1973 Solomon Islands general election

General elections were held in the Solomon Islands between 22 May and 12 June 1973.[1] The following year, Solomon Mamaloni of the People's Progressive Party became the first Chief Minister.

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Electoral system

The Governing Council was enlarged from 26 to 33 seats prior to the election. Of the 33 members, 24 were elected in single-member constituencies (increased from seventeen) and nine were appointed, including three ex officio members.[2][3] The member representing Eastern Outer Island was elected directly for the first time, having previously been elected by an electoral college, although suffrage on the islands was limited to men by local chiefs.[3]

Campaign

A total of 118 candidates contested the 24 elected seats.[2] Campaigning in Honiara was reported to be unusually bitter, with posters being torn down and several complaints made to the police.[4] Only one political party, the Solomons United National Party of David Kausimae, contested the elections.[1]

Results

Only six of the MPs elected in 1970 were re-elected,[2] and only one member of the Solomons United National Party.[1] Voter turnout ranged from 42% in Honiara to 82%.[1]

Aftermath

Following the elections, a new political party – the United Solomon Islands Party (USIP) – was formed by fourteen of the winning candidates.[2] Benedit Kinika was elected chair of the new party, with Gideon Zoloveke as his deputy.[5] The Solomons United National Party became defunct.[5] In January 1974 another new party, the People's Progressive Party (PPP) was formed.[2] Having become defunct late in 1973, USIP was also revived.

Later in the 1974 constitutional amendments converted the Governing Council into a Legislative Assembly and introduced the position of Chief Minister, elected by the Assembly. Both USIP and the PPP attempted to win the support of the Independent Group led by Willie Betu before the vote on 27 August. Six rounds were required before a winner emerged. Solodia Funifaka dropped out after the fourth round, with the fifth round resulting in a tie between Kinika and Solomon Mamaloni. In the sixth round, Mamaloni won by 14 votes to 10 for Kinika.[6] A government was subsequently formed by the PPP independent MPs.[2][7]

Mamaloni appointed five ministers to his cabinet, keeping the Home Affairs portfolio for himself.[8] David Kausimae became Minister of Agriculture and the Rural Economy, Willie Betu was Minister for Education and Cultural Affairs, Stephen Cheka was Minister of Health and Welfare, Peter Kerr Thompson was Minister of Trade, Industry and Labour and Gideon Zoloveke was Minister of Works and Public Utilities.[6] Zoloveke was moved to the Ministry of Home Affairs in late 1974 and replaced as Minister of Works and Public Utilities by Solodia Funifaka.[9] A cabinet reshuffle took place in 1975, with Peter Kerr Thompson sacked from the cabinet. Willie Betu took over as Minister of Trade, Industry and Labour, with Stephen Cheka taking over from Betu as Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs.[10]

Mamaloni resigned as Chief Minister on 18 November 1975 over deal with an American firm to mint coins celebrating self-government. However, on 1 December he was re-elected as Chief Minister by the Legislative Assembly, defeating Allan Taki by 18 votes to 4.[11] He appointed a new cabinet with Jeriel Ausuta as Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Benedict Kinika as Minister of Education, Willie Betu as Minister of Finance, Pulepada Ghemu as Minister of Foreign Trade, Industry and Labour, Francis Kikolo as Minister of Health and Welfare, Jonathan Fiifii'i as Minister of Home Affairs, David Thuguvoda as Minister of Natural Resources and Ashley Wickham as Minister of Works and Public Utilities. Five of the nine ministers were members of USIP, two were from the PPP and one was an independent.[11]

References
  1. Sun eclipsed by a new star in Solomons' election carve-up Pacific Islands Monthly, July 1973, pp3–4
  2. Decolonising the Solomon Islands: British theory and Melanesian practice Alfred Deakin Research Institute
  3. Giving them all a say in the government of the Solomons Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1973, p23
  4. Playing rough in the Solomons Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1973, p11
  5. Flexible idealists in the Solomons Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1973, p8
  6. Triumph for the Solomons' Solomon Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1974, p5
  7. Roland Rich, Luke Hambly & Michael G Morgan (2008) Political Parties in the Pacific Islands, ANU E Press, p106
  8. Legislative Assembly Solomon Islands Historical Encyclopaedia 1893-1978
  9. Mamaloni's motto: If you can't beat 'em, recruit 'em Pacific Islands Monthly, December 1974, p11
  10. Ministers! Mamaloni's headache Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1975, p6
  11. The story of Solomon, his coins and his return to the top Pacific Islands Monthly January 1976, p6
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