The Ownership, United and Responsibility (OUR) Party led by incumbent prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is now leading the political number game with 14 members being elected into the 12th parliament so far.
This comes after the declaration of the Member of Parliament elect for East Guadalcanal constituency Bradley Tovosia.
The Coalition for Accountability Reform and Empowerment (CARE) consisting of the Solomon Islands Democratic Party (SIDP) and Democratic Alliance Party (DAP) now has 13 members- eight from SIDP, four from DAP and one from IUMI for Change Party.
The Solomon Islands United Party (UP) secured seven members, Solomon Islands Peoples First Party (SIPFP) with three members and one member each for Kadere Party (KP) and the Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement (SIPRA).
The current number of independent candidates is ten. A candidate who contested as an independent candidate has confirmed affiliation with UP.
As counting for the Central Guadalcanal constituency is continuing, the initial lobbying process have started among all parties who secured a number of members so far.
As it is now, OUR Party, the CARE coalition and UP now have the upper hand to influence other parties to form a coalition.
The partner coalition of OUR Party in the previous coalition government, SIPFP, had three members and there are possibilities whether to or not form another coalition.
The Independent members with their current number could attract more influence and initiate negotiations from major parties to join certain parties in order to achieve an absolute majority of all seats in parliament.
Speaking to SIBC, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Affairs at the University of the South Pacific Dr Gordon Nanau said with the current number of independent elected MPs, they have the power in determining the formation of the next government despite the sizable number of seats secured by major parties.
He said politics in Solomon Islands is unpredictable because anything can happen at any time.
A total of 49 new MPs were elected already in this year’s joint election as counting continues for Central Guadalcanal constituency.
Meanwhile, voters in Guadalcanal have rewarded their last premier and his deputy with honors by elevating them to the national parliament in the 17 April polls.
Francis Sade unseated North-West Guadalcanal strongman Bodo Dettke, to claim the seat for the first time. He was Guadalcanal premier until his election last week.
His deputy, Lazarus Rimah, was declared winner for East Central Guadalcanal Constituency, unseating OUR Party candidate Ishmael Avui.
While Sade entered the race under the banner of United Party, Rimah was a Solomon Islands Democratic Party candidate.
During their time at the helm of their province, the duo introduced policies that resulted in reducing the province’s debts and increased revenue collections.
And as a result of the province’s improved revenue status, it was able to pay off SBD$3 million(US$361,000) of outstanding National Provident Fund (NPF) staff contribution.
“I think this was perhaps one of the major achievements of Sade and Rimah’s leadership,” North West Guadalcanal constituent Jimson Suna said.
“This was a debt that has been accumulating over many years and previous governments failed to settle,” Suna added.
“Under Sade and Rimah’s leadership, we have also seen improved service delivery by the province, integrity in leadership and trust by the people.”
Suna said the two leaders were also able to secure a 20-hectare site for a proposed Guadalcanal Province’s headquarters at Mamara, west of Honiara.
The site was acquired from Metropolis Pacific PTE Limited, the company currently holding the title of the land.
Under the land acquisition arrangement, a SBD$40 million (US$4.85 million) Guadalcanal Province supposed to pay for the land will be offset by way of land rates that Metropolis owed the province.
Sade said the development of the provincial headquarters is a key policy outcome of his government.
“Having our provincial headquarters outside of Honiara has been an aspiration of Guadalcanal for more than 30 years,” Sade said at that time.
Suna said Sade and Rimah did extremely well during their time at the helm of leadership of the province.
“This is why I believe voters in North West Guadalcanal and East Central Guadalcanal decided to elevate them to the national level.
“I think they deserve their election victories.
“Guadalcanal is now in a much better position so the new cohort of leaders coming in should take it from there and move the province forward, said Suna.
