Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare initiated a process of studying the potential options for a better electoral system in early 2015. The cabinet is currently deciding which options to bring forward at the planned public consultations over the next few months. The goal to have a new system in place for the 2018 elections.
International IDEA was invited to facilitate a discussion that would assist the Electoral Reform Task Force in developing recommendations to the cabinet. The Discussion took place at the capital city, Honiara, on 25-26 February. The task force members, led by the Chief Electoral Officer of the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission, Alphonsus Pero, reviewed advantages and disadvantages of different systems as well as the purposes of a particular system and their administrative consequences, if implemented.
The Best Electoral System Test (BEST), was used to expose the participants to 16 generic criteria often used by electoral system designers in shortlisting options. Task force members expressed opinions while seeking consensus on the questions posed by BEST. Answers to the questions would lead to a few electoral systems that fit closest to the desires of the task force.
Solomon Islands’ journey towards a new system is still long, but it is expected that the new system is tried and tested before the next general elections scheduled for 2018. Speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister, who was on an overseas visit, Deputy Prime Minister, Manasseh Maelanga, said he looked forward to the recommendations submitted by the task force.
International IDEA stands ready to continue assisting the facilitation of discussions to ensure informed decisions are made in choosing a new electoral system.
