DEAR EDITOR – Please allow me space in your leading and respected newspaper to put to perspective and clarify several points for the benefit of the leadership of this country, our people at large and our people abroad.
The negative views raised by the writer Johny Babasia in your issue No. 4150 Wednesday 27th Januay 2010 was very interesting and totally out of perspective to say the least.
I myself and most of our people in Rennell and Bellona and perhaps the whole country are caught as well with a great surprise about your negative views on this particular issue.
It was 2 or 3 months ago I led my people on a worthy struggle on an open, transparent, honest and proper legal dialogue with relevant authorities to raise our case.
I can vividly remember that the process of this undertaking was well covered by the media.
It was broadcasted over SIBC and printed again and again in the Star. We presented our case and thousands of people heard and read about our genuine concern and greatest need.
At that time several writers came forward and supported our need for an additional constiuency. So I am greatly astonished as to where were you Babasia at that time?
You are the first one to raise these nonsense and negative views but sorry you are too late.
Your views are based on money, personal antagonistic attack on petty issues and total ignorance of the importance of the democratic principles, justice, tolerance, national unity and all the good things that holds his country together.
It is very interesting that the writer argued on the criteria of our population and pointed out that our voters list stands at 5,000 which may be correct.
There is bound to be a proper update by the upcoming general election registration program, so can you also supply to us as to how many of the Renbal residents under 18 years old down to our children?
I am leaving this homework to you but you know you might end up with a record of more than 10,000 which is justifiable.
Your description to say that I am greedy is sad because I was acting as a matter of responsibility and of course my leadership instinct compels me to lead my people on this historic, noble formidable task to make sure justice is done on what our people really want and the importance of our legitimate right as a province.
In addition, our development plan and future destiny is extremely important in this regard.
You must understand that theprovincial grants of our nine provinces are equally shared on a formula based on the sizes of our provinces so ours is small and just enough for at least our services delivery. You have wrongly thought such grants are supposed to be used for roads and other infrastructure projects.
Anyway our request for an additional constituency was not based on the things you have raised.
In short, our case was raised on the following facts:
i. Rennell and Bellona province in its political status is very important. This is the only province in the country with only one voice in parliament which is the highest decision making body in the country.
ii. The considerationof our case based on the criteria of geographical location, communication and ethnicity is legal and justifiable as it is stipulated in the Act that governs the work of the Constituency Boundaries Commission.
iii. The political order and arrangement to have the two islands of Rennell and Bellona as a province and at the same time a constituency is vulnerable to political instability and confusion over government work and its leadership. This was and is our experience.
iv. The issue of an additional constituency is important to our people because this is still a very remote and difficult place to develop. As a matter of fact as I am writing now hundreds of students are still stranded on Rennell Island waiting for a ship to come over to Honiara to attend various schools. They are already late for their registration. This is a classic example.
Our official submission to the Constituency Boundary Commission is seven points submission plus many other reasons known to us alone. It is advisable that the writer must go and read all that for proper understanding.
It is your constitutional right and privilege to openly express your views on the issues like this but let me remind you that you cannot use your personal right to take away the right of the thousands of Rennell and Bellona people under my leadership on what is best for our desired present and future destiny.
I am not really sure if you are someone outside of the Rennell and Bellona community but if you are a ghost writer from the Renbel then I strongly think that Rennell and Bellona will be far much better off without you.
You have nothing to stand for and fight for. May I leave you here with some challenges and food for thought, for you to read and digest to defuse your own personal evil motives, hatred and misunderstanding.
Where were you when we worked on this issue? What will you do to your very own people when they are faced with important questions under your leadership?
If you are a Premier or Prime Minister for that matter, what have you done to your own people in rallying them for a just cause as we did?
Who really are you and what is your contribution to your province and country?
It is absolutely clear that you have no proper judgment, respect, and insensitive to the needs of the minority indigenous leading people of this country.
Finally may I continue to thank all the support and respect shown by the leadership of our country to my people and people of Rennell and Bellona like many of our good and loving people in this great nation of ours will continue to stand and work hard for the advancement and development of a peaceful and prosperous Solomon Islands.
I am looking forward in great anticipation for the final decision of the National Parliament on this Bill in March and of course our upcoming National General Election.
Timothy Johnston
Premier
Rennel & Bellona Province
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