Solomon voters oust half of parliament in election

Honiara, Apr 10: Solomon Islands voters ousted half their parliament in the first election since peacekeepers restored law and order in the South Pacific nation three years ago, officials said today, announcing final poll results.

Prime Minister Sir Alan Kemakeza won his seat in last Wednesday's national election but will now have to lobby with winning candidates to form a coalition government ahead of a secret parliamentary ballot for prime minister on April 18.

A government spokesman said many of Kemakeza's elected People's Alliance Party (PAP) candidates have since deserted his party.

''Its difficult to tell how many PAP candidates have been elected as many stood as PAP and have now joined other parties,'' spokesman Alfred Maesulia told Reuters.

A total of 453 candidates from 13 parties contested 50 seats in an election dominated by government corruption, after several ministers were arrested on corruption charges in the past year.

The Solomon Star newspaper said that, based on the candidates' listings, 18 members of the new parliament are independents.

New parliamentarians will travel to the capital, Honiara, this week, many by boat from far-flung islands, to begin horse-trading to form a new coalition government.

The Solomons is a chain of 992 islands covering 1.35 million sq km of ocean, with the furthest electorate a 2-{ hour flight and three-day boat trip away, or a seven-day boat trip.

In 2003 the Solomons was on the verge of collapse with armed gangs fighting over Honiara, prompting Australia to lead a multinational force to restore peace in what was the biggest military deployment in the South Pacific since World War Two.

Thousands of stolen, home-made and old World War Two weapons were destroyed by the South Pacific intervention force.

Election observers said the 2006 election was free and fair, after the last poll in 2001 was marred by armed gangs and reports of vote rigging.

''The International election observers welcomed the conduct of the election in a peaceful, orderly and lawful way and in a spirit of goodwill,'' the observers said in a statement.

REUTERS