Malaita Province to elect a new Premier today

Malaita, the most populated island in Solomon Islands will elect its new Premier today.

Source from the Malaita Provincial headquarters revealed to the Government Communications Unit yesterday that two candidates would contest the highest political post in the province.

Candidate for the Malaita northern region is Ben Foukona, a onetime member of the National Parliament.

A second candidate who defeated the current caretaker premier Reuben Moli is another contender. He is Richard Irosaea Na’amo, provincial member for Ward 1 in the central region. Result of the election would be announced publicly in front of the Auki Primary School near the provincial headquarters before midday today.

Meanwhile, member of Parliament for Central Kwara'ae on Malaita, Fred Fono has encouraged the provincial assembly members to choose a Premier that would lead the province. He says the new Malaita government to be led by the new Premier elected today faces taunting challenges. One of them is the possibility of the new Premier leading the province in a state government system, if the bill is passed into law by Parliament.

Mr Fono also expresses caution over a certain candidate for Premiership post being used by the Malaita Maasina Forum to pursue their agenda. He says one of the agenda of the Forum which would be detrimental to the development of Malaita is its anti-RAMSI and anti-Australia stand. Fono says pursuance of such extreme and negative views would be bad for Malaita.

Nomination for the premiership post opened early this week and the election is expected to be held this morning.

Source: MyBlog