Solomon Islands Opposition wants legislation to stop party switching

The Solomon Islands opposition leader, Hon Fred Fono says legislation to stop parties switching allegiance during a parliamentary term would bring stability to the country’s political system.

Fred Fono made this call after the opposition last week unsuccessfully tried to bring a vote of no confidence in the government.

While the vote was disqualified and did not go ahead, Mr Fono says opposition members still came under huge pressure from cabinet ministers not to support the vote against the government.

He says the intimidation included death threats directed against himself and three other MPs.

Mr Fono says this would not happen if people remained within their parties for the duration of the parliamentary term.

“That is a piece of legislation that both the government and the opposition would support. Similar to the Integrity bill in Papua New Guinea where members of parliament, once elected, they remain with the party that they won their seats with, unless they have a new mandate from their people.”

Source: RNZI