Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698081078523.pdf (Solomon Islands)
THURSDAY 9TH AUGUST 2001 The Speaker, Mr Tovua took the Chair at 10.05 a.m. Prayers.
ATTENDANCE At prayers, all were present with the exception of the Minister for Defence & National Security, Women, Youth & Sports, Fisheries & Marine Resources, Health & Medical Services and the members for West New Georgia/Vona Vona, West Are’Are, Ranonga/Simbo, North West Choiseul, South New Georgia/Rendova/Tetepari, Gizo/Kolombangara, Maringe/Kokota, Temotu Vattu, West Honiara, West Makira, Central Makira and East Are’Are.
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS Mr SPEAKER: If I may ask your indulgence, I wish to make a few remarks before the Statement of Government Business, and the remark is mainly to welcome Honourable Members.

Honourable Prime Minister, Caretaker Leader of the Opposition, the Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Speaker, Cabinet Ministers and Honourable Members of Parliament, as this meeting is broadcasted live, I wish also to welcome the people of Solomon Islands and also those of you in the public gallery.
I take great pleasure in welcoming you to this Eighth Meeting of the Sixth Session of Parliament.

Since we last met in June, I was heavily involved in the electoral process in the Electoral Commission as well as the Peace Monitoring Council, and honorable members are well aware of the activities of these two bodies.

But I will not let this opportunity slip by to inform you of the progress made so far, especially with regards to the Electoral Commission.
Honourable Members as the national elections are legally due before the end of this year, the Electoral Commission of Solomon Islands, which I have the honour to chair, has been fully engaged in preparing for the proper conduct of such elections during the last few weeks.
Honourable colleagues, as this is the first sitting of Parliament since the Commission has started actual preparations, and I am pleased to lay before you the following brief progress report on the current status of the electoral process: The Electoral Commission Office Since the beginning of last June 2001, the Electoral Commission has set up its Headquarters Office in Honiara.
The office, which is now located in the adequate premises at the old Central Bank building, is fully staffed with competent officials and is now completely equipped and computerized.

This includes a computer data entry system that is now charged with the central compilation and production of voters’ lists for all the constituencies throughout the country nationwide.
In addition, the office is equipped with communication facilities, full access to Internet and electronic mail and the necessary means for radio communication with those provinces and constituencies where no telephone service is yet provided.

An Electoral Commission special Web Site is currently under construction.

International experts both from the European Union and the Australian Electoral Commission continuously support the local staff working at the Electoral Commission’s Office.
Financial and Technical Support from Donors As you might have heard, a number of donors have already started to provide both financial and technical support to the Electoral Commission, in an international effort to support the electoral process in the Solomon Islands.
The following is a list of funds committed by different donors, as well as funds received to date by the Electoral Commission for the organization and the conduct of the 2001 National Elections in the Solomon Islands (and this will be in SI$): European Union funds committed $5.3 million, funds received so far – nil.

Australia funds committed $4.0 million, funds received so far $2.5 million.

The United Kingdom funds committed $0.3 million, funds received $0.3 million.
The Republic of China, funds committed $3.0 million, funds received $1.0 million.

New Zealand funds committed $2.3 million, funds received $0.7 million.

Japan funds committed $1.0 million, funds received – nil.

USA funds committed $0.1 million, funds received – nil.

A total sum of $16 million is committed and the funds we have received so far - $4.5 million.
The Electoral Commission has invited expressions of interest from a number of firms of chartered accounts to conduct the financial audit of its budgets and expenditures.

One quote has been received to date.

Therefore, the Electoral Commission is fully confident that, according to its estimates concerning the costs of organizing and conducting the National Elections, there will not be any financial constraints.
In light of support commitments expressed by aid donors, the electoral process should not be facing any setbacks due to financial shortage.

In addition, donors are also providing technical assistance support to the Electoral Commission.

Currently three experts are assisting the Electoral Commission: two experts (a Financial Manager and a Legal/Technical Adviser) on behalf of the European Union Commission, and a voter registration specialist on behalf of the Australia Electoral Commission.
The technical assistance is sought to continue throughout the electoral process.

Voter Registration currently undergoing at present The Electoral Commission has appointed Registration Officers for all ten provinces of the country since early June 2001.

Assistant Returning Officers, enough in number to conduct registration activities in all wards, have also been appointed.
And according to the voter registration calendar established by the Electoral Commission, the final official starting date of voter registration was 30th June 2001.

Therefore, field registration activities should be completed not later than 28th August 2001.

However, registration in some provinces started as early as 18th June.
According to reports by Registration Officers and those who are on the ground, which are received weekly at the Electoral Commission’s Office (in addition to permanent and daily contact through telephone, fax and radio), voter registration in most places are running well ahead of the official schedule.

Registration is being conducted smoothly and peacefully.

No major incidences or obstacles, harassments, threats or security problems have been reported so far.
Most of the difficulties reported arise as a result of poor communication and transport conditions in certain parts of the country.

The compilation of voter’s list is being done centrally, this is the first time in the history of Electoral Commission that we have centrally compilation of voters’ list and is done through a computerized data entry centre that has been set up at the Electoral Commission’s Office in Honiara.
A larger number of registration forms (Forms Bs) have already been received from Registration Officers and are now being entered into the computer.

It is envisaged that most of the registration forms will be received from most provinces over the coming two weeks.

In fact, some have already fully completed the delivery of their registration forms and lists, including the two provinces of Rennell and Bellona and Choiseul Provinces which we have completed 100% of their voters’ registration.
According to our working calendars, final lists will be ready for use in the elections by the end of next October 2001, following a period of revisions, corrections, compilation and production of voters’ lists per ward and per polling stations.

The Electoral Commission judges that voter registration will not constitute a constraint for the proper conduct of this year’s National Elections in due time.
Awareness Campaign A voter education and awareness campaign has been designed by the Electoral Commission, which has started implementation as soon as the commencement of voter registration.

Awareness campaign activities to date are focusing on the use of radio stations and the Press.

The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation is airing 84 advertisements and 5 programs per weeks, concerning voter registration.

Power FM is also broadcasting another 84 advertisements.
In addition, there are daily adverts on the Solomon Star newspaper, and one on the weekly edition of The Express.

However, I must clarify that some of the advertisements that are little bit unbalanced on radio, especially saying to the extent that “votim old memba aot and putim new wan”.

That is not from the Electoral Commission.


I must assure you that every awareness program that comes out from the Electoral Commission has been endorsed by the Commission and is far and is balance, and those other advertisements come out from their own making.

A number of printed materials also, including posters, stickers and drawings are now being prepared for use in later states of the Electoral Process.
The Electoral Commission is preparing also to issue an invitation to all active civil society organizations in the country, to participate in a joint awareness campaign, to be conducted jointly by the Electoral Commission and these so called Civil Society organizations.
The aim of such an initiative is to ensure that voter education activities reach the largest number of potential voters, especially those who are living in remote rural areas, with difficult or hardly any access to the media and other information resources.
International and Local Observers In line with its path to strengthen its complete neutrality and transparency and also as a means of confidence building for voters during the election period before election, during election and after election, the Electoral Commission has decided to invite both international and local observers to observe the 2001 National Elections.
In fact, invitation letters have been already sent out to a number of countries, as well as to some specialized international organizations, taking into account that the possible organization of such observation missions is normally a time consuming task, and need to be organized well ahead of the targeted time.

In addition, the Electoral Commission will be soon discussing with local organizations the modalities of their participation in the observation of the coming general elections.
Special guidance, manuals and other materials is being prepared for use by international and local observer missions.
Conclusion In concluding Honourable Members of Parliament, I am pleased to ascertain here that according to the tentative calendars and working plans of the Electoral Commission, this Commission will be fully prepared, from the financial and technical view point, to complete the organization of the 2001 National Elections, and the conduct of all electoral operations throughout the country in due time.
The Electoral Commission is complying with its constitutional mandate, is making all possible efforts to ensure that the elections can take place within the legally established deadlines.

In fact, and regardless any other considerations of any nature, which the Electoral Commission takes all care in not getting involved into, the Commission will be technically ready to conduct the 2001 National Elections sometime between the end of November and the beginning of the first part of December of this year.
This is obviously still well ahead the constitutional deadline of 22nd December 2001.

On behalf of the Electoral Commission, I would like to thank first of all the Government through the Prime Minister and the Minister for National Planning.

I would also like to repeat here, our sincere and deep gratitude for the invaluable support that we continue to receive from our friends and partners within the donor community.
Finally, Honourable Members of Parliament, I would like to declare before you today that any standing positions concerning the conduct or not of National Elections this year, could not, and should not under any concept, be laid on the shoulders of the Electoral Commission.

I would like all Honourable Members of this Chamber to support the Electoral Commission in this respect.
Whether there are any political arguments or circumstances of any nature, which requires possible postponement or delays of the elections, that is a different field which has nothing to do with the Electoral Commission, and is not the role nor the mandate of the Electoral Commission to deal with.

Honourable Members, this will be a short meeting, I would therefore encourage all Honourable Members to give it all your best in the way of attendance and constructive debates as you have been doing in the past.
Once again, Honourable Members, thank you and welcome to Honiara.

(applause) The House adjourned at 10.15 am.