11 Dec 2007

Govt Parliament plans could interfere in court process, says Solomon Islands speaker

11:14 am on 11 December 2007

The speaker of the Solomon Islands parliament says a move by government to change the scheduled date for parliament to sit could interfere with a High Court case it launched itself.

Sir Peter Kenilorea's comments follow an announcement by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's office that Christmas Eve has been set as the new date for the much awaited sitting of parliament.

It's a week later then the date set by the Governor General Sir Nathaniel Waena, who had stepped into the debate over when the house should resume.

But Sir Peter says he's still going by Sir Nathaniel's advice that parliament will meet this Thursday in a proclamation which the government recently took legal action to challenge.

"The issue of the government challenging the Governor General's proclaimed date of the 13th is still before the court as well so the change of date to the 24th, if it was to be made again, I'm sure it could interfere with the court process too."

Sir Peter Kenilorea.