1973 Solomon Islands general election

September 2014 August 2020 General elections were held in the Solomon Islands between 22 May and 12 June 1973.Sun eclipsed by a new star in Solomons' election carve-up Pacific Islands Monthly, July 1973, pp3–4 The following year, Solomon Mamaloni of the People's Progressive Party became the first Chief Minister. Electoral system The Governing Council was enlarged from 26 to 33 seats prior to the election. Of the 33 members, 24 were elected in single-member constituencies (increased from seventeen) and nine were appointed, including three ex officio members. The member representing Eastern Outer Island was elected directly for the first time, having previously been elected by an electoral college, although suffrage on the islands was limited to men by local chiefs.Giving them all a say in the government of the Solomons Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1973, p23 Campaign A total of 118 candidates contested the 24 elected seats. Campaigning in Honiara was reported to be unusually bitter, with posters being torn down and several complaints made to the police.Playing rough in the Solomons Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1973, p11 Only one political party, the Solomons United National Party of David Kausimae, contested the elections. Results Only six of the MPs elected in 1970 were re-elected,Decolonising the Solomon Islands: British theory and Melanesian practice Alfred Deakin Research Institute and only one member of the Solomons United National Party. Voter turnout ranged from 42% in Honiara to 82%. ConstituencyCandidateVotes%NotesꞌAreꞌareDavid Kausimae1,22363.14Re-electedPeter Kenilorea71436.86Total1,937100Central GuadalcanalDavid Thuguvoda61841.28ElectedAlfred Maeke50733.87UnseatedMoses Albert Rere19112.76Allan Billy Masedi18112.09Total1,497100Central MalaitaCollin Gauwane56737.80ElectedGeorge Maelalo24316.20Lionel Oloni20113.40Vincent Talauburi19012.67Jazial Fono1338.87Frank Lulu Bare895.93Timeous Teioli654.33Nelson Kifo120.80Total1,500100ChoiseulGideon Zoleveke69042.94ElectedFranklin Pitakaka31819.79Allan Qurusu26316.37Binet Gadebeta19211.95Benjamin Robinson815.04Peter Qorovuku633.92Total1,607100East GuadalcanalWaeta Ben61839.31ElectedDavid Valusa21613.74Joel Kikolo17110.88James Bosa1489.41Sukuatu Malakia1137.19Donasiano Pororasu835.28Salathiel Lence Roger835.28Total1,572100East Isabel/SavoFrancis Reginald Kikolo62833.65ElectedDaniel Denys Maile52628.19Wilson Sungi39421.11Alfred Charles Bugoro31817.04Total1,866100East MakiraBenedict Kinika1,03461.84ElectedGeoffrey Kuper63838.16Total1,672100East MalaitaLeslie Fugui44127.19ElectedFaneta Sira33820.84Billy Fa'arobo20512.64John Maetia Kaliuae18811.59Baddeley Koutu1116.84Ben Gale975.98Andrew Gwai885.43Pita Saefafia Kirimaoma875.36Jack Inifiri674.13Total1,622100Eastern Outer IslandsMoffat Bonunga1,00150.56ElectedJohn Melanoli50325.40Shadrach Sade19910.05John Palusi1768.89David Dawea Taukalo1015.10UnseatedTotal1,980100Gizo/Ranongga/Simbo/KolombangaraGeorge Ngumi87662.30ElectedAnthony Ramoi27619.63Bruce Ragoso14810.53Aquila Talasasa553.91Alfred Bisili513.63Total1,406100HoniaraAshley Wickham99154.39ElectedPeter J. Salaka48126.40UnseatedColin Bentley19610.76Stephen Anilafa Sipolo683.73Moses Puibangara Pitakaka502.74Paul Belande361.98Total1,822100KwaioJonathan Fiifii'i47736.78Re-electedFrank Tafea'a33025.44Paul Andrew Foasi23818.35John Maesafi20015.42John Fisango524.01Total1,297100Lau/MbaeleleaPhilip Solodia56644.67ElectedMariano Kelesi47337.33UnseatedNathan Wate19315.23David Mark Tefetea352.76Total1,267100Marovo/KusagheSamuel Kuku57750.09Re-electedPulepada Ghemu57549.91Total1,152100NggelaMoses Mahomed Razak53728.17ElectedAbraham Siau48725.55Richard Harper41921.98Cecil Wilson Maneau1658.66Frank Bollan Vikino1397.29Ben Tumulima1045.46Jeremiah Legaile Tovono552.89Michael Aike542.83Calisto Houma462.41Gabriel Narasia402.10Total1,906100North West MalaitaJeriel Ofea Ausuta38934.92ElectedClement Kiriau Ofai16915.17UnseatedAbel Limari'i15914.27Bartholomew Leni Olea15714.09Lemuel Liolea1089.69Augustine Maelfodola1019.07Jeriel Lifuasi312.78Total1,114100Roviana/RendovaJohn Page71457.53ElectedDavid E Kera22818.37Joseph Nona16213.05Alphonse Daga13711.04Total1,241100Shortlands/Vella LavellaAndrew Kukuti52841.41ElectedGordon Siama45235.45Dominic Outana29523.14Total1,275100Small MalaitaEmilio Li'I Ouou60842.40ElectedAnthony Saru34023.71UnseatedGeorge Garnet26918.76Richard Watekari21715.13Total1,434100South Guadalcanal/Rennell and BellonaStephen Cheka44022.73ElectedJohn Tepaika38719.99George Pugeva34717.92UnseatedGeorge Wilson Mangale33517.30Paul John23712.24Saddia Chachia834.29Pende Cheryn763.93Jokim Gapu311.60Total1,936100West Guadalcanal and RussellsMatthew Belamataga74534.85ElectedOrlie Torling43120.16K Kesty Ta'afia35116.42Bartholomew Buchanan26012.16John Baptist Tura21410.01Imogen Vida Phillips1376.41Total2,138100West IsabelWillie Betu1,05965.21Re-electedEric Anderson56534.79Total1,624100West Kwara'aePeter Kerr Thompson1,16972.74Re-electedAlan Taki28817.92Leonard Maenu'u1509.33Total1,607100West MakiraSolomon Mamaloni1,27274.00Re-electedNathaniel Rahumae Waena44726.00Total1,719100Source: Wood Terence 1 May 2014 Solomon Islands Election Results 1967-2013 https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2488857 Social Science Research NetworkElection Passport Aftermath Following the elections, a new political party – the United Solomon Islands Party (USIP) – was formed by fourteen of the winning candidates. Benedit Kinika was elected chair of the new party, with Gideon Zoloveke as his deputy.Flexible idealists in the Solomons Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1973, p8 The Solomons United National Party became defunct. In January 1974 another new party, the People's Progressive Party (PPP) was formed. Having become defunct late in 1973, USIP was also revived. Later in the 1974 constitutional amendments converted the Governing Council into a Legislative Assembly and introduced the position of Chief Minister, elected by the Assembly. Both USIP and the PPP attempted to win the support of the Independent Group led by Willie Betu before the vote on 27 August. Six rounds were required before a winner emerged. Solodia Funifaka dropped out after the fourth round, with the fifth round resulting in a tie between Kinika and Solomon Mamaloni. In the sixth round, Mamaloni won by 14 votes to 10 for Kinika.Triumph for the Solomons' Solomon Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1974, p5 A government was subsequently formed by the PPP independent MPs.Roland Rich, Luke Hambly & Michael G Morgan (2008) Political Parties in the Pacific Islands, ANU E Press, p106 Mamaloni appointed five ministers to his cabinet, keeping the Home Affairs portfolio for himself.Legislative Assembly Solomon Islands Historical Encyclopaedia 1893-1978 David Kausimae became Minister of Agriculture and the Rural Economy, Willie Betu was Minister for Education and Cultural Affairs, Stephen Cheka was Minister of Health and Welfare, Peter Kerr Thompson was Minister of Trade, Industry and Labour and Gideon Zoloveke was Minister of Works and Public Utilities. Zoloveke was moved to the Ministry of Home Affairs in late 1974 and replaced as Minister of Works and Public Utilities by Solodia Funifaka.Mamaloni's motto: If you can't beat 'em, recruit 'em Pacific Islands Monthly, December 1974, p11 A cabinet reshuffle took place in 1975, with Peter Kerr Thompson sacked from the cabinet. Willie Betu took over as Minister of Trade, Industry and Labour, with Stephen Cheka taking over from Betu as Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs.Ministers! Mamaloni's headache Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1975, p6 Mamaloni resigned as Chief Minister on 18 November 1975 over deal with an American firm to mint coins celebrating self-government. However, on 1 December he was re-elected as Chief Minister by the Legislative Assembly, defeating Allan Taki by 18 votes to 4.The story of Solomon, his coins and his return to the top Pacific Islands Monthly January 1976, p6 He appointed a new cabinet with Jeriel Ausuta as Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Benedict Kinika as Minister of Education, Willie Betu as Minister of Finance, Pulepada Ghemu as Minister of Foreign Trade, Industry and Labour, Francis Kikolo as Minister of Health and Welfare, Jonathan Fiifii'i as Minister of Home Affairs, David Thuguvoda as Minister of Natural Resources and Ashley Wickham as Minister of Works and Public Utilities. Five of the nine ministers were members of USIP, two were from the PPP and one was an independent. References Category:1973 in the Solomon Islands Category:Elections in the Solomon Islands Solomon Category:Governing Council of the Solomon Islands Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results