“It is unconstitutional, dissolve Parliament”

President of the People’s Progressive Party Charles Dausabea has criticized the Electoral Commission’s decision against conducting a by-election for the Temotu-VATUD Constituency.

This comes after the former Constituency’s MP, Ms Freda Tuki was unseated in one of the successful 2014 petition cases.

Mr Dausabea said the electoral commission has issued a statement saying there will be no by-election to replace Ms Tuki.

But the former MP said the decision is unconstitutional.

Dausabea explained, according to the constitution there must always be fifty members of parliament before the government is eligible to function.

He further explained, in 1993 they came across a similar incident and it backed fired.

Mr Dausabea questioned the power of the electoral commission to act against the constitution.

“The Constitution says there must always be fifty members of Parliament for it to function, not 49, not 48 and not 47. I want the Commissioner to take this seriously and dissolve parliament straightaway because it cannot function now.

“And i don’t know why the electoral commission went against what the constitution said that fifty members of parliament must always be in Parliament at all times.”

Mr Dausabea called on the Governor General to exercise his ‘reserve powers’ and dissolve the government.

“If they cannot put in that fifty now, then i ask that they do not deprive the people of Solomon Islands of their political rights. The only right, honest and humble thing to do is to for the Governor general to step in now and dissolve the parliament. To take us to the last two months will not be fair on the people of Solomon Islands.

“I want the GG to step in and do the right thing. Or we might look at challenging the decision.”

By: Allen Waitara