While on the peoplefirst discussion board, I was very vocal against this government. To many on the board I was a Sogavare supporter. The only thing I admire about Sogavare was his determination to get something. That is what Solomon Islanders need, instead we are passive and relaxed even allowing ourselves to be led by the nose.
The events of past weeks illustrate Sikua still has a long way to go. Diplomacy was his tact and he did that well before Obama did by pacifying Australia and NZ but after that achievement, he has little to show for it instead displaying his inexperience and lack of will, determination to put his job on the line for the good of Solomon Islands. The PEC debacle, he claimed he did not know which was rather naive. Now we see his senior ministers running the show. Obviously Lilo is the "godfather"....Rini does as he pleases and I suspect Kemakeza still pulls the strings from whereever. Fono is just a loose cannon whose only true value is waffling and arguing with a silly little sideshow in the Maasina Forum. We need a strong leadership, we need a PM with the will, someone who can stand up for Solomon Islanders even when his job is on the line.
The people made the right choice; however drastic is was.....whatever heartache and misery it cost our Chinese community; THE PEOPLE removed RINI who at the helm would have sold every little shred of dignity we have as a country to whoever for any lousy, measly little thousands he can line his pocket up with. Just look at his latest absurdity. Letting lose people who have broken SI Laws and the PM looks away!!!!!...
You fala talk come but seriously if this government or even the majority of this house returns in 2010; be prepared to suffer the consequences of your choice. The country cannot progress because the ROT starts from the top and those who honestly work the hardest are those that dig drains for little else.
You fala moa.
Sikua not fit to be PM, RINI worst
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 09:17
First of all, thank you admin for bringing back the good old Lifhaus website. It brings back a lot of flashbacks of the old site which we used heavily four years ago. I must say that Solomon Islands have come so far in putting a face on the cyber world and its good to see new web developments for Solomon islands community in the past year.
Neo, I am not a fan of Sogavare. In my Opinon, Mr. Sogavare is amongst the traditionalists in our government who knows how play the system for his own end. Take for instance how he crossed the floor during the riot to become the PM's nominee of the OP. He exploited Rini's weakness for his own gain even though he knew the accusations leveled against Rini in days preceded his (Rini) election. What transpired after the riot is a crafty move and one that demonstrates Sogavare's ambition for the higher office; needless to say that he would do anything "at all costs" to become the head of government (PM). That is, off course, not a new trend. Remember in 2002, Sogavare unsuccessfully tabled a bill that aimed at extending his term as PM. Which means that his two years in office would have been extended to another two years, altering the terms set down by our constitution for an elected PM. Not only that, he denounced Taiwan and recognized China only to reversed it when Beijing didn't give him "cash" for his 100 days reconstruction of SI. These and many others, make Sogavare a least favorable politician in my list of good political leaders.
And I am not a fan of Dr. Sikua either. Despite his "newness," for lack of a better word, he had already exhibited signs that he is infected with the viral disease that infected every elected MP since 1978. Reading from the motion he moved against Sogavare, you would see a self-worth politician who had the audacity to criticize a man he voted to support in the first place. The only time he felt the urge to vomit all these criticisms was when he realized the vulnerability of the PM. That is a classic example of how thoughtless and lack of morality our leaders are! Dr. Sikua is proven, at a very short time in Parliament, as a lose canon. He had altercations with police, he was accused of hangover during a Parliamentary session etc. In any developed country, Sikua would never stand a chance as a PM! he would have been booted out of office when the police found beer in his car! He himself testified in court that he had beer in his car, but denied ever got drunk and ever assaulted police officers. Off-course, no one would admit to such if his future is at stake.
I am not a Rini fan also. This is the most corrupt man ever graced the floor of Parliament, second only, in my opinion, to late Mamaloni. What he did were calculated moves to serve himself and his cronies, but to what cost? the suffering of our people in a hyper-inflation nation where local products becomes too expensive to afford. His denial of ever accepted money from the Chinese community in Honiara and the Taiwanese government doesn't add up with his recent stunt where he used his constitutional authority as the Minister of finance to order the return of the Ship to the Lee Ling company despite High Court ruling that the ship ought to be forfeited to the State. The question becomes, is there an ethical issue caused by Rini's action? There could be areas in our law that galvanized our Judicial branch against political abuse of the Constitution that may have been defiled, and to me this is one helluva abuse! If the government of the day refuses to the give in to demands by the public to remove Rini, then god help us when future Ministers use this precedent in their own favour.
Finally, I don't endorse the idea of removing this government at the door step of a national election because it doesn't worth it. But the best thing Sikua should do to appease angry Solomon Islanders is to reshuffle his government and placing emphasis on rebuilding public trust. If he removed Rini as the Min. of Finance, so too would be the end of the Rini's position inside PEC. He would be automatically disqualified as a member of the commission. I don't think that Rini would gang-up as many MPs to topple Sikua because I think each MP's priority now is to win his/her election in the upcoming national election. Many, I suspect, will voice out their concerns over the controversial PEC proposal and the Rini/Lee Ling saga as good leadership gesture... hem no new samting ba! I believe that Rini understand the backlash and even if he was reshuffled, Rini wouldn't do much to destroy this government.
Hem nomoa... have a great week!
Those are some very comprehensive look at the debacle. I spotted one newspaper headline read "RINI Powerless" with the subtitle "Finance Minister stripped off his ministerial powers"....the good thing is even Sogavare recognizes that it is neither the time to be politiking over the countries future. Then comes Alfred Sasako with his take and I kicked myself in the butt for wasting my time on reading the article. I should have seen it coming but he goes to support Hon. Rini for being a leader he admires! His justification is Rini's move to approve SBD5 towards the Auluta basin when government had only approved several hundreds of thousands....and to justify his position on Rini's move to use his ministerial power to release the boat, Sasako argues that maybe Rini had seen the bigger picture....and that is that he had looked into the crystal ball and determined that in the long term, Solomon Islanders would benefit out of his actions now!....I was simply astounded that a man of Sasako's supposed calibre could try and justify these actions. I mean after SBD5, where has the Auluta Basin project gotten to? And if in the grand scheme of things MP Rini has seen the bigger picture I will be very fearful for the future. I honestly do not know who is the bigger joke. MP Rini with his gaping hole of corruption or Sasako who is no longer an MP but likes to remind us that he is merely a chip from the old block. So much for integrity!
"Simplicity is an art" | The views and opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of the people, institutions or organizations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.
I haven't read Sasako's article regarding Rini, but reading from those who disagreeing with Sasako, one thing stands out, Sasako is always a controversial figure and, as the saying goes, "An uncompromising character is easy to admire". Sasako knows this game and he knows how to bring out the cookies, gives them to the people, and with some milk, things bae set. Right? wrong!!!
There are, undoubtedly, good things Rini did for his people and some for his country. Every leader has that same traits, but none of the good things he did should mitigate the fact that he had done something ethically wrong in my view. What Rini brings to life in this whole saga is the the question as to who he really represents; his country? himself? his cronies? His Asian buddies? his constituency? I find it hard to answer these questions because as a Minister of Finance, the first and foremost of his string of responsibilities is his responsibility to Solomon Islands. His was placed there with the knowledge that with his vast experience as an Accountant, he would do SI a whole world of goods. Instead, he had done quite the opposite. But let be fair, we have many leaders with the same leadership quality out there that should also be brought to light to face the public. With that, I can only see why Sasako felt the need to stand up for Rini. Politicians do understand their own evil doings and they feel their pain when they fell under public scrutiny. That doesn't make Rini an innocent person or any MP for that matter. To me, what is more important is how much doodoo are going to endure in the coming years while our MPs sit their asses down with a benefit of $150,000+their salary+house allowance+RCDF+and all other funds and benefits they have access to. It is my fear that if this PER is passed, SI will become poorer while MPs become filthy rich, thanks to Rini and Sikua!
He who has never learned to obey...cannot be a good commander.
Aristotle
Forget these leaders after all they are not true leaders. They failed to lead Solomon Islands and be an example for the country. Most of them they lack will power and have shown little concern for our people.
Let us work together as Solomon Islanders to see that the interest and wellbeing of our people comes first than anything else.
These leaders that you have mentioned were in the right boat but heading a wrong direction. All of them are included and no exception to the rule. We need people who can discern what is right from what is good for the country. There is a slight or fine line between what is right and what is good. Something can be good but may not be the right thing to do that such time. All we have seen in these leaders is doing good things but not right at all.
They became successful but in a wrong assignment. What are waste. Leaders who are successful but in a wrong assignment are nothing other than FAILURE themselve.
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