Former Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea to lead Observers for Solomon Islands General Election
27 March 2006
Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon today announced that he will be sending a Commonwealth Observer Group to the Solomon Islands to observe the country's General Election scheduled for 5 April 2006.
The Observer Group will consist of the following seven eminent Commonwealth citizens:Sir Arnold Amet (Chair) Former Chief Justice Papua New Guinea | Ms Cema Bolabola Executive Director, of Non-Governmental Organisations |
Mr Joseph Borg Vice-President National Affairs Local Councils Association Malta | Mr Kwame Damoah-Agyemang Former senior election official Ghana |
Ms Elaine Howard Chair of the Commonwealth Pacific Youth Caucus and Director of the Tonga National Youth Congress Tonga | Mr Oseah Philemon Editor-in-Chief, Post Courier Papua New Guinea |
Lord Peter Truscott Member, House of Lords United Kingdom |
An advance group, consisting of Mr Mose Saitala (former Legislative/Governance Adviser in the Pacific Islands Forum) and Mr Kosi Latu (Adviser, Special Advisory Services Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat), has been present in the Solomon Islands since 16 March 2006.
The full Observer Group will start work on Thursday 30 March 2006 and will be supported by a team of officials from the Commonwealth Secretariat, led by Ms Juliet Solomon, Special Adviser in the Political Affairs Division.
The Observers have been invited in their individual capacities and the views they express regarding the elections will be their own and not those either of their representative Governments or of the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Note to Editors:
The Commonwealth Secretary-General sent a Commonwealth Secretariat Assessment Mission in February 2006. This established that there would be broad support from the political parties and civil society for the presence of Commonwealth Observers.
The Terms of Reference for the Observer Group are as follows:
"The Group is established by the Commonwealth Secretary-General at the request of the Government of the Solomon Islands. It is to observe relevant aspects of the organisation and conduct of the elections scheduled to take place on 5 April 2006, in accordance with the laws of the Solomon Islands. It is to consider the various factors impinging on the credibility of the electoral process as a whole and to determine in its own judgement whether the conditions exist for a free expression of will by the electors and if the results of the elections reflect the wishes of the people.
"The Group is to act impartially and independently. It has no executive role; its function is not to supervise but to observe the process as a whole and to form a judgement accordingly. It would also be free to propose to the authorities concerned such action on institutional, procedural and other matters as would assist the holding of such elections.
"The Group is to submit its report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will forward it to the Government of the Solomon Islands, the Electoral Commission, the leadership of the political parties taking part in the elections and thereafter to all Commonwealth Governments."
With financial support from Australia and New Zealand, the Commonwealth Secretariat has also provided an expert to assist civil society in organising domestic election observers for these elections.
For media information, please contact Albert Mariner, Commonwealth Observer Group, Tel: +677 20071 (ext. 404); Mobile: +677 97921.
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