THE Premier of Western Province, Billy Veo, is urged to immediately communicate the desires of the people and government of Western Province on the proposed federal system to the Prime Minister and his Democratic Coalition for Change Government.
The call comes from the Non-Executive Committee in the Western Provincial Assembly chaired by Rence Sore in light of the announcement by Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, that Constitutional Amendment Bill will commence the scrutinisation of the Draft Federal Constitution of Solomon Islands and the draft amendment is anticipated to be debated in the current sitting of Parliament.
The Prime Minister made the announcement in his address at the 39th Second Appointed Day anniversary of Guadalcanal Province this week.
Mr Sore, in a statement, said whilst the Non-Executive Committee of the Western Provincial Assembly is delighted to hear what he described as the ‘sweet promise’ of the Prime Minister to the people and government of Guadalcanal Province, the people and government of Western Province have some grave concerns and these are:
- The Federal and State Government Systems have been the cry of the people of Solomon Islands for too long and whilst it is good to hear the sweet promise of the Prime Minister, it is too late in coming;
- More autonomy was the longtime desire of the Western Province – the people of the province want more autonomy to manage their own state affairs even before Solomon Islands gained independence in 1978;
- The commencement of the Devolution of Legislative and Executive Functions and Establishment and Management of Funds as specified in Parts IV and V of the Provincial Government Act 1981 marks the legality of the Second Appointed Day but sad to say these legislative and executive functions were recalled by the National Government Ministries through the Provincial Government Act 1997.
- Since the enactment of the PGA 1997, the nine provincial governments have become monsters that have no legislative and executive functions to manage their provincial affairs of the nine provincial governments.
Mr Sore said the Non-Executive Committee in understanding the the irrelevancy of the Second Appointed Day as per the legal provisions of PGA 1997, the Western Provincial Assembly approved at its meeting in January 2023 the following positions:
- Western Provincial Government requests Solomon Islands Government through the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening to review and revoke the PGA 1997;
- The celebration of Second Appointed Day annually on the 7 December has no legal basis following the revocation of PGA1981; and
- The State of Western Solomons be declared on the 7 July 2024.
