Opposition Leader Manasseh Sogavare has challenged Prime Minister Matthew Wale to publicly disclose the number of political appointees his GREAT Coalition has engaged and the total cost to taxpayers, alleging the Government has failed to uphold the transparency it once demanded while in Opposition.
In a statement, Sogavare claimed the number of political appointees under the Wale Government had risen to more than 70, almost double the level that Wale had previously criticised when he was Opposition leader.
Furthermore, Sogavare urged Wale to release a full list of political appointees, their positions and the total public cost of maintaining them.
Political appointees are employed by the Government to provide ministers and the Prime Minister with policy advice, political support and strategic guidance.
Unlike career public servants, they are appointed by the Government of the day and are funded through public money.
Their numbers and cost have frequently been the subject of public and political debate in Solomon Islands.
According to Sogavare, Wale was among the strongest critics of political appointments while serving in Opposition.
He said Wale repeatedly questioned previous governments over the number of political appointees and the cost of maintaining them, arguing that taxpayers deserved greater transparency and accountability.
Sogavare said Wale had previously highlighted figures showing one government employed 51 political appointees at an annual cost of more than SBD19 million, before the number was later reduced to 36, resulting in reported savings of more than SBD6 million.
“The Prime Minister built his political career attacking exactly this kind of excess,” Sogavare said.
“Now that he is the one presiding over what we understand to be a record number of political appointees, he has gone silent.
“Solomon Islanders deserve better than a Prime Minister who demands transparency from others but refuses to provide it himself.”
Sogavare stressed that the issue was not whether governments should have political advisers, but whether the Prime Minister was prepared to meet the same standard of accountability he had previously demanded of others.
“The issue is not about whether a Government needs advisers or specialist support,” he said.
“It is about whether Prime Minister Wale is prepared to be held to the same standard he once imposed on everyone else.”
The Opposition also warned that political appointments should never become rewards for political supporters or coalition partners.
It said appointments to political offices and key public institutions, including statutory boards, should be based on merit and made through transparent processes that protect public confidence in government institutions.
Sogavare said the GREAT Coalition Government came to office promising stronger transparency, accountability and good governance, but argued that those commitments remained unfulfilled in relation to political appointments.
He called on the Prime Minister to immediately publish the full list of political appointees, their designations and the total cost to taxpayers.
“The standard Prime Minister Wale demanded from previous governments is the same standard the people of Solomon Islands now expect from his Government,” Sogavare said.
“He cannot dodge it, delay it or hide from it any longer.”
In-depth Solomons has reached out to Wale’s press office for comments.
The Wale Government came to power mid May 2026. Last Month when the question over the government’s political appointee was put to him, Wale said he had engaged 15 so far.
The Prime Minister said the GREAT coalition is focused on ensuring capable people are appointed to help deliver its ambitious reform agenda.
“We have a very ambitious programme,” he said.
“What we want to do in two years is to reset the past 10 years of negligent leadership.”
Wale stated his Government’s priority is not simply the number of appointments made, but the quality and capability of those selected to serve.
“For me, and my advice to Cabinet and Caucus is, we need to get the right people to do the work of serving the people of this country,” he said.
“Number is important, but number itself cannot dictate the number of people we need.”
The Prime Minister stressed that appointments must be based on competence and the ability to effectively carry out government responsibilities
