1970 Solomon Islands general election

General elections were held in the Solomon Islands in May and June 1970, the first to the new Governing Council. Most candidates ran as independents.[1]

Background

The new Governing Council consisted of seventeen elected members (increased from fourteen in the Legislative Council), six civil servants (down from twelve) and three ex officio members, the first time a Solomon Islands legislature had an elected majority. The Council was to be chaired by the High Commissioner.[2]

Rather than introducing cabinet government, the new constitution provided for government by committee, which was deemed more in line with Melanesian culture of reaching agreement by consensus rather than majority vote. The Governing Council had five committees, which were responsible for Communications and Works, Education and Social Welfare, Finance, Health and Internal Affairs, and Natural Resources.[3]

Results

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Notes
Ngella/Savo/Russells	Edmond Kiva	1,054	51.12	Elected
	Cecil Wilson Maneau	456	22.11
	Silas Niavuni	213	10.33
	John Plant Hoka	176	8.54
	Jason Dorovolomo	163	7.90
	Total	2,062	100
Choiseul/Shortlands	Remesio Eresi	778	39.35	Elected
	Binet Gadebeta	520	26.30
	Moses Puibangara Pitakaka	506	25.59
	John Macdonald	173	8.75
	Total	1,977	100
East Guadalcanal	Leone Laku	442	37.94	Elected
	Joseph Bryan	422	36.22
	Joel Kikolo	146	12.53
	David Valusa	89	7.64
	William Norman Tasker	66	5.67
	Total	1,165	100
South Guadalcanal	George Pugeva	–	–	Unopposed
West Guadalcanal	Alfred Maeke	465	31.61	Elected
	Bara Buchanan	345	23.45
	David Thuguvoda	337	22.91
	Matthew Belamataga	324	22.03
	Total	1,471	100
Honiara	Peter Salaka	874	57.92	Elected
	Peter Kenilorea	327	21.67
	Peter Smith	308	20.41
	Total	1,509	100
Santa Isabel	Willie Betu	1,423	72.53	Elected
	Daniel Denys Maile	539	27.47
	Total	1,962	100
Makira	Solomon Mamaloni	1,286	46.95	Elected
	Geoffrey Kuper	1,280	46.73
	Nathaniel Rahumae Waena	173	6.32
	Total	2,739	100
Central Malaita	Jonathan Fiifii'i	613	36.47	Elected
	Daniel Foasifobae	442	26.29
	Peter Taloni	284	16.89
	Nelson Kifo	173	10.29
	Calisto Kobiloko	169	10.05
	Total	1,681	100
North Central Malaita	Peter Kerr Thompson	1,441	71.23	Elected
	John Maetia Kaliuae	582	28.77
	Total	2,023	100
North East Malaita	Mariano Kelesi	899	66.74	Elected
	Dudley Kiriau	448	33.26
	Total	1,347	100
North Malaita	Clement Kiriau Ofai	657	59.35	Elected
	Jotham Ausuta	450	40.65
	Total	1,107	100
South Central Malaita	David Kausimae	1,552	91.08	Elected
	Eliel Ahikau	152	8.92
	Total	1,704	100
South Malaita	Anthony Saru	544	41.24	Elected
	Aziel Laealaha	489	37.07
	George Garnet	286	21.68
	Total	1,319	100
Eastern Outer Islands	TAC Hepwerth	–	–	Elected
	P Bagira	–	–
	David Dawea Taukalo	–	–
	Jason Melake	–	–
	Total	–	–
New Georgia	Samuel Kuku	1,154	55.37	Elected
	Frank Wickham	624	29.94
	George Pina Lilo	247	11.85
	Aaron Ben	59	2.83
	Total	2,084	100
Vella Lavella/Kolombangara	Gordon Siama	938	45.51	Elected
	Belshazzar Gina	507	24.60
	Bruce Ragoso	380	18.44
	George Talasasa	236	11.45
	Total	2,061	100
Registered voters/turnout		51,904
Source: Election Passport

Appointed members

Position		Member
Ex officio	Acting Chief Secretary	R. Davies
	Attorney-General	D.R. Davis
	Financial Secretary	J. H. Smith
Official	Commissioner of Labour	B.C. Wilmot
	Commissioner of Lands and Surveys	J.B. Twomney
	Director of Agriculture	F.M. Spenser
	Director of Education	A.G.H. House
	Director of Medical Services	J.D. Macgregor
	Director of Public Works	W.A. Wood
Source: Solomons Encyclopaedia

Aftermath

The newly elected Council met for the first time on 15 July. Gordon Siama was appointed chair of the Communications and Works committee, Willie Betu became chair of the Education and Social Welfare committee, Tom Russell (Financial Secretary) became chair of the Finance committee, Roy Davies was appointed chair of the Health and Internal Affairs committee, and David Kausimae became chair of the Natural Resources committee.[4]

Joseph Bryan, who lost by 20 votes in East Guadalcanal, lodged a petition against the election results, claiming that the votes cast at two polling stations had been rejected as they contained markings that could identify the voter.[4] The High Court heard the petition on 10 August; with the Returning Officer and winning candidate Leone Laku failing to lodge objections, the court annulled the result and ordered a by-election to be held.[5] The by-election took place on 10 October, with Bryan winning with 977 votes; Laku finished second with 362.[6]

In 1971 Silas Sitai was appointed 'shadow chairman', becoming the first Speaker of the legislature.[7]

References

1. Decolonization United Nations
2. Two kinds of democracy (1) Solomons Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1970, p25
3. Politics experiments going soon in Solomons Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1970, pp26–27
4. The Solomons has 'its own thing' – but it's not 'Goodbye Britain' Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1970, pp18–20
5. Islanders feel their way in the new Solomons council Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1970, p19
6. Solomons elections Pacific Islands Monthly, November 1970, p3
7. The Solomons (Speaker appointed) talks of independence in 1975 Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1971, pp23–24