9 Sep 2013

Solomons' rural people said to be most dissatisfied with government

5:44 am on 9 September 2013

The organisers of a people's petition calling on the Solomon Islands prime minister Gordon Darcy Lilo to resign says it is those in rural areas who are most dissatisfied with the government.

Mr Lilo has faced strong criticism in recent months over a raft of issues and most recently for taking a large delegation to Indonesia for reasons he has not made clear.

The interim head of the Joint Civil Society Group says 80 percent of people in the capital Honiara are frustrated and disilluisoned over Mr Lilo's conduct.

But Barnabas Henson says a recent talkback show proved people outside of the urban centres - most of the population - are unhappiest.

"People have actually called in and voiced that concern that they haven't seen anything happening at the rural level at all. You know, government delivery in those areas are very, very poor. And so people in the provinces - from the indications we've got - are willing to support this call that we are making on the prime minister."

Barnabas Henson says opposition to the Prime Minister will grow even more once people know the full extent of government spending.