George Herming Gauakolo (commonly George Herming) is a government spokesman of the Solomon Islands who has taken up the positions of Communications Director for the Solomon Islands Government (sometimes described as Director of Government Communication Unit) and Director of Communications for the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Herming has also been President of the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI). [1] [2] [3]
In 2005, Herming, then affiliated with the Solomon Star newspaper, became the fifth ever Solomon Islander alumni of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. His enrollment in the "Diploma Course in development journalism for non aligned and developing countries" lasted from January 2005 to April 2005. [4]
In November 2009, following an opinion letter against a member of the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) in a local newspaper, Herming critiqued the SIFF after the latter denied the newspaper's journalists to cover an Oceania League football match. [5]
In November 2012, Herming claimed that journalistic coverage of the Parliament of Solomon Islands was difficult due to the lack of access to information and that accessing the views of Members of Parliament is hindered by their fear of the media. [6]
Whereas the date for the general elections should normally be announced officially by the Governor General, to satisfy the electoral regulation that the elections must be held 42 days after that declaration day, Prime Minister Derek Sikua in mid-June 2010 publicly announced a date for the 2010 general elections much earlier than 42 days beforehand. After Sikua's announcement was mediatized, he quickly issued a statement in which he blamed Herming, then employed by the Government of the Solomon Islands.
While a local newspaper insinuated the error was likely a slip of the tongue, questioning if Herming was being used as a scapegoat, Sikua claimed that it was Herming who had wrongly advised him that it was alright to announce the date. After Sikua's blaming of Herming, an anonymous source communicated to the newspaper that Herming was not allowed to comment anything on the matter publicly, but that he would not be sacked to avoid him suing the government. [7]
In June 2010, while Herming was director of the GCU, a new monthly news magazine entitled The Nation was launched to cover the government's activities. Upon the announcement of the magazine Herming claimed that, generally speaking, over the last 10 years, the people of Solomon Islands had not been informed about their government. [8]
In late March 2014, Herming, then working for the Government Communication Unit (GCU), chaired a panel discussion on women participation in business in Sydney. [9]
Solomon Islands is a sovereign country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu. It has a land area of 28,400 square kilometres (11,000 sq mi), and a population of 652,858. Its capital, Honiara, is located on the largest island, Guadalcanal. The country takes its name from the Solomon Islands archipelago, which is a collection of Melanesian islands that also includes the North Solomon Islands, but excludes outlying islands, such as the Santa Cruz Islands and Rennell and Bellona.
Allan Kemakeza was the seventh Prime Minister of Solomon Islands from 2001 to 2006. He represented Savo/Russel Constituency in the National Parliament of Solomon Islands from 1989 to 2010 and was most recently Minister of Forestry December 2007 to August 2010. He served as Speaker of the National Parliament, from September 2010 to 2014.
Laurie Hok Si Chan is a politician and diplomat from the Solomon Islands. He served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2002 to 2006 and served in the National Parliament as MP for West Guadalcanal Constituency from 2001 to 2010. In May 2009, he was named Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs in Prime Minister Derek Sikua's government, and was fired from this same position in April 2010.
The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), also known as Operation Helpem Fren, Operation Anode and Operation Rata, was created in 2003 in response to a request for international aid by the Governor-General of Solomon Islands. Helpem Fren means "help a friend" in Solomon Islands Pidgin. The mission officially ended on 30 June 2017.
Manasseh Damukana Sogavare is a Solomon Islands politician serving as the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands since 24 April 2019. He has previously held the role of Prime Minister between 2000 and 2001, between 2006 and 2007, and between 2014 and 2017. Before becoming Prime Minister, Sogavare served in the National Parliament as Member for East Choiseul beginning in 1997.
Danny Philip is a politician and diplomat from Solomon Islands. He was Prime Minister of Solomon Islands from 2010 to 2011. Previously he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 1996 and again from July 2000 to June 2001. He was the leader of the People's Progressive Party from 1997 to 2000, then founded the Reform Democratic Party, of which he was the leader when elected Prime Minister.
Snyder Rini is a Solomon Islands politician who was briefly the eighth Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands from April to May 2006 and was Minister for Finance and Treasury 2000–2001, 2002–2003, 2007–2010 and 2014–2017. He has represented Marovo Constituency in National Parliament since 1997.
John Patteson Oti, sometimes called Patterson Oti, is a Solomon Islands politician and diplomat. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs, External Trade and Immigration from May 2006 to 22 December 2007. He is the secretary general of the Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party, which was launched in early 2010. Since March 2012, he has been his country's High Commissioner to Fiji.
The Solomon Islands Democratic Party is a political party in Solomon Islands. In a country in which political parties tend to be small and transient, and to obtain very few seats in Parliament, the Democratic Party has played a comparatively major role in recent history.
David Derek Sikua served as the ninth Prime Minister of Solomon Islands from 20 December 2007 to 25 August 2010. He is a member of the Solomon Islands Liberal Party.
Steve William Abana is a Solomon Islands politician. He is a former Member of Parliament for Fataleka and was the Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition from August 2010 to March 2011.
Shemuel Sam Iduri is a Solomon Islands politician.
Clay Forau Soalaoi, more commonly referred to as Clay Forau, is a Solomon Islands politician.
The Solomon Islands Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) is a commission officially established by the government of Solomon Islands in September 2008. It has been formed to investigate the causes of the ethnic violence that gripped Solomon Islands between 1997 and 2003. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is the first of its kind in the Pacific Islands region.
David Day Pacha is a member of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands. He represents the South Guadalcanal constituency in Guadalcanal Province. He originates from Peochakuri village on Guadalcanal. In May 2009, he was named Minister of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification in Prime Minister Derek Sikua's government. Since August 2017 he has been the Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
General elections were held in the Solomon Islands on 4 August 2010. The election date was announced in May 2010 by Prime Minister Derek Sikua. Although the announcement was deemed to be premature, as only the Governor General has the authority to announce the election date upon the advice of the Electoral Commission, the election date remained the same.
In the Solomon Islands, the Leader of the Official Opposition is the leader of the largest political party in the National Parliament that is not in government. The title of "Leader of the Opposition" is common to the Commonwealth realms and several other Commonwealth countries, though in Solomon Islands it is specifically defined by the Constitution. The Leader of the Opposition appoints and leads a Shadow Cabinet. The current Leader of the Opposition, since December 2014, is Jeremiah Manele.
George Milner Tozaka OBE, better known as Milner Tozaka, is a Solomon Islands diplomat and politician.
The Solomon Islands no longer has official diplomatic ties with Taiwan (ROC) due to the One-China policy since 2020.
Ethel Lency Vokia is a member of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands. In 2020 she became the fourth woman in the 2019-2023 Parliament and only the sixth woman ever to be elected to that Parliament.
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