Governing Council of the Solomon Islands

The Governing Council (GovCo) was the legislature and executive of the Solomon Islands between 1970 and 1974.

History

The Governing Council was established in 1970 when a new constitution was promulgated on 10 April. It combined the previous Legislative Council and Executive Council into a single body.[1] For the first time, elected members were in the majority, having increased in number from 14 to 17. The GovCo consisted of seventeen elected members, nine government officials and the High Commissioner, who served as Chairman.[1]

The Council had six committees; Communications, Finance, Internal Affairs, Natural Resources, Social Services and Works.[1] The elected members were elected from single-member constituencies for four-year terms. The first elections took place in 1970. Prior to the 1973 elections the number of elected members and consistencies was increased to 24.

On 27 August 1974 a new constitution was promulgated, abolishing the Governing Council and replacing it with the Legislative Assembly.[1]

List of constituencies

1970 constituencies	1973 constituencies
Central Malaita	Are'are
Choiseul/Shortlands	Central Guadalcanal
East Guadalcanal	Central Malaita
Eastern Outer Islands	Choiseul
Honiara	East Guadalcanal
Makira	East Isabel/Savo
New Georgia	East Makira
Ngella/Savo/Russells	East Malaita
North Central Malaita	Eastern Outer Islands
North East Malaita	Gizo/Ranongga/Simbo/Kolombangara
North Malaita	Honiara
Santa Isabel	Kwaio
South Central Malaita	Lau/Mbaelelea
South Guadalcanal	Marovo/Kusaghe
South Malaita	Nggela
Vella Lavella/Kolombangara	North West Malaita
West Guadalcanal	Roviana/Rendova
	Shortlands/Vella Lavella
	Small Malaita
	South Guadalcanal/Rennell and Bellona
	West Guadalcanal and Russells
	West Isabel
	West Kwara'ae
	West Makira
Source: Election Passport

References

1. Decolonising the Solomon Islands: British theory and Melanesian practice Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine Alfred Deakin Research Institute