The Solomon Islands is currently gripped by a constitutional standoff as the 28-member Opposition coalition accuses Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele of a “blatant disregard for a lawful court directive.”
This follows the Prime Minister’s departure for Fiji despite a High Court mandate requiring him to convene Parliament within three days.
The coalition views this conduct as a grave disrespect to the rule of law and a serious undermining of the judiciary, noting that the court-ordered deadline is set to lapse this Friday.
In a statement, the coalition argued that the Prime Minister’s departure in the face of such a deadline raises “profound constitutional questions regarding compliance with binding judicial directions and the obligations of the executive under our democratic system.”
They further characteriSed the situation as an “international embarrassment,” claiming it reflects a “serious erosion of leadership responsibility” for a leader they allege is leading a minority government. Their message remains firm: “The Constitution must be obeyed. The Court must be respected. Parliament must sit.”
Prime Minister Manele is currently in Fiji chairing a Troika meeting as the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum and is expected to return to Honiara tomorrow.
However, his legal team has already moved to challenge the ruling, filing an appeal and an application for a stay of the High Court’s order on Wednesday.
The High Court was scheduled to hear the application for a stay on Thursday.
While the executive seeks to stall, the Governor-General, Sir David Tiva Kapu, has indicated his readiness to step in.
In a letter dated 15 April, Sir David acknowledged the Chief Justice’s orders, stating that if the Prime Minister fails to act, he “may exercise my residual constitutional powers as a last resort safeguard to convene Parliament therewith.”
He clarified the timeline, noting that “The 3 days that the High Court has ordered the Prime Minister to convene parliament will lapse on Friday this week. Therefore, I may exercise my residual constitutional powers after the lapse of the 3 days if the Prime Minister fails to convene Parliament for a meeting.”
However, the Governor-General also noted that the Prime Minister’s legal maneuvers could complicate the process.
He observed that the pending appeal “may also hinder any action on my part if the Court of Appeal stays the order of the High Court.”
Despite this, Sir David maintained his commitment to the judicial process, concluding that “I will exercise my powers to convene parliament at the appropriate date and time.”
Ultimately, the immediate path forward for the nation and the Governor-General’s next steps remain uncertain, as the final outcome depends on the application for stay.
