1973 Solomon Islands general election explained

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.

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. 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.[2]

Campaign

A total of 118 candidates contested the 24 elected seats. Campaigning in Honiara was reported to be unusually bitter, with posters being torn down and several complaints made to the police.[3] 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,[4] and only one member of the Solomons United National Party.[1] Voter turnout ranged from 42% in Honiara to 82%.[1]

ConstituencyCandidateVotes%Notes
align=left rowspan=3ꞌAreꞌareDavid Kausimae1,22363.14Re-elected
Peter Kenilorea71436.86
Total1,937100
align=left rowspan=5Central GuadalcanalDavid Thuguvoda61841.28Elected
Alfred Maeke50733.87Unseated
Moses Albert Rere19112.76
Allan Billy Masedi18112.09
Total1,497100
align=left rowspan=9Central MalaitaCollin Gauwane56737.80Elected
George Maelalo24316.20
Lionel Oloni20113.40
Vincent Talauburi19012.67
Jazial Fono1338.87
Frank Lulu Bare895.93
Timeous Teioli654.33
Nelson Kifo120.80
Total1,500100
align=left rowspan=7ChoiseulGideon Zoleveke69042.94Elected
Franklin Pitakaka31819.79
Allan Qurusu26316.37
Binet Gadebeta19211.95
Benjamin Robinson815.04
Peter Qorovuku633.92
Total1,607100
align=left rowspan=8East GuadalcanalWaeta Ben61839.31Elected
David Valusa21613.74
Joel Kikolo17110.88
James Bosa1489.41
Sukuatu Malakia1137.19
Donasiano Pororasu835.28
Salathiel Lence Roger835.28
Total1,572100
align=left rowspan=5East Isabel/SavoFrancis Reginald Kikolo62833.65Elected
Daniel Denys Maile52628.19
Wilson Sungi39421.11
Alfred Charles Bugoro31817.04
Total1,866100
align=left rowspan=3East MakiraBenedict Kinika1,03461.84Elected
Geoffrey Kuper63838.16
Total1,672100
align=left rowspan=10East MalaitaLeslie Fugui44127.19Elected
Faneta Sira33820.84
Billy Fa'arobo20512.64
John Maetia Kaliuae18811.59
Baddeley Koutu1116.84
Ben Gale975.98
Andrew Gwai885.43
Pita Saefafia Kirimaoma875.36
Jack Inifiri674.13
Total1,622100
align=left rowspan=6Eastern Outer IslandsMoffat Bonunga1,00150.56Elected
John Melanoli50325.40
Shadrach Sade19910.05
John Palusi1768.89
David Dawea Taukalo1015.10Unseated
Total1,980100
align=left rowspan=6Gizo/Ranongga/Simbo/KolombangaraGeorge Ngumi87662.30Elected
Anthony Ramoi27619.63
Bruce Ragoso14810.53
Aquila Talasasa553.91
Alfred Bisili513.63
Total1,406100
align=left rowspan=7HoniaraAshley Wickham99154.39Elected
Peter J. Salaka48126.40Unseated
Colin Bentley19610.76
Stephen Anilafa Sipolo683.73
Moses Puibangara Pitakaka502.74
Paul Belande361.98
Total1,822100
align=left rowspan=6KwaioJonathan Fiifii'i47736.78Re-elected
Frank Tafea'a33025.44
Paul Andrew Foasi23818.35
John Maesafi20015.42
John Fisango524.01
Total1,297100
align=left rowspan=5Lau/MbaeleleaPhilip Solodia56644.67Elected
Mariano Kelesi47337.33Unseated
Nathan Wate19315.23
David Mark Tefetea352.76
Total1,267100
align=left rowspan=3Marovo/KusagheSamuel Kuku57750.09Re-elected
Pulepada Ghemu57549.91
Total1,152100
align=left rowspan=11NggelaMoses Mahomed Razak53728.17Elected
Abraham Siau48725.55
Richard Harper41921.98
Cecil Wilson Maneau1658.66
Frank Bollan Vikino1397.29
Ben Tumulima1045.46
Jeremiah Legaile Tovono552.89
Michael Aike542.83
Calisto Houma462.41
Gabriel Narasia402.10
Total1,906100
align=left rowspan=8North West MalaitaJeriel Ofea Ausuta38934.92Elected
Clement Kiriau Ofai16915.17Unseated
Abel Limari'i15914.27
Bartholomew Leni Olea15714.09
Lemuel Liolea1089.69
Augustine Maelfodola1019.07
Jeriel Lifuasi312.78
Total1,114100
align=left rowspan=5Roviana/RendovaJohn Page71457.53Elected
David E Kera22818.37
Joseph Nona16213.05
Alphonse Daga13711.04
Total1,241100
align=left rowspan=4Shortlands/Vella LavellaAndrew Kukuti52841.41Elected
Gordon Siama45235.45
Dominic Outana29523.14
Total1,275100
align=left rowspan=5Small MalaitaEmilio Li'I Ouou60842.40Elected
Anthony Saru34023.71Unseated
George Garnet26918.76
Richard Watekari21715.13
Total1,434100
align=left rowspan=9South Guadalcanal/Rennell and BellonaStephen Cheka44022.73Elected
John Tepaika38719.99
George Pugeva34717.92Unseated
George Wilson Mangale33517.30
Paul John23712.24
Saddia Chachia834.29
Pende Cheryn763.93
Jokim Gapu311.60
Total1,936100
align=left rowspan=7West Guadalcanal and RussellsMatthew Belamataga74534.85Elected
Orlie Torling43120.16
K Kesty Ta'afia35116.42
Bartholomew Buchanan26012.16
John Baptist Tura21410.01
Imogen Vida Phillips1376.41
Total2,138100
align=left rowspan=3West IsabelWillie Betu1,05965.21Re-elected
Eric Anderson56534.79
Total1,624100
align=left rowspan=4West Kwara'aePeter Kerr Thompson1,16972.74Re-elected
Alan Taki28817.92
Leonard Maenu'u1509.33
Total1,607100
align=left rowspan=3West MakiraSolomon Mamaloni1,27274.00Re-elected
Nathaniel Rahumae Waena44726.00
Total1,719100
Source: [5] [6]

Aftermath

Following the elections, a new political party – the United Solomon Islands Party (USIP) – was formed by fourteen of the winning candidates.[4] Benedit Kinika was elected chair of the new party, with Gideon Zoloveke as his deputy.[7] The Solomons United National Party became defunct.[7] In January 1974 another new party, the People's Progressive Party (PPP) was formed.[4] 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.[8] A government was subsequently formed by the PPP independent MPs.[4] [9]

Mamaloni appointed five ministers to his cabinet, keeping the Home Affairs portfolio for himself.[10] 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.[8] Zoloveke was moved to the Ministry of Home Affairs in late 1974 and replaced as Minister of Works and Public Utilities by Solodia Funifaka.[11] 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.[12]

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.[13] 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.[13]

Notes and References

  1. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-337033661/view?partId=nla.obj-337046302#page/n8/mode/1up Sun eclipsed by a new star in Solomons' election carve-up
  2. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-336976092/view?partId=nla.obj-337014538#page/n24/mode/1up Giving them all a say in the government of the Solomons
  3. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-337006261/view?partId=nla.obj-337041615#page/n14/mode/1up Playing rough in the Solomons
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305024929/https://www.deakin.edu.au/research-services/forms/v/3089/adri-working-paper-08.pdf Decolonising the Solomon Islands: British theory and Melanesian practice
  5. Wood . Terence . 1 May 2014 . Solomon Islands Election Results 1967-2013 . Social Science Research Network.
  6. http://www.electionpassport.com/files/SB/SB.xlsx Election Passport
  7. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-337039292/view?partId=nla.obj-337100203#page/n13/mode/1up Flexible idealists in the Solomons
  8. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333490132/view?partId=nla.obj-333562401#page/n6/mode/1up Triumph for the Solomons' Solomon
  9. Roland Rich, Luke Hambly & Michael G Morgan (2008) Political Parties in the Pacific Islands, ANU E Press, p106
  10. http://www.solomonencyclopaedia.net/biogs/E000169b.htm Legislative Assembly
  11. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-333573767/view?partId=nla.obj-333606649#page/n12/mode/1up Mamaloni's motto: If you can't beat 'em, recruit 'em
  12. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-334718588/view?partId=nla.obj-334744540#page/n7/mode/1up Ministers! Mamaloni's headache
  13. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-332653576/view?partId=nla.obj-332654848#page/n7/mode/1up The story of Solomon, his coins and his return to the top

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