Samuel Manetoali

Samuel Manetoali (born January 24, 1969) is a member of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands. He represents the Gao/Bugotu constituency in Isabel Province. He attended Lepi Primary School and then went on to do his secondary education at the prestigious King George Sixth National School in Honiara. He attended law school at the University of Papua New Guinea and graduated with an LLB degree and further unspecified qualifications from the University of Tasmania and University of South Australia.[1] Prior to entering politics he worked in the country's Public Solicitors Office, then he worked as a private lawyer and a legal adviser to the Isabel Provincial Government. He first entered parliament in the 2006 general election and re-elected in the 2010 general election.[2]. He served as the Solomon Islands' Minister of Police, National Security and Correctional Services in Prime Minister Derek Sikua's Cabinet until May 2009, when he was transferred to the position of Minister for Lands, Survey, and Housing. Following the 2010 general election, he remained in Cabinet, under new Prime Minister Danny Philip, as Minister for Tourism and Culture. In this year's (2014) general election which was held on the 19th November, he was voted in again for the third term with a landslide victory. [3]. He contested as an independent candidate in last week's election.[4]. As a lawyer, many people had expected more from him seeing that many world leaders including Barack Obama and Tony Abott are lawyers by profession and he appears to be a potential candidate for the prime minister's post given his experience as a politician (3 terms including the current term) and his noble profession. His current success in the recent election could be attributed to projects such as mini-fisheries projects that he established in the various villages in his constituency. He also helped the villages and communities by giving handouts such as roofing irons, outboard motor engines, fiber boats, solar panels, cash money and other form of support as a way to maintain and broaden his support. He also supported local tourism in his constituency by giving financial help to tourism operators such as on Sigana Island,albeit, tourism is still at its infant stage in his constituency. His other elixir to maintain his popularity and support is through facilitating and sending Bamboo Bands/groups notably the Hageulu bamboo band overseas for the promotion of tourism and culture for the country and he managed to do that in his capacity as the minister of Tourism and Culture in the Lilo-led government. He was also instrumental in establishing the Gao-Bugotu Cultural Festival initially held in Huali Village in Gao and in Sepi/Lepi Villages in Bugotu. He also appears to be a down to earth person as whenever he visited villages he always have time to talk, chat and mingle with youths and young people. Furthermore, he loves to chew betlenut and a frequent smoker and during his visit to the villages, he often shared betlenut, smokes and at times bought alcohol or beer for the young people or his supporters. From observation, he has done many things better than his predecessors, however, he should have done more especially in asking or lobbying in the government for national projects such as building of a vehicle road which is key to development in Isabel which is also the longest island in the country with barely no vehicle road. As lobbying for the formation of the new government intensifies, it is unsure which political grouping or camp he is part of but it would not be surprising if he teamed up with a likely PM contender Manasseh Maelanaga as they were said to be close allies.