pol i t ical reviews melanesia 511 References OHGE\6HUJH9RKRUZDVVWUHQJWKHQHG in the reshuffle with the allocation of ISN, Island Sun News. Daily. Honiara. two additional ministerial portfolios. KWWSZZZLVODQGVXQFRPVE In a move most likely aimed at opm, Office of the Prime Minister. 2010. protecting his position as Speaker, 7KH1DWLRQDO&RDOLWLRQIRU5HIRUPDQG Korman declared late November that Advancement (ncra) Government Policy the prime minister had lost his seat Statement. Honiara. because he had not obtained permis- Roughan, Paul. 2010. Elekson for Wadia? sion to be absent from Parliament. &RQWHVWDQG&RQIOLFWLQ6,2010 National 1DWDSHLKDGOHIW9DQXDWXLQ1RYHP- Elections. Macmillan Brown Lunchtime ber to attend an overseas meeting, Seminar, 299 July. which coincided with the last session sibc, Solomon Islands Broadcasting of Parliament. Natapei protested that &RUSRUDWLRQ'DLO\,QWHUQHWQHZVVHUYLFH he had let the Speaker know and, on +RQLDUDKWWSZZZVLEFRQOLQHFRP his return, had obtained a Supreme SSN, Solomon Star News. Daily. Honiara. &RXUWUXOLQJWKDWWKH6SHDNHUªVGHFL- 2QOLQHDWKWWSVRORPRQVWDUQHZVFRP sion was unconstitutional (VDP, 7 Dec 2009). However, Natapei found that sto, Solomon Times Online. Daily Internet news service, Honiara. he was also facing a no-confidence KWWSZZZVRORPRQWLPHVFRP motion tabled by Ham Lini, the new leader of the Opposition. The govern ment had hoped to remove the Speaker at the same time as Parlia- ment voted on the motion of no Vanuatu confidence, which was easily defeated, As 2010 got underway, the issue of the but Korman was able to manipulate status of the Speaker of Parliament, standing orders to avoid a vote on his 0D[LPH&DUORW.RUPDQKHOGRYHU own position. He remained as Speaker from last year, remained to be dealt until January 2010, when the govern- with. In late November 2009, the ment called an extraordinary session 9DQXD©DNX3DWL vp) prime minister, of Parliament with the intention of Edward Natapei, had removed two removing him. However, rather than parties from the governing coalition— being voted out, he resigned. In the the National United Party (nup) led election that followed, the govern- E\+DP/LQLDQGWKH9DQXDWX5HSXE- ment’s nominee for Speaker, Lugan- lican Party (vrp) led by Korman. ville mp George Wells (nup), defeated Natapei replaced them with the Alli- Korman, the Opposition’s nominee, in ance Group and its fifteen associated a secret ballot by thirty-two votes to members of Parliament, led by Sato nineteen (VDP, 30 Jan 2010). Kilman from the island of Malakula, Resolution of the issue of the leader of the People’s Progressive Speaker concluded the process of Party (ppp), who was made deputy restructuring the government coali- prime minister (VDP, 20 Nov 2009). tion that had begun toward the end of The position of the Union of Moder- November 2009, but, as the motion of ate Parties (ump) within the coalition, no confidence indicated, the political 512 the contemporary pacific 23:2 (2011) situation was not settled. At the time time, however, the old vp stalwarts of the November reshuffle, Natapei have gradually united around Natapei, also used the opportunity to remove leaving Iauko frustrated and vengeful. renegade Tanna mp Harry Iauko Indeed, Natapei and Iauko no longer (vp), who held the position of min- have the close political relationship ister of lands (VDP, 18 Nov 2009). they once had. Iauko had been accused of corruption Iauko’s ambition finally led him to over land dealings and suspended run for Parliament in the 2008 elec- DVDPHPEHURIWKH9DQXD©DNX3DWL tion when he succeeded in securing since 2008 when he decided to sup- the highest number of votes of any port a no-confidence motion against candidate on Tanna, which saw the Natapei. The vote for the new Speaker 9DQXD©DNX3DWLJDLQIRXURIWKHVHYHQ was significant, as it indicated that seats in the constituency. Following six members of Parliament from the this result, Iauko clearly expected a government had joined the Opposition ministerial portfolio in the new vp-led and voted for Korman. The Natapei- coalition government, which also led government had a total of thirty- included nup with Ham Lini as deputy nine members, compared to thirteen prime minister. However, this did in the Opposition. It emerged that the not happen. As usual, the new prime six government members who voted minister, Edward Natapei, faced the for the Opposition nominee were led difficult task of balancing the thirteen by mp Harry Iauko and included two available portfolios among coalition other vp members plus three inde- SDUWQHUVDQGUHJLRQVLVODQGVZLWKLQ pendents (Independent, 30 Jan–5 Feb the country. Iauko was not happy to 2010). have been denied a portfolio and was 7KH9DQXD©DNX3DWLªVSUREOHPZLWK even more incensed ten days later Harry Iauko goes back over a decade when he was again ignored in another to when he became an active mem- UHVKXIIOHZKLFKEURXJKW6HUJH9RKRU ber of the party on his home island and his ump members into the coali- of Tanna. He identified himself with tion in order to avoid defeat in a vote those who called for the main parties of no confidence. Iauko’s response to open opportunities for younger was to lead another vote of no confi- members—something that established dence, which also failed. party leaders were usually prepared to Finally, in June 2009, Iauko got his support in principle but found difficult chance during another reshuffle and to put into practice. Iauko and his was made minister of lands, despite supporters were instrumental in elect- the fact that he was still under sus- ing Natapei president at the vp’s 1999 SHQVLRQIURPWKH9DQXD©DNX3DWL ,SRWD&RQJUHVVRQ(UURPDQJRGHIHDW- (VDP, 16 June 2009). However, as ing Donald Kalpo kas, who was one of noted earlier, after only five months, the founding fathers and vp president. as part of the reshuffle in late Novem- This proved to be extremely divisive. ber 2009, Nata pei decided to take 7KH1DWDSHL,DXNRIDFWLRQWDUJHWHG the opportunity to remove Iauko as Kalpokas in the 2004 election, caus- minister of lands. ing him to lose his seat. Since that By this time, Iauko had clearly pol i t ical reviews melanesia 513 decided that the only way to achieve Natapei for the position of president UHFRJQLWLRQE\WKH9DQXD©DNX3DWLZDV and hoped to be able to replace the to challenge the leadership of the party entire executive with his own support- itself. During 2009 he traveled around ers. He claimed to have 300 subcom- the country seeking support among vp mittees pledged to him, but whether members by organizing subcommit- they were registered according to tees to back him in an attempt to take party procedures with valid signatures over as party president at the next vp was in dispute (VDP, 10 Feb 2010). congress, which was scheduled for One week before the vp congress, 2009. According to the vp constitu- Natapei announced that no new tion, congresses should take place subcommittees would be allowed at once a year. However, the party execu- the Tongoa congress unless they had tive, of which he was not a member, been approved at the last one in 2007. did not hold a congress in 2008 and According to vp procedures, all new postponed that of 2009 until 2010. In subcommittees had to be verified response, Iauko’s supporters organized according to specific criteria. Since a petition among vp members in an this had not been done with regard to attempt to force an early meeting in those supporting Iauko, his support January 2010, but the party executive base was effectively denied permission preferred May or June. to participate (VDP, 24 March 2010). At the same time, Natapei, as Nevertheless, Iauko moved on, char- vp president, issued warning letters tering a plane and a boat to transport to members of the party who had his subcommittees to Tongoa (VDP, 25 pledged their support for the petition, March 2010). accusing them of colluding with a Not surprisingly, the opening of suspended member to destabilize the the congress at Lumbukuti village was party and threatening them and their delayed due to disputes over which subcommittees with suspension. When subcommittees should be registered. political parties are unable to solve There was potential for violence internal disputes (a common occur- between the opposing groups, and UHQFHLQ9DQXDWX WKH\UHIHUWKHP Natapei and the executive, through to the courts. This is what happened WKHLUODZ\HULQ3RUW9LODREWDLQHG with the case of the vp, resulting in a two court injunctions in an attempt FRXUWRUGHUUHTXLULQJ9DQXD©DNX3DWL to restrain Iauko and his supporters. to hold its congress on 1 April 2010 at &RQVHTXHQWO\1DWDSHLDQGKLVH[HFX- Lumbukuti on the island of Tongoa in tive decided to move the congress to the Shepherd Group (VDP, 6, 21 22, 23 the nearby village of Panita. Iauko, Jan 2010; 6 Feb 2010). however, proceeded to organize the During the congress, the party election of a new executive at Lumbu- executive planned to introduce a num- kuti. He was elected president, Tongoa ber of changes to the vp constitution, mp Willie Ruben Abel vice president, but the biggest issue to be dealt with and Natapei (in his absence) secretary- was the election of a new executive. general—Iauko obviously believing Harry Iauko made no secret of the fact that he could continue to use Natapei that he intended to challenge Edward to divide the party to his advantage. 514 the contemporary pacific 23:2 (2011) Natapei and the existing party execu- lenging Iauko’s claim. The application tive, however, continued with what asked the court to declare null and they claimed was the official congress void the meeting held by the “Iauko at Panita. The result was, and still is, faction” and the elections of Iauko as that two individuals now claim to be president and the other members of VP president, Natapei arguing that the the executive; most importantly, they Lumbukuti congress was illegal and sought a ruling that the defendants not that the results of the Panita congress be allowed to use the name Vanua‘aku reflected the legitimate wishes of the Pati (VDP, 21 May 2010).