BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
IN preparation for the upcoming 2024 Joint Elections, the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission has announced an estimated cost of around $130 million to conduct the highly anticipated democratic exercise.
This significant investment indicates the commitment to ensure a transparent, fair, and efficient electoral process this year in the country, according to Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) Finance Manager, Rueben Rongomea on Sunday on the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) Radio Talk Back show.
“The estimated SBD130 million is to ensure a smooth and secure electoral process, accommodating the three elections—national, provincial, and HCC—concurrently,” he said.
Finance Manager Rueben said the Joint Elections are funded by the National Government with the support of international donor partners, including Australia, New Zealand, UNDP, and the EU.
“The estimated budget for election activities will cover preparatory activities initiated in 2023 until the declaration of election results later this year.
“As we know, under the 2024 budget, the Australian Government and New Zealand have also supported the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) under the election budget.
“The New Zealand Government supported the electoral office with SBD35 million and the Australian Government with SBD55 million (SDB27 million was allocated under the 2024 budget support and SBD28 million was already provided under the 2023 budget support in the election’s preparatory operations carried out since last year, 2023, to date, 2024),
“SIG supported with a support of SBD40 million.
“The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the European Union (EU) are among the donor partners providing support to the Electoral Commission with election materials and other overseas procurement.
“The total support received by the Electoral Office does not only come in cash alone but also includes other services that include logistical support, election materials, and other services to run the election,” the Finance Manager, Rueben Rongomea, said during the SIEC Radio Talk Back show on SIBC on Sunday, January 28, last month.
With support from the Australian High Commission, the European Union in the Pacific, and UNDP Solomon Islands, the SIEC has received 20,000 kg of polling and counting materials for the 2024 elections. Voter-evident bags, indelible ink, ballot boxes with numbered seals, and procedurally compliant stationery are among the essential election supplies included in the support. According to a recent UNDP Solomon Islands statement on social media, these steps are essential to ensuring that the Solomon Islands Election Commission can hold inclusive and credible elections.
Solomon Islanders are set to vote on April 17, following a tentative date of February 20 announced by the Governor-General.
