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Leading figures ::
Sir Fr. John Ini Lapli (President), Alice Pollard Aruheeta (Vice President), Steve Abana (Party Leader), Gideon Zoloveke Jnr (Treasurer), John Keniapisia (General Secretary), Matthew Wale (founding member and former party leader), Gabriel K. Suri (founding president), Joash Maneipuri (founding treasurer) and the late John Hauirae (founding General Secretary).
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Status ::
Established in 2005 to contest the 2006 general election, the party’s stronghold is across the 13 seats of Malaita as well as 2 from Guadalcanal, 2 from Choiseul, 2 from Temotu, 2 from Western Province.
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Links ::
The Party is intending to contest at least 28 seats at the 2010 election. Party leader’s acknowledge that it will not win an outright majority and have set a target of ten seats. It is understood that the Democratic Party has a pre-election coalition understanding with three other political parties.
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Parliamentary seats ::
The party held up to 11 seats in the last parliament, including: Steve Abana (Fataleka), Matthew Wale (Aoke Langa Langa), Peter Tom (West Kwaio), Sam Iduri (West Kwara’ae), Stanley Festus Sofu (East Kwaio) and David Day Pacha (South Guadacanal).
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Policies and outlook ::
The party identifies the following as the three most urgent strategic challenges facing the nation:
(i) Leadership – the need for visionary, positive, constructive and balanced leadership committed to the public good and national interest.
(ii) Promoting indigenous rule – ensure the political process is responsive to the majority interests of the indigenous electorate and ensure their control over the destiny of the country and strengthen and empower traditional decision making process.
(iii) Social cohesion – building a united society premised on respect for the rich cultural diversity.
In pursuit of these challenges, the party believes that the following reforms are necessary:
1.Land reform
2.Village improvement programme
3.Electoral and political reform
4.Economic reform
5.Public service reform
6.Police service reform
7.Federal/State government reform.
The party’s members supported the Political Parties Integrity Bill as a means of addressing the issue of stability in politics. As Education Minister Matthew Wale was a strong advocate for fee-free education. The party has indicated its intention to push for the development of a national univeristy based on Malaita. While committing to retaining diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the party has signalled its intent to pursue economic and trade relations with mainland China.
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History ::
The Democratic Party was launched on 15th October 2005 by the then interim president, Gabriel Suri who delivered the inaugural speech at the King Solomon Hotel. At that inaugural congress, the party’s constitution was adopted, national executive elected and the 2006 Election Platform endorsed. The party’s founders were intent on contributing to the post conflict rebuilding process and in particular to challenge under the banner ‘ethical leadership’. In the words of party General Secretary, John Keniapisia:
“Leadership was more than just the usual rhetoric of politics, associated with negatives. Leadership was a higher and noble calling. It was a divine calling. It was a calling from God. Political leadership is about nation building. Political Leadership is also about God’s calling for men & women to be involved in Kingdom building, here on earth, knowing that everything we do is a calling from God. Therefore we are answerable to Him. Our focus must be on things of eternal value. In everything we do, we must intent on doing it for the glory of God”.
The party’s founding president, Gabriel Suri, is a lawyer by profession. Former Governor-General (1999-2004) and Premier of Temotu Province, Sir Fr. John Ini Lapli (who is also a priest in the Chruch of Melanesia) took over the leadership of the party. Well known Malaitan business identity, Matthew Wale, was to lead the parliamentary party wing of the party, but failed to secure a seat in the 2006 elections. He was elected on 27 March 2008 in the Aoke Langa Langa constituency by-election following the passing of the late former prime minister Bartholomew Ulufa’alu who had held the seat since 1997. Before entering parliament, Mr Wale was a participant in the peace talks following the tensions. Through that role he and his family came under pressure from factions of the Malaita Eagle Force, and concerns for his safety were documented in a report by Amnesty International in 2000.
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Contact details ::
C/- P O Box G1, Honiara
Solomon Islands
Phone: +677 24361/7496889
Email: jkeniapisia@pmc.gov.sb
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Sources
Amnesty International (2000) Solomon Islands: Fear for Safety – Matthew Wale and Julian Treadaway
‘Democratic Party Prepares for 2010 Elections’, Solomon Times, 15 July 2010
‘Democratic Party pushes for stronger ties with God’, Solomon Star, 16 July 2009
Solomon Islands National Parliament website – www.parliament.gov.sb
