No Merit to Terminate Sogavare-led Government: Dep. Premier for Western Province

The Deputy Premier for Western Province, Hon. Oliver Zapo, said he sees no merit in terminating the Sogavare-led Government from office.

He said the Grand Coalition for Change Government (GCCG) must be allowed to take this country to achieve its Federal Constitution.

In a press statement, Mr. Zapo said a change of government will pose uncertainties to the agenda of the federal system of government for Solomon Islands, and to the autonomous state government for the Western Province.

He stated that Western Province had expended about $8 million on their endeavor to achieve a higher form of autonomous state government for the people in Western Province since year 2000.

"Therefore, the cost the Province has expended to the tasks involved, and the very clear encouragement that the Sogavare Government is currently providing for this crucial Federal Constitution reform and the Eminent Persons (Elders) group only serve to confirm the position taken by the current government," Mr. Zapo added.

He stated that people of Western Province had been very clear to the taskforce committees and the constitution committees that had visited their villages and communities, the "great wish" for the adoption of state government.

Mr. Zapo said that visiting committees to the villages and communities had been given the 'blunt message' to "never come back again to us except when you are to deliver the state government".

He said that other provinces in the country are advocating the same thing, although it's 'wrapped' as the 'Bona Fide Demands', whilst some voice out 'Revenue Sharing', and others refer to it as 'State Power'.

"All these are part and parcel of what comes to federal reform, which is what the current government is seriously facilitating," Mr. Zapo added.

He said that as a politician, "we are directly responsible for this reform for the Western Province."

Mr. Zapo said Western Province is comforted to learn that this current Government take this federal reform as their number one priority, and their flag carrier agenda for Solomon Islands.

He said the Government should maintain their majority in order for the agenda, "so dear to the Western people", to be completed and properly achieved.

Mr. Zapo pledged full support of the Western Provincial Government for the current Government "because it pledges to implement the policy, which would benefit the Provincial Government and the indigenous people in Western Province".