Constituency: North East Guadalcanal, Guadalcanal Province

Contact Address:         

Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet P.O. Box G1
Honiara
Solomon Islands.
Phone: +677 22202
Fax: +677 28649

Parliamentary Service

• Re-elected to the National Parliament of Solomon Islands for North East Guadalcanal Constituency on 19th November 2014.
• Leader of Independent Group from 3rd November 2015 to date.
• Leader of the Official Parliamentary Opposition group from 29th March 2011 to 8th September 2014.
• Re-elected to the National Parliament of Solomon Islands for North East Guadalcanal Constituency on 4th August 2010.
• Elected to the National Parliament of Solomon Islands for North East Guadalcanal Constituency on 5th April 2006.

Ministerial Appointments

• Prime Minister from 20 December 2007 to present
• Minister for Education and Human Resources Development from 4 May 2006 to 10 November 2007.

Qualification

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the Field of Educational Decentralisation – The University of Waikato. Hamilton, New Zealand.
• Master of Educational Policy and Administration (MEPA), Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
• Bachelor of Education - (B. Ed.), Majoring in Educational Planning and Project Management, (USQ), Queensland, Australia.
• Diploma in Education (Dip.Ed.  - Arts) Teaching, Secondary School English and Social Science, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji.
• Solomon Islands School Certificate (SISC), Selwyn College.

Education

• Attended the University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand from 1998 to 2003
• Attended Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia from1991 to 1992
• Attended University of Southern Queensland, Qld, Australia in 1985                      
• Attended the University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji from 1979 to1981 
• Attended Selwyn College from 1974 to 1978 
• Attended Maravovo Senior Primary School from 1970 to 1973
• Attended Kulu Junior Primary School from 1966 to 1969

Occupation before entering Parliament

• Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development from 8th September  2003 to 31st Dec 2005
• Permanent Secretary (Special Duties), Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development from May 2003 to 7th September 2003
• PhD Candidate, Education Studies Department, School of Education, Waikato University, Hamilton, New Zealand February 1998 to April 2003
• Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Forests, Environment and          Conservation from Mid-November 1997 to January 1998
• Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development from February 1994 to Mid-November 1997
• Under Secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development from April 1993 to February 1994
• Director, Secondary School Division, Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development from January 1993 to February 1993
• Director, Implementation and Planning Unit Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development from1988 to1990
• Principal Education Officer (Educator/Implementer), Implementation and Planning Unit, Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development from August 1986 to 1987
• Teacher and Deputy Principal, Waimapuru, National Secondary School from August to December 1984 and January to July 1986
• Teacher and Deputy Head Master at Pawa Secondary School from 1982 to July 1984

Contribution made to Education Profession in Solomon Islands

• Education and Human Resource need for Solomon Islands, 1997 to 2006
• Strategies Adopted by the Jomtien Declaration on Education For All by the Year 2000
• Guest Lecturer for Diploma in Education Administration USP Extension Studies Students in 1997
• Participated in the University of the South Pacific Strategic Plan for the Next 10 years, in 1997
• Draft National Youth Policy 1997
• National Training Policy 1997
• Policy on Early Childhood Education Development 1997
• Policy on Recentralisation of Educational Grants to Provincial Education Authorities 1997
• Financing of Education Policy, Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development 1997
• Guest lecturer for Post Graduate (MA) USP Extension Studies Students in 1997
• Textbooks and School Equipment Replenishment Policy 1997
• Secondary Curriculum Development Policy, Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development 1997
• Participated in the formulation of the Education Policy and Administrative Handbook, Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development in 1997
• Draft Non-Formal Education Policy 1996
• Policy on the Transformation of the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education (SICHE) to University 1995
• National Population Policy 1995
• Policy on the Establishment and Development of Day Junior Secondary Schools (Community High Schools) 1994
• Education Sector Plan for Solomon Islands, 1989 to 1994
• Contribution towards having Solomon Islands become a Member State of UNESCO in 1993
• Contributions (Interventions) to the UNESCO Mandate on Education, Science, Culture, Technology and Informatics in the Solomon Islands and the Pacific Region in 1993
• Policy and Planning Statement for the Ministry of Education, Solomon Islands in 1991
• Teacher Utilisation and Incentives Policy 1987
• Regional Basic Education and Life Skills (BELS) Programme, Phases I and II implementation

Membership of Professional Committees

• Member of the USP Council Executive Committee, a sub-committee of the USP Council from 2007 to present
• Chairman of the Solomon Islands National Commission for UNESCO from 2006 to present
• Member of the USP Council representing the Government Solomon Islands from 2006 to present
• Member of the USP Finance and General Purposes Committee representing the Government of Solomon Islands from 2003 to 2005
• Alternate Chairman of the Project co-ordinating Committee for the Early Childhood Education Project funded by the New Zealand Government in 1997
• Chairman of Project Co-ordinating Committee (PPC) for the Science and Agriculture Education Project (SAEP) funded by AusAID from 1995 to 1997
• Alternate Chairman of the Melanesian Literacy Council with membership consisting of Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands from 1994 to 1997
• Alternate member of the University of the South Pacific (USP) Council from 1994 to 1997
• Member of the Advisory Committee for the Institute of Education (IOE) of USP, Suva, Fiji from 1994 to 1997
• Member of the Advisory Committee for the South Pacific Board for Education Assessment (SPBEA) based in Suva, Fiji from 1994 to 1997
• Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Rural Training Centre Human Resources Development (HRD) Project funded by the European Union from 1994 to 1997
• National Coordinator for the Regional Basic Education and Life skills (BELS) Program from 1994 to 1997
• Deputy Chairman of the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education (SICHE) Council from 1994 to April 1997
• Member of SICHE Council, representing the Field of Studies in Education from 1994 to April 1997
• Chairman of the Education Committee – Standing Committee of the SICHE Council from 1994 to April 1997
• Alternate Member of the Staff Affairs Committee - SICHE Council Standing Committee from 1994 to April 1997
• Alternate Member of the Student Affairs Committee - SICHE Council Standing Committee from 1994 to April 1997
• Alternate Member of the Physical Planning Committee – Solomon Islands College of Higher Education (SICHE) Council Standing Committee from 1994 to April 1997
• Chairman of the National Training Committee from 1994 to 1997
• Temporary Alternate Governor of the Economic Development Fund (EDF), World Bank, in 1996
• Chairman of the National Curriculum Committee from 1993 to 1994
• Chairman of the National Research Committee from 1993 to 1994
• Chairman of the National Examination Board from 1993 to 1994
• Chairman of the National Library Board from 1993 to 1994
• Secretary of the National Education Board from 1993 to 1994
• In the absence of a Solomon Islands National Commission for UNESCO (SINATCOM for UNESCO) act as the authorised Contact Person for UNESCO in Solomon Islands from 1993 to 1994
• Chairman of the National Education Planning Committee from 1989 to 1990

Conferences, Delegations, Visits

• 33rd Session of the UNESCO General Conference, Paris, France from October  to November, 2005
• 29th Session of the UNESCO General Conference, Paris, France from October  to November, 1997
• University of the South Pacific (USP) Strategic Planning Seminar in Education Honiara, from 26th to 28th February 1997
• National Seminar on ‘Population and Development in the Solomon Islands’, Honiara 16th to 18th November 1994 
• Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, - National Education Summit, from 26th to 30th September 1994
• Solomon Islands College of Higher Education, International Symposium on Education, Honiara, 16th August 1994
• Launch of Pacific 2010 Monographs and ‘Issues Paper’ and public Seminar, Parliament House, Canberra, Australia, 30th June 1994
• Solomon Islands National Economic Summit, Honiara, from 8th to 10th February 1994
• 1996 Annual Meetings of Boards of Governors, International Monetary Fund World Bank Group, Washington DC, from 29th September  to 3rd October 1996
• 5th Regional High Level Consultation of Directors and Permanent Secretaries of Education, Apia, Wester Samoa, July 1996
• 4th Regional High Level Consultation of Directors and Permanent Secretaries, Suva, Fiji in June 1994
• 27th Session of the UNESCO General Conference, Paris, France from October to November, 1993
• East Asia and Pacific Regional Preparatory Consultation on Education for All (EFA), Jakarta, Indonesia, from 22nd to 23rd January 1990

Papers and Publications

• “The Decentralisation of Education in a Developing Country: The Case of Community High School in the Solomon Islands”.  Unpublished Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Education Studies Department, School of Education, The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
• “Why Provincial Secondary Schools in Solomon Islands Fail To Achieve Their Aims and Objectives - A Critical Analysis of a Policy”. Unpublished Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Educational Policy and Administration (MEPA) Faculty of Education, Monash University, Victoria, Australia, 1992
• “Education and Human Resources Development Needs for Solomon Islands:  1999 to 2006”. Unpublished Paper Presented at the USP Strategic Planning Seminar in Education, Honiara, February 1997
• “Issues and Concerns in Educational Planning in Solomon Islands”. Unpublished Paper presented to USP Extension Studies Students in the Diploma in Educational Administration Program, Honiara, June 1997. “Population Growth and Educational Planning”. Published in Pacific Health Dialog Vol. 2.  No. 1, March 1995
• “Current Government Policies in the Education Sector”. Unpublished Paper Presented at the Solomon Islands National Economic Summit, Honiara, February 1994.

Personal

• Date of birth: 10 September 1959
• Village/ Home Island: Ngalitavethi Village, East Tasiboko, Guadalcanal Province

Hobbies and Interests

• Reading, Writing, Soccer, Cricket, Rugby (Union &     League), Bushwalking, Bird Watching, Watching TV, Travelling and Meeting People