The Native Iowan

Gordon Darcy Lilo, member for Gizo and Kolomobanagara, Past Minister of Finance. 
Sacked as recently from the post just last week.

Has been elected PM with 29 votes.

Helicopters disturb the air. The roads are empty but the corners are full of people. 
A tense feeling is in the air.

I was just in town at a meeting. We called the meeting to go get our kids out of school. 
The town is getting stroppy. 
We saw a large protest marching through the town just as we drove home. 
All the shops and businesses are locked tight.

the street party begins...

Lilo is the new Prime Minister

Gordon Darcy Lilo is the new Prime Minister of Solomon Islands.

Lilo won with a majority of 29 votes, retaining the current National Coalition for Rural Advancement’s reign.

Solomon Star’s Ednal Palmer reported that the media was barred from entering the parliament throughout the voting process.

After more than an hour behind closed doors, Gordon Darcy Lilo emerged through the Parliament doors, accompanied by the Governor General Sir Frank Kabui, who declared Gordon Darcy Lilo as the winner.

Gordon Darcy Lilo will now lead the Rural Advancement (NCRA) taking the role from the former Prime Minister Danny Philip who only sacked him last week.

Six eye top job

MONDAY, 14 NOVEMBER 2011 04:23

Newz flash… Alcohol sales in Honiara are shut down for the next 3 days in anticipation of the coming fun n games in the streetz…

After all these years, through a fledgling democratic process that includes the likes of  Solomon Mamaloni…

They now want…

a responsible and visionary leader…

No more of that egocentric stuff for us… any more…

Sore lo solomoni. We’re hunkering down for possible riots tomorrow.

Life is good.

Opposition expects 31 plus

THURSDAY, 10 NOVEMBER 2011 04:47

THE Parliamentary Opposition claims it will have the support of more MPs this Friday.

Opposition Leader Dr Derek Sikua said he is confident that the Motion of No Confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Philip to be tabled on Friday will have the support of more than 31 MPs.

Dr Sikua said the  MPs will come from the Opposition and Independent Groups in Parliament, MPs in the Pacific Casino camp led by the North West Guadalcanal MP, Hon. Bodo Dettke and current Ministers and Backbenchers in the NCRA Government.

Solomon Star furnished a request to the Opposition yesterday to provide the list of support they have but issued a statement instead saying the support of MPs will be realized when the motion is put on the floor of parliament.

On the other hand, the government earlier claimed it already has the support of 29 MPs but with resignation of the three ministers last night the number might have reduced.

The Solomon Star yesterday requested their list of support but the Special Secretary to the Prime Minister (SSPM) Andrew Muaki said they are willing to send us the list under one condition that we do not publish it.

The Solomon Star insisted that it will publish the list as it would be in the best interest of the public.

Mr Muaki said he will consult with the MPs to find out if they are willing to be named publicly before sending in the list.

Meanwhile the group camping at the Pacific Casino is gaining numbers enough to hold the balance of power if some members desert NCRA to support the motion.

The Opposition leader said the motion is about ensuring quality leadership for the people of Solomon Islands and therefore calls on other “well meaning and right minded MPs” to throw in their support.

The Opposition Leader meanwhile calls for calm amongst the public whilst they allow their parliamentary representatives to freely carry out their moral obligation in replacing the current “egocentric” Prime Minister Danny Philip with a responsible and visionary leader

Sitting by the fire in the Filardi house. A short, few hours from departure. I head back south. From this magically frosted landscape of power and might, to the subtle and sultry southlands.

I am really impressed with Montana. It is truly a magnificent place on our jewel of a planet. It is wild. it is big. It is fun, and insanely dangerous.

Much like my love-affair with the tropics, the requirement here is wild-ness.

When I first arrived in Solomon Islands I was stunned that people still lived a subsistence/ natural life style. I was an instant convert. The fact that societies that were minimally dependant on the out-side world existed proved my green-ness.

Montana is wild, wild. People don’t specifically live off the land here. It is too harsh for the lighter skinned races to tame. But people here do use and interact with the land. A mule deer hangs in the garage where I have been staying. My host and friend, Chris, expects to “bag” a number of these large beasts before the season ends.

My “middle-youth” allows me certain latitudes. Of course I have the Solomons as a pretty much unlimited play ground. I have my bikes in Aus. And I will aim to have a high-lonesome place here in Montana.

My endeavors to secure a place here have not yet bore fruit. Yet much that is positive has transpired. And I am ready for my next season here in these sacred heights.

Our friends, no… Our family here is way, way cool. Wren and Leo keep the kids sounds happening. At 9 and 7 these two are essential in fulfilling my “kid-addiction”. Cath is a modern Super-Mom. Chris… well, he is a great father and he is a great man but he is not what one would consider a “normal” father. His kids are so, so lucky.

I will see my kids soon. I will get back into Honiara on a Thursday and will book all my Honiara kids for the first weekend there. I do look forward to it.

I leave with a profound feeling of being fortunate. It has been a fortunate trip. A comfortable trip… I leave here feeling better and healthier than when I arrived. This land is good for me. It makes me strong. I will be back.

As a contrast to where I am and how I feel today I reference the post I wrote when I left here in May…

 https://nativeiowan.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/trout-fishing-in-america/

It has been 5 months, when I left last time I was about dead… I feel so, so, so good right now. Should be a law against it, feeling this dern guuuud.

MONTANA MAGIC!!!!