When I was at High School some 10 years ago, a senior Solomon Islands academic described Solomon Islands politics as a 'twisting tale'. Today, such a description is still true. Others described the situation as a characteristic of Melanesia politics because since independence of most Melanesian nations this has undergo such political twists. Far more, others see such a political impasse as a manifestation of corruption. This is because when there is such a political twist, huge amount of money is involved to lure Members of Parliament to either join the Government or the Opposition Group.

Personally, all the above reflects the notion of politics at the national level. The political crisis that has been going on is what politics is all about. Politics is about "power struggling".

But power mishandled can harm. Power mishandled can lead to chaos. Too much political 'power play' will leave the country to shift away from the more pertinent issues of governance. For instance, it is 'power politics' that will be the motive of Sogavare if he wants to continue to drag the time in which Parliament should meet in order finalise the budget for next year (2008). On that note power play is dangerous. Similarly, in that vein as the situation stands, power play has put our sovereign nation at risk.

However, reading through the speech of the Leader of Opposition on the motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister on the 11 October 2006, some important lessons need to be reinstated and revisited. First, the Leader of Opposition has mentioned during the first motion of no confidence that "[w]e must not fear to remove someone from any position of power if he abuses that power." Further, the Opposition Leader confidently stated that "no one, and the Prime Minister is no exception, should use this country, its institutions, its people as folder for the power-play he wants to indulge in." Furthermore, as rightly depicted by the Opposition Leader during the first motion of no confidence moved by him last year that, it is fundamental to be mindful of the fact that "no one has the right to destroy Solomon Islands for the mere sake of gaining power." In context, these are important underlying principles that are crucial for our Members of Parliament to understand at this time when power play might have some severe socio-economic consequences for our country. These are important standpoints to take note of because we do not want the events of Black Tuesday to resurrect.

With these few words, I hope the Members of Parliament will follow the constitutionally mandated procedures which reflect a parliamentary democracy at work. Similarly, I believe that the peace-loving people of Solomon Islands particularly those in Honiara not to take side. Citizens should leave the matter to the Parliamentarians to solve the political impasse the way the Constitution of Solomon Islands - the Supreme Law of the Land, says so.