Kaya Selby
RNZ Pacific journalist
Solomon Islands Prime
Minister Matthew Wale has come out swinging against a motion
of no confidence against him and the MPs backing the
leadership challenge.
Wale, 57, has moved swiftly to
replace two out of the three Cabinet ministers who resigned
at the start of the week to support the bid to oust him. He
called the departing ministers “political opportunists”
seeking to destabilise the country.
In the process,
Finance Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo, who had publicly
distanced himself from the no-confidence motion, has been
sacked.
The no-confidence motion was filed in
parliament last weekend, with Wale finding out within hours
of landing in Palau for the Pacific Island Forum leaders
summit.
The motion is set to be debated on Monday, 7
September.
Soon after news of the motion went public,
the resignations came: Home Affairs Minister Manasseh
Maelanga, Commerce Minister Harry Kuma, and Justice Minister
Clezy Rore.
Wale said the saga “exposes” political
opportunism, and an attempt to derail a reform agenda within
three months of his term.
“They demonstrate poor
leadership judgement and a disturbing willingness to put
petty political interests ahead of national interest,”
Wale’s office said in a statement.
“The people deserve
the opportunity to see whether the GREAT Coalition can
deliver.”
Maelanga, who stood against Wale to become
PM after the resignation of Jeremiah Manele in May, had also
filed the motion, which contained grievances that Wale had
made unilateral decisions without consulting Cabinet – on
“matters of national significance” no less.
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Rore has
subsequently told local media outlets that he had never been
consulted by the PM about decisions around remuneration for
the Attorney-General Gabriel Suri.
Wale described the
claims as baseless.
“Mr Rore’s claim was not
surprising, given that the former Minister was frequently
absent from Cabinet and Caucus.
“The bigger question
is whether ‘lack of consultation’ is being used as a
convenient political justification for a move that may have
been contemplated well before the current dispute
emerged.”
Lilo,
a former prime minister, publicly denied any involvement on
Tuesday, calling media speculation
“irresponsible”.
He’ll be replaced by Rexon Ramofafia,
a former Finance Minister of Manele’s.
Meanwhile,
opposition leader Manasseh Sogavare, upon Wale’s return from
Palau, called the saga a national embarrassment.
“The
Prime Minister has been forced to leave the regional
leaders’ meeting prematurely because his Government is
facing a major political crisis at home.” he said.
“It
is a profound leadership failure by Prime Minister
Wale.”
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters
expressed frustration at the situation nearer the beginning
of the summit.
“To think that a motion of no
confidence was moved when you’re at a critical Pacific event
concerns me about the people who moved the motion,” he
said.
“For Goodness’ sake, could you possibly have
waited until your brothers, sisters and cousins have sorted
out the Pacific in the meantime, just for these few
days?”
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