Affairs

Peter TOM

Parliament:

Unicameral parliament of 50 members, elected for four-year terms. Parliamentary representation is based on single-member constituencies. 

Electoral System:

Plurality/Majority System (First-Past-the-Post)

Most recent election:

5 April 2006

Year of next election:

2010

Previous elections:

Not available

Political Parties:

Association of Independent Members (AIM)

Christian Alliance Solomon Islands (CASI)

LAFARI Party

National Party

People's Alliance Party (PAP)

Social Credit Party (SOCRED)

Solomon First Party

Solomon Islands Democratic Party

Solomon Islands Labor Party (SILP)

Solomon Islands Liberal Party

Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement (SIPRA)

United Party

Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM)

Malaita Eagle Force (MEF)

Judicial System:

The judicial system consists of the High Court, the Court of Appeals, and Magistrates Courts; Local Courts; and Customary Land Appeal Court.

Trial procedures normally operated in accordance with British common law, with a presumption of innocence, access to attorneys, and the right to access government-held evidence, confront witnesses, and appeal convictions. Judges conduct trials and render verdicts; there are no juries. Accused persons are entitled to counsel. ²

Chief Justice:

Sir Albert Palmer

Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Rt Hon. Sir Peter Kenilorea

Auditor General:

Mr Augustine Fatai

Attorney          General:

Gabriel Suri

Chairman of Electoral Commission:

Rt Hon. Sir Peter Kenilorea

Chairperson of the Leadership Code Commission:

Mr Emmanuel Kohouta

Ombudsman:

Mr John Smith Pitabelama

Public Solicitor:

Ken Averre

Director of Public Prosecution:

Not Available

Chairman of the Public Service Commission:

Mr Edmund Andresen

Military:

No regular military forces.
Note:  In July 2003, Australian and Pacific Island police and troops arrived in the Solomon Islands under the auspices of the Australia-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI). A sizable international security contingent of 2,200 police and troops, led by Australia and New Zealand, and with representatives from about 20 other Pacific nations began arriving the next month under Operation Helpem Fren.

International Memberships

African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP)

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Commonwealth of Nations

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

Group of 77 (G-77)

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

International Criminal Court (ICCt) - signatory

International Development Association (IDA)

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS)

International Finance Corporation (IFC)

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

International Labour Organisation (ILO)

International Maritime Organization (IMO)

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM)

International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)

Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (Sparteca)

United Nations (UN)

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) - 3 August 1979

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Universal Postal Union (UPU)

University of the South Pacific (USP)

World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)

World Health Organisation (WHO)

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

World Trade Organisation (WTO)

Sources:

(1)Official Web Site for Solomon Islands
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2799.htm

(2) Chief of State and Cabinet Ministers - Solomon Islands
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/world-leaders-1/world-leaders-s/solomon-islands.html

(3) U.S. Department of State