HEARING of the legal challenge filed in the High Court against the Speaker of the Malaita Provincial Assembly and the Minister for Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening for the removal of Daniel Suidani as the Member of the Malaita Provincial Assembly has been adjourned for October 31.
Suidani, who was re-elected as the MPA for Fataleka Ward in the April 17 Provincial Election, was removed from the MPA position in March 2023 after he was ousted in a Motion of No-Confidence as Premier.
These events followed Suidani’s refusal to accept the National Government’s recognition of the One-China Principle following the switch of the country’s diplomatic relations from Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China in September 2019 by the Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement under the prime ministership of Manasseh Sogavare.
The decision for the removal of Suidani as an elected Member of the Malaita Provincial Assembly was made by the Speaker of the Malaita Provincial Assembly Ronnie Butala in consultation with then Minister for Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, Rollen Seleso based on advice from the Attorney General’s Chambers.
The hearing of the case was scheduled to commence yesterday but was adjourned for Thursday 31 October by the Presiding Judge Maelyn Bird for the reason that the Attorney General’s Chambers, which represents the respondents was yet to complete its submission to allow for the hearing of the matter.
Suidani is represented by Gabriel Suri of Suri’s Law Practice.
Mr Suri told Solomon Star outside of the court that this adjournment is the final and a failure by the AG’s Chambers to make its submission by then means victory for Suidani.
He said the advice tendered for the removal of Suidani by the Attorney General’s Chambers was based on clauses of the Provincial Government Act that have been repealed and therefore no longer existent.
By DELI-SHARON OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara
