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Pol I T Ical Reviews • Melanesia 459 Solomon Islands pol i t ical reviews • melanesia 459 Sunday Chronicle. Weekly. Port Moresby. was launched and implemented in http://www.sunday-chronicle.com 2009 despite a number of cautions. Transparency International. 2009. Corrup- For instance, the premier of Choisuel tion Perceptions Index 2009. http://www province, Jackson Kiloe, warned .transparency.org /policy_research /surveys that the policy could promote more _indices /cpi /2009/cpi_2009_table dependency on aid, as donors were [accessed February 2010] requested to foot the bill (sto, 2 Jan World Bank. 2009. Transforming the 2009). The implementation of this Rebound into Recovery. East Asia and policy as a priority was reflected in the Pacific Update, November. Washington cabinet’s approval of the largest sector dc: World Bank. budget in 2009, with a 24 percent increase in the recurrent budget and 12 percent decrease in the develop- ment budget compared to 2008 (mehrd 2009, 3). New Zealand Aid Solomon Islands (NZAid) and the Republic of China Solomon Islands survived 2009 rea- (ROC) provided additional funds to sonably peacefully, with several chal- implement the policy. By June 2009, lenges and achievements. As in 2008, the prime minister acknowledged that citizens continued to call for decisive the policy had problems, and again in and visionary leadership throughout September he admitted that the Fee the year. Major issues that warrant Free Education policy was challeng- some coverage in this review include ing, although it relieved the burden on the Fee Free Education policy; the parents and guardians. The Ministry continuation and conclusion of former of Education and Human Resources Solomon Islands Attorney General Development (mehrd) revealed that Julian Moti’s child sex case; 2009 enti- a major drawback of the policy was tlements for members of Parliament; that it led to the misunderstanding workers’ strikes (or their intentions that parents were no longer required for industrial action); by-elections; to contribute toward school expenses ministerial reshuffles and election of (mehrd 2009, 44). Moreover, the the new governor-general; the ongo- sustainability of funds for this bold ing tug-of-war on the Political Parties move by government has yet to be Integrity Bill; double standards used determined, although si$66 million by the Solomon Islands government was allocated for it in 2010 (sto, 18 in regional and international politics; Jan 2009). (si$1 equals approximately lawlessness; and central-provincial us$8.33.) government collaborations. By the end The Julian Moti case continued to of 2009, the focus was once again on be featured in political commentaries national elections scheduled to take throughout 2009. With the toppling place around August 2010. of the Grand Coalition for Change The Coalition for National Unity (gcc) government, the installation and Rural Advancement (cnura) of cnura government, and Moti’s government in late 2008 adopted eventual deportation to face child sex the Fee Free Education policy. This charges in Australia, the issue has not 460 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010) really disappeared from political com- Moti give their evidence without any mentaries. However, the deportation influence” (SSN, 24 Sept 2009). After a has tremendously improved rela- long battle in the Queensland Supreme tions between Australia and Solomon Court, child sex charges against Moti Islands. In late August 2009, Moti were dropped on 15 December 2009. filed a summary of grounds to support Justice Debbie Mullins ruled that the his application for a permanent stay Australian Federal Police payments of proceedings with the Queensland to witnesses constituted an “abuse Supreme Court. One point Moti of process” (SSN, 17 Dec 2009). The insisted on, among others, was the Moti case led to the downfall of the allegation that the Australian govern- Manasseh Sogavare regime, and it ment did not want him to play any has continued to haunt the Solomon part in the governing of Solomon Islands government to this day. In the Islands. Moti’s lawyers referred to the meantime Moti is out of the way, but payment of si$1.2 million to witnesses the issue may pop up again in 2010 over a two-year period and a sms politics. Whatever happens, one thing (short message service) text sent by a is clear: Moti entered Solomon Islands witness to an Australian federal agent illegally, and he was probably shown as evidence. In the sms text, a female the exit the same way. witness indicated that if her condi- By mid 2009, a highly conten- tions were not met, then she was being tious issue came to light when the “used as a tool by the Australian gov- Parliamentary Entitlements Commis- ernment for political and neocolonial sion (pec) recommended exorbitant reasons” (SSN, 22 Aug 2009). Moti’s entitlements to members of Parlia- defense lawyers also insisted that the ment (mps) and their spouses. The Australian government had assisted controversial awards appeared in an the cnura government to unlawfully Extraordinary Gazette published on 6 return him to face charges in Australia July and backdated to 1 April 2009. A (SSN, 27 Aug 2009). particular recommendation to award Late in September, the Queensland si$50,000 to mp spouses at the end of Supreme Court heard that witnesses four years was heavily criticized, as it to Moti’s case called by counsel had would add up to si$2.5 million (SSN, been threatened with termination from 14 July 2009). The total amount to be employment if they gave evidence (ISN, met by the government in these entitle- 22 Sept 2009). The Solomon Islands ments would be around si$20 million leader of the Opposition reacted to dollars, at a time when most econo- this and called on the police commis- mies around the world were going sioner and the cnura government through a recession. Immediately after not to meddle with Moti’s case. He the announcement of these awards, claimed, “What’s happening is not Transparency Solomon Islands (tsi) right and this is probably done right slammed the increases. Commending under the nose of the Police Commis- the overwhelming condemnation of sioner and I would like to call on him the pec actions, Transparency Solo- to seriously look at this allegation mon Islands stated: “The increase in and to ensure that officers involved terminal grants would cost the coun- in carrying out the deportation of try si$20 million dollars. There is pol i t ical reviews • melanesia 461 absolutely no good reason for paying the issue. The prime minister and his such payments” (SSN, 22 July 2009). cabinet distanced themselves from the Under the new awards, the prime awards and blamed the Parliamen- minister would receive a taxpayer- tary Entitlements Commission for the funded new house and a car when he decision. During a public forum on leaves office, plus free gas, electric- 19 August, the minister for educa- ity, and water bills. Ex-gratia pay- tion agreed that the entitlements were ments for each consecutive mp term wrong. But the public was uneasy with were also increased from si$25,000 government silence over the issue and, to si$100,000 (SSN, 23 July 2009). with numerous complaints in the local Interestingly, Minister for Finance the media, the government had to act or Honorable Snyder Rini, and another be seen as moving to address their sitting member, the Honorable Francis concerns. The prime minister’s office Zama, chair of the Public Accounts subsequently directed the attorney Committee, are pec members; former general to seek a high court declara- mp Danny Philips was the interim pec tion on whether or not the Parliamen- chair (SSN, 29 July 2009). The inde- tary Entitlements Commission acted pendence of the Parliamentary Entitle- within the constitution when setting ments Commission in recommending these awards (SSN, 25 Aug 2009). these awards was therefore severely Meanwhile, mixed messages were compromised. coming from Parliament, with signs of The Solomon Islands Chamber of a rift slowly emerging in reaction to Commerce and Industries (sicci) and the prime minister’s request. Certain Solomon Islands Council of Trade members wanted him to follow the Unions (sictu) issued a joint state- cabinet decision, that is, to review ment on 10 August pleading for the just three of the 2009 entitlements: entitlements to be scrapped. The state- “the [si]$50,000 grants to be paid to ment noted, “The sicci and sictu spouses of mps every four years; the are in full agreement that the increases [si]$400,000 gratuity for mps leaving in entitlements are unjustifiable, in parliament and the new retirement the context of current economic and package for the prime minister” (SSN, budgetary crises” (NEN, 12 Aug 2009). 16 Sept 2009). Only one minister of In addition, civil society organiza- the Crown came out publicly to forfeit tions under the umbrella of Develop- awards that he and his spouse would ment Services Exchange denounced have received under the 2009 Parlia- the awards, stating: “It is sad to note ment Entitlement Regulations. The that our Parliamentarian[s], who [are] Honorable Steve Abana stated, “I suppose[d] to make decisions to . walked into Parliament empty handed, [move the] country forward[,] [seem] so I should return empty handed as to be pulling this country down” (SSN, well” (SSN, 14 Sept 2009). With all 14 Aug 2009). A whole cross-section the debates and the attorney general’s of the country felt betrayed by what application, the case went before the seemed to be Parliamentarians giving country’s high court. On Thursday, 22 themselves and their families more October 2009, the high court quashed monetary benefits. the awards. In his ruling Justice Albert Parliament itself was divided on Palmer stated, “In view of the blatant 462 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010) errors committed in the decision mak- negotiated a 9.5 percent cola award ing process, the only proper thing to payment.
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