BY ALFRED PAGEPITU
GIZO
VOTERS of the Gizo-Kolombangara by-election have been urged to show principles of honesty and genuiness to their candidates.
With campaign activities underway, former police officer Pr Joshua Loko suggested that it is not pleasing to see Christians with good standing in their families and communities jumping from one candidate to another.
“A number of voters doing daily campaign as an opportunity to get money for their families.
“Getting money through this dishonest attitude shows our dishonesty to our own families and friends as we claim ourselves as Christian in this branded ‘Christian’ country of Solomon Islands.”
Loko said there are also campaigning agents going around with lists, containing names of voters without their consent and choice, as another opportunity to lure candidate’s approval to dish out money for their (agents) personal benefits.
He stressed that these kinds of practices and attitudes must be stopped.
He laments the past when candidates did not need money to campaign, but rather their wits and power of speech to convince voters with their plans for the constituency.
Five candidates are contending the Gizo/Kolombangara constituency seat in a by-election set for May 23.
Two of them are independent; Ronald Philips Dive and Mrs Lanelle Tanangada. Lanelle is the only female candidate.
The other contestants are former prime minister Gordon Darcy Lilo (Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement, SIPRA), Peter Sogoilo (Democratic Alliance Party, DAP) and Kenneth Bulehite (United Democratic Party, UDP).
