Gordon Darcy Lilo

Gordon Darcy Lilo
11th Prime Minister of Solomon Islands
In office
16 November 2011 – 9 December 2014
Monarch Elizabeth II
Governor General Frank Kabui
Deputy Manasseh Maelanga
Preceded by Danny Philip
Succeeded by Manasseh Sogavare
Member of Parliament
In office
2001–2014
Preceded by Jackson Piasi
Succeeded by Jimson Fiau Tanangada
Constituency Gizo/Kolombangara
Personal details
Born (1965-08-28) 28 August 1965
Ghatere, Solomon Islands
Political party National Coalition for Reform and Advancement
Alma mater University of Papua New Guinea
Australian National University

Gordon Darcy Lilo (born 28 August 1965) is a Solomon Islander politician who served as Prime Minister of Solomon Islands from 16 November 2011 to 9 December 2014. He was a member of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands, representing the Gizo/Kolombangara constituency spanning Gizo and the island of Kolombangara in Western Province.[1][2] Lilo previously served as the Solomon Islands Minister of Finance and Treasury.

Biography

Personal life

Lilo is originally from the village of Ghatere on Kolombangara island. He earned a master's degree in development and administration from the Crawford School of Economics and Government at Australian National University.[1]

[3] Lilo's CV also includes a Postgraduate Diploma and Bachelor of Economics received from the University of Papua New Guinea.

Career

Lilo worked as a permanent secretary for the Ministries of Finance and of the Environment before entering politics.[1] He was elected to the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands in 2001.[1]

In November 2011, Prime Minister Danny Philip fired Lilo, his Finance Minister, and Central Bank Governor Rick Hou, accusing both of undermining his government.[1] Philip had been accused of misusing and misappropriating a $10 million national development fund, which had been allocated to Solomon Islands from the government of Taiwan.[1] In response to his sacking, Lilo told reporters, "No one undermined the prime minister, but he undermined himself by abusing his powers and the highest office in the country. He sacked us to create a vacuum to lure MPs from the opposition."[1] Lilo further criticized Philips, "What he (Mr Philip) did was unbelievable, unacceptable and sickening."[1]

Prime Minister of Solomon Islands

Prime Minister Danny Philip resigned on 11 November 2011, ahead of a vote of no confidence stemming from the allegations of the misuse of Taiwanese funds.[1][4]

On 16 November 2011, Lilo was elected Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, winning a majority of the 29 of the 49 eligible members of Parliament and defeating three other rivals for the office.[1][5] Former Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare of East Choiseul received nine votes, MP for North Vella La Vella Milner Tozaka received nine votes, and MP for Gao/Bugotu Samuel Manetoali earned just two votes in parliament.[6] Lilo was declared the winner by Governor General Sir Frank Kabui.[5] Lilo took the oath of office before Kabui at approximately 5 p.m.[7]

[8] On 18 November two days after his election Lilo held his first official engagement with US ambassador to the Solomon Islands, Teddy Taylor regarding the Solomon Islands eligibility for US Millennium Challenge Account funding.

Lilo is a member of the National Coalition for Reform and Advancement (NCRA), the same party as his predecessor, Danny Philip.[5] Lilo took over the leadership of the NCRA from Philips, which retains the Office of Prime Minister.[5] Prime Minister Lilo completed his cabinet appointments by 23 November 2011, restoring almost all of ministers from the previous NCRA government to their posts.[9] The only major change was Lilo's appointment of Rick Hou as the country's new finance minister.[9] Lilo reappointed Manasseh Maelanga as deputy prime minister. Maelanga was also appointed Home Affairs Minister.[10]

Lilo is a key supporter of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands.[1][11] Prime Minister Lilo pledged to refocus on Solomon Islands' faltering coconut industry at the opening 48th Asian Pacific Coconut Committee (APCC) Ministerial meeting, which was held at the Mendana Hotel in Honiara on 28 November 2011.[12][13]

Lilo's government (backed by the governments of Nauru, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Timor-Leste) introduced the motion which led to the United Nations General Assembly re-inscribing French Polynesia on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories in May 2013. Lilo stated that he wished to see French Polynesia obtain self-determination regarding its future status.[14] The day before the vote in the General Assembly, the Assembly of French Polynesia formally protested against the prospect of the country being re-added to the list.[15] France denounced Solomon Islands-introduced motion as "blatant interference [and] a complete absence of respect for the democratic choice of [French] Polynesians", who had just elected a government hostile to the prospect of independence.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Callick, Rowan (17 November 2011). "Honiara elects ANU graduate Gordon Lilo". The Australian. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  2. ↑ "NCRA's new captain". Solomon Star. 17 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  3. ↑ "Hon. Gordon Darcy Lilo". National Parliament of Solomon Islands. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  4. ↑ Osifelo, Eddie (24 November 2011). "Former PM now a backbencher". Solomon Star. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Lilo is the new Prime Minister". Solomon Star. 16 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  6. ↑ Marau, Douglas (17 November 2011). "Lilo takes the wheel". Solomon Star. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  7. ↑ Palmer, Ednal (17 November 2011). "It's now official". Solomon Star. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  8. ↑ "PM LILO MEETS US AMBASSADOR". Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  9. 1 2 "Solomon Islands Prime Minister finalises his cabinet". Radio Australia. 23 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  10. ↑ "Ten more ministers sworn in", Solomon Star, 23 November 2011
  11. ↑ "PM Lilo starts Ministerial Visits". Solomon Times. 2 December 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  12. ↑ Marau, Douglas (29 November 2011). "PM: Let's restore the coconut sector". Solomon Star. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  13. ↑ "PM Lilo Seeks to Revive Coconut Industry". Solomon Times. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  14. ↑ "Solomon Islands made history in UN", Solomon Star, 21 May 2013
  15. ↑ "Tahiti assembly votes against UN decolonisation bid", Radio New Zealand International, 17 May 2013
  16. ↑ "Polynésie : la France dénonce une "ingérence flagrante" de l'ONU", Le Monde, 17 May 2013
Political offices
Preceded by
Danny Philip		 Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands
2011–2014 		Succeeded by
Manasseh Sogavare
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