By Ronald Toito’ona
A motion of no confidence is looming in the Solomon Islands Western Provincial Government, signaling a potential change of leadership, following the resignation of Deputy Premier Hon. Carlrick Runimetu and Chairman of Caucus Hon. Freedom Tozaka.
Both leaders have officially submitted their resignation letters to Premier Billy Veo recently, citing dissatisfaction with the performance and governance of the Veo-led ACAREA Government.
Western Province is one of the most developed provinces in the Solomon Islands.
In a letter to Hon. Carlrick Runimetu, sighted by In-depth Solomons tonight, Premier Veo said he do note the reasons that prompted his deputy premier to resign.
“Whilst this is regrettable, I also understand your right and your decision to decide on which side of the House you wish to support,” Premier Veo stated, in the letter.
Hon. Runimetu’s resignation is effective as of today, September 23rd 2024. He was also advised by Premier Veo to return keys to the Executive Personal Secretary’s Office and the Office of the Premier.
Hon. Tozaka’s resignation letter was passed on to the Premier yesterday.
The resignation of Runimetu and Tozaka has set off a chain reaction, with four more Executive members expected to follow suit.
As pressure mounts, a motion of no confidence is anticipated, potentially marking a turning point in the Province’s political landscape.
In a statement released by the Western Province Non-Executive tonight, they are aware that the resignations are attributed to the “incompetence and poor performance” of Premier Veo and his Executive.
The statement highlights that key policies of the ACAREA Government remain unimplemented due to Executive Ministers failing to carry out their responsibilities.
“The ACAREA Government’s policies cannot be executed effectively because ministers are not taking their roles seriously,” the statement reads.
“The Deputy Premier and Chairman of Caucus have faced significant challenges working with the Executive, with many plans being ignored and a lack of coordination at the highest levels of provincial leadership,” it added.
Further concerns were raised about the contributions of ACAREA Ministers during discussions, which the statement described as inadequate for their ministerial positions.
Since its formation, the ACAREA Government has been criticized for its inactivity in driving forward the development of the Province.
Critics point to excessive spending on unproductive projects that are not aligned with the government’s policy agenda.
