The Western Province (WP) through the Provincial Assembly is now working on a ‘State Government Office’ as part of its plan to transition into a state government by 2027.
This significant move was announced by Premier Billy Veo and majority of the Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) during the Assembly Meeting held at the Imagination Island near Gizo on Friday 24th.
This followed a motion tabled in the Western Provincial Assembly to support the adoption of the 2017 Federal Draft Constitution and the immediate establishment of a Transitional Management Unit (TMU) to chart the province’s pathway towards greater autonomy.
The motion, presented in the Assembly last week, seeks to mandate the TMU with a clear Term of Reference (TOR) to develop a policy paper outlining strategies for further consultations on autonomy over the next 12 months.
Now it depends on the power of the Premier and his Executive to further work and push other tasks that needs to be done.
“Our goal is to ensure that by 2027 of 10th October, Western Province and its people will become a state—a goal that is non-negotiable,” said Premier Veo.
He urged the people of Western Province and other stakeholders not to misunderstand the concepts of statehood and national unity.
“This is not about division or differences,” he clarified. “It is about better managing our resources to meet the needs of our growing population.
The pursuit of statehood is a key policy of Premier Veo’s administration and other previous government in the past.
“In this context, we strongly support the Guadalcanal Province which also advocates for other provinces in the Solomon Islands to become states by 2027,” he stated.
He also emphasized that the implementation of the Constitution (Amendment) (Constituent) Act 2023 is aligned with the National Unity Transformation Government’s policy.
He reiterated Guadalcanal Province’s commitment to the Gizo Communiqué, which was endorsed by all provincial premiers in the Solomon Islands.
The communiqué, which calls for all provinces to attain statehood by 2027, is a firm and collective decision among the premiers.
The motion to adopt the 2017 Federal Draft Constitution and immediately establish a Transitional Management Unit (TMU) follows Parliament’s passage of the Constitution (Amendment) (Constituent Assembly) Act 2023, which initiated the process of ratifying the draft constitution.
However, a more recent attempt to amend the Constitution to extend the Constituent Assembly’s timeline from December 2024 to December 2026 was rejected in Parliament, with three Western MPs voting against it.
MPA for Ward 16, Jeffery Wickham, questioned the necessity of requiring approval from the Constituent Assembly—including MPs, all nine Premiers, and up to 80-100 members to formally adopt the new constitution when it has already been passed by Cabinet.
He argued that once Cabinet has approved it, there should be no need for further voting in Parliament.
“The final step should be to adopt the constitution immediately. There is no need for additional proceedings,” he stated.
Wickham also highlighted concerns over the term “Rejected” in the Federal Constitution, warning that if a majority in Parliament fails to approve the adoption, it could cause significant delays.
He noted that such setbacks would hinder provinces like Western and Guadalcanal from achieving statehood, which they have long aspired to.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
