4 Aug 2006

Solomons PM still pondering fate of some cabinet members

10:06 am on 4 August 2006

An afternoon long caucus meeting has left Solomon Islanders wondering about the issues being debated behind cabinet doors in Honiara.

Some ministers say the meeting was a reconciliation gathering of Cabinet members and the Prime Minister Mannaseh Sogavare.

Two days ago Mr Sogavare was reported to have demanded the resignation of three of his ministers.

In his first public statement on the matter last night, Mr Sogavare said he was yet to decide on the fate of Commerce Minister Francis Billy Hilly and National Development Minister Gordon Darcy.

Toswell Kaua, the mines minister and the third official under question was yesterday back in office following an afternoon meeting with the Prime Minister.

One of the conditions that the Prime Minister is pushing for is for Hilly to revoke a Memorandum of Understanding, his National Party signed with the communist party in China signed last year.

The prime minister is set to lead a large delegation to Taiwan later this month.