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Leading figures ::
Francis Billy Hilly, Martin Magga, Nollen Cornelius Leni
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Status ::
A well established party (founded 1997) built firmly around its founder and leader Francis Billy Hilly. Like many political parties in the Solomon Islands, membership is fluid and tends to reflect members changing their party affiliation following an election rather than voters’ choice.
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Links ::
The party’s stronghold is Rannonga and Simbo Island, Western Province.
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Parliamentary seats ::
Three MPs were aligned to the Nasonal Pati in the last parliament: Francis Billy Hilly (Ranogga/Simbo constituency), Martin Magga (Temotu Pele constituency) and Nollen Cornelius Leni (East Central Guadalcanal constituency).
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Policies and outlook ::
The party’s policy platform is extensive and includes the following key commitments if it leads government after the 2010 election:
- Cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favour of mainland China.
- Introduce legislation to regulate political parties.
- Call a national referendum to determine public support for a federal constitution or a state government system.
- Include chiefs and other traditional leaders in the hierarchy of the judiciary.
- Upgrade conditions of service of police and prison officers.
- Review the number of existing overseas missions and consular offices.
- Provide full compensation for lost, damaged or stolen properties and business losses incurred during the tension.
- Create a venture fund.
- Re-introduce an agricultural extension service.
- Actively pursue land reform.
- Develop fish farms in every part of the country where it is viable.
- Establish free trade zones.
- Re-introduce and strengthen the policy on reserved business areas for Solomon Islanders.
- Establish an industrialisation and modernisation fund.
- Build new transportation and telecommunications infrastructures in and around “economic growth centres” in the country.
- Drastically review the Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF) with a view to ensure real development does take place in the constituencies and it is properly accounted for.
- Adopt a revenue-sharing formula of 60/40 in favour of provincial affairs with the lesser amount for central government programmes.
- Research into and, where appropriate, recognize the use of herbal and/ or traditional medicines.
- Increase budgetary allocation for the health sector.
- Speed up the establishment a University of South Pacific campus in Solomon Islands.
- Upgrade centres for the handicapped, disabled and the retarded.
- Pursue the establishment of an old age support scheme for the most deserving and needy.
- Conduct a national competition to come up with verses (poems) of national affirmation.
- Introduce legislation for the protection of women and children against sexual harassment and /or gender-based violence.
- Establish a national youth corp.
- Continue support for RAMSI.
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History ::
The Nasonal Pati (National Party) was founded in 1997 by long serving parliamentarian and former prime minister Francis Billy Hilly. He was first elected to parliament in 1976 representing the Ranogga/Simbo constituency, a seat he held until 1984. On entering the Legislative Assembly, Prime Minister Peter Kenilorea appointed Hilly as Minister for Home Affairs. He resigned in 1978 in a display of support for the ‘Western Breakaway Movement’, which was pushing for independence for the Western District due to perceptions of limited government support for this part of the country. Hilly left the national parliament in 1984, and was elected President of the Western Provincial Assembly, before returning to the national stage in 1993 when he was re-elected to the Ranogga/Simbo constituency. Following the election, which he contested as an independent, he won the parliamentary vote becoming the country’s fourth prime minister (June 1993 to November 1994).
As Prime Minister, Hilly led what was known as the National Coalition Partnership (NCP) government. The coalition was considered fragile and in October 1994 split when six members (including 5 ministers) resigned to join the opposition. A constitutional crisis ensued after the Prime Minister failed to convene parliament for fear of losing a motion of no confidence following the defection. The Governor-General, Moses Pitakaka, stepped in and sacked Hilly on the grounds that he no longer commanded the majority to rule. In the end Hilly was defeated in a motion of no confidence and was succeeded by Solomon Mamaloni as Prime Minister.
After his ousting as Prime Minister, Hilly assumed the leadership of the opposition, a position he held from 1994 to 1995, and again from July 2004 to April 2006. Hilly served as Minister of Commerce, Industry and Employment in the Coalition for National Unity and Rural Advancement (CNURA) government led by Prime Minister Derek Sikua. He also held this portfolio briefly in the previous Grand Coalition for Change government before being sacked by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, after it was revealed Hilly’s Nasonal Pati had signed a memorandum of understanding with China to change diplomatic ties from Taiwan. Hilly’s support for a One-China policy led the other six party MPs (the late Joses Sanga, John Patteson Oti, Isaac Inoke Tosika, Nollen Leni, Reverend Leslie Boseto and Martin Magga) to resign from the Nasonal Party in August 2006. During the 2010 election campaign, Hilly repeated his policy switch pledge to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favour of China if the Nasonal Pati leads the next government. The Nasonal Pati held two other portfolios in the CNURA government – Lands, Housing and Survey (Martin Magga) and Fisheries and Marine Resources (Nollen Cornelius Leni).
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Contact details ::
PO Box 320, Honiara, Solomon Islands
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Sources
Greenwell, H. (2010) Profile – Francis Billy Hilly – http://harrygreenwell.wordpress.com
Nasonal Pati Manifesto
‘National Party will cut ties with Taiwan’, Solomon Star, 26 June 2010
Solomon Islands National Parliament website
Steeves, Jeffrey S. 1996. ‘Unbounded Politics in the Solomon Islands: Leadership and Party Alignments.’ Pacific Studies, Vol. 19, No. 1
