Solomon Islands United Party yet to register

 

Solomon Islands United Party have, through their legal representation, issued a letter to the Prime Minister demanding that the Party be registered in accordance with the Political Parties Integrity Act 2014.

A statement from the Party said since lodging their submission for registration five months ago, UP is still awaiting registration.

Party President, Peter Kenilorea Junior said UP has been patiently waiting to be registered after lodging the application sometime ago, but time is not on their side any longer.

He said, the Party Executive have asked its lawyers to demand its registration, including possible action through the courts.

Mr Kenilorea adds, they have met the requirements of the Political Parties Integrity Act with their already filed documents which are all in order.

The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties has, last September, published UP’s notice announcing the Party’s submission to be registered with no objections received from the public.

Mr Kenilorea said they are aware that a number of formal processes have already been undertaken and are reliably informed that commissioners to the political party commission have already been appointed in accordance with the Political Parties Integrity Act after these offices had been vacant 11 months.

While he acknowledged this, the UP President said the bottom line is that the party has not been registered.

Meanwhile, the statement said the Political Parties Integrity Act is clear in stating that only registered parties can field candidates in National General Elections.

The UP President said his party looks forward to contesting next year’s National General Elections, promising a meaningful contribution to the development of the country and the nation’s well-being in the platforms and policies being developed.

Mr. Kenilorea said UP hopes the long delay is due to administrative inefficiencies and not some sort of political ploy by those with an agenda to deliberately thwart their registration.

Despite the delay Mr. Kenilorea remains hopeful, UP will soon be registered.

Last month, in their pursuit to be registered, the Party legal representatives discovered the mistake made by parliament when they inadvertently abolished the Political Parties Commission in a previous meeting.

Parliament has since addressed its mistake, but the push to register UP continues.

UP Executive have also lamented that in a democratic country like Solomon Islands, such issues of Party Registration, done according to prescribed statutory processes, should not be an issue for any political party looking to contribute to the national political dialogue.