PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare has called on all Solomon Islanders to be united in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
He was speaking in his weekly national address, Friday.
Sogavare said there are recent commentaries in the media alleging that his Government is using the State of Emergency to politicise certain issues which is not true.
“These commentaries are not based on facts but rather on speculations, and in some cases just outright lies,” he said.
He said now is not the time for politics but unity as the country faces the COVID -19 threats.
“Therefore, I call on all Members of Parliament, Provincial Governments and citizens to leave petty politics aside and to be united to fight this common enemy.
“Fellow citizens, COVID-19 is an enemy that takes no political sides, it takes no prisoners,” he added.
Sogavare said the constitutionality or otherwise of the laws made under the State of Public Emergency is a matter for the courts to decide.
“As a democratic country that upholds the rule of law let us follow due process in questioning these issues,” he said.
He said the doctrine of separation of powers remains intact and so does the principle of mutual respect between the three arms of the state.
“The right place to test these questions is the court of law and not the court of public opinion.
“These are technical legal questions that only the judiciary can answer and therefore I encourage all of us to be responsible,” he said.
By IAN M.KAUKUI
