PRIME Minister Manasseh on Monday officially welcomed the two new elected Members of Parliament after their victory during the recent bye-elections.
The two new MPs are Honourable Ethel Vokia of North East Guadalcanal Constituency and Honourable Alfred Efona of Central Honiara Constituency.
“I would like to join the many thousands of citizens around the country on behalf of the government to congratulate the two new elected Member of Parliament for North East Guadalcanal and for Central Honiara.
“Honourable Mrs Ethel Vokia and Honourable Mr Alfred Efona, let me welcome you both to the select group of Solomon Islanders who have the honour and privilege to be elected to our National Parliament,” he said.
Mr Sogavare also thanked the people of the two constituencies, especially voters and supporters of all the candidates, for upholding law and order and for ensuring the elections were conducted peacefully, freely and fairly.
“Let me also express special thank you to the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) and new Electoral commission and your staff and everyone that made the bye-elections successful,” he said.
He said the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) has mounted a huge operation and has involved a lot in the process of the election with its 589 police officers to support the election staff in both constituencies.
“I also acknowledge the important role played by RSIPF in ensuring security for the election in both constituencies as they provided security at all 36 polling stations in the Central Honiara Constituency and all the 20 polling stations in the North East Guadalcanal Constituency,” he added.
He said the RSIPF also provided an escort of ballot boxes to Rove Police Headquarters and further provided security on all 10 ballot boxes prior to and during the counting of the votes at the counting venue.
By IAN M.KAUKUI
