22 Sep 2003

New Zealand PM to visit Solomon Islands

4:28 pm on 22 September 2003

The New Zealand prime minister could be asked by community groups in Solomon Islands to raise concerns about the government during her visit to Honiara on Tuesday.

Helen Clark and the Defence Minister Mark Burton will be in the capital to meet with New Zealand troops, who are part of an Australian-led intervention force to improve law and order.

She'll also meet Solomon Islands government ministers and community groups.

The head of the Civil Society Network, Matthew Wale, says there are serious concerns about the government, which New Zealand's Prime Minister could help to address.

"The key issue having dealt with the law and order security fundamentals the key issue will be leadership and so I think Helen Clark would be being very useful to this process here if she raises issues of leadership with Sir Allen Kemakeza her counterpart here in the Solomons."

Matthew Wale says corruption and flawed economic and social policies need to be tackled.