Solomon Islands Governor-General, Sir Nathaniel Waena, has appointed a date for the National Parliament Bye-Elections in the Lau/Mbaelelea and East Honiara Electoral Constituencies.
Governor General, Sir Nathaniel yesterday, made the declaration of the date September 23rd, as that for the bye-elections, for the two constituencies.This means that the nomination of candidates for the two constituencies will open today, August the 12th.
The nomination of candidates will then close on the 26th of this month, while the last day of withdrawal of candidature will be on the 29th of this month.
One bye-election will be held in the Lau-Mbaelelea Constituency, in Malaita Province, while the other will be held in the East Honiara Electoral Constituency.
The Lau-Mbaelelea seat was vacant following the death of the late Samuel Bentley Ragosomani, last year. Following the automatic disqualification of the current East Honiara Parliament member, Charles Dausabea, the East Honiara seat is also vacant.
The court had sentenced Dausabea to prison on charges of conversion of funds in 2001.
The Electoral Office stated that, anyone wishing to contest the Lau-Mbaelelea Constituency and the East Honiara Constituency bye-elections can start campaigning once their respective Returning Officers have accepted their nominations.
"The Returning Officer for the Lau-Mbaelelea's Electoral Constituency is Donald Anga Talofunu and the East Honiara Electoral Constituency's Returning Officer is Cornelius Tariga," says John Babalu of the Electoral Office.
Election fee for an intending candidate stands at two-thousand dollars and according to the Solomon Island law, each candidate can spend up to 50-thousand dollars in campaign costs.