SOLOMON ISLANDS: Solomons Minister Willing to Consider up to Four Reserved Parliamentary Seats for Women

The Solomon Islands caretaker deputy prime minister says if women are successful at next month's national election there will be no need to reserve seats for them.

Fred Fono from the People's Congress Party says when the government rejected a proposal from women's groups that 10 seats be reserved for women, he had argued that that number was too high and should be reduced to 2 or 4 as a compromise.

But he says three to five women could win seats in this election, making the need for any reserved seats redundant

“If that is the case then there is no need for reserve seats in Parliament. It would be a reflection of a true democracy once the women candidates contest it with the men and win their seats.”

Fred Fono says if no women succeed at the election, reserved seats could be reconsidered, but the number would need to be reduced from 10.