SOLOMON ISLANDS: Former PM Ulufa'alu dies
Updated
There have been tributes to the former Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Bartholomew Ulufa'alu. Mr Ulufa'alu was 56. He had suffered diabetes and heart problems for several years. Prime Minister from 1997 til 2000, Mr Ulufa'alu was the founder of the Solomon Islands Liberal Party.
Presenter: Kerri Webb
Speakers: Former friend and colleague, Johnson Honimae; President of the Solomon Islands National Council of Women, Hilda Kari
ULUFA'ALU: It is important that Solomon Islanders realise that only by their own effort they can develop their country. There have been some feelings since the independence of this country that others will always do it for us. The day has come that we cannot rely on that we have to do it ourselves and we have to learn whatever tricks it takes to become a happy country and a prosperous one.
WEBB: The late Bartholomew Ulufa'alu, speaking when he was prime minister of Solomon Islands.
A firm leader and a brave man. That's how former friend and colleague Johnson Honimae says he'll remember Mr Ulufa'alu.
HONIMAE: I remember on the day of the coup , the 5th of June 2000, I was driving from my house after I heard about what was happening, and stopping at the gate of what was then the prime minister's residence in Honiara and I asked one of the MEF members, I said 'where's the prime minister?' he said oh we are holding him inside. I said 'can I speak to him?' and he said 'no, you cannot'. And I think he saw me from inside and I think, later on I found out he was trying to get in touch with me. But yes, come to think about it, he was very brave.
WEBB: Mr Ulufa'alu became prime minister of Solomon Islands in August 1997.
But in June 2000 he was kidnapped by militia in an uprising against the government.
Johnson Honimae says Mr Ulufa'alu was forced to resign in exchange for his release.
HONIMAE: I think yes, he was brave, basically he had no choice.
WEBB: Mr Ulufaalu was succeeded as prime minister by Manasseh Sogavare, who's now returned to hold the post.
Later, Mr Ulufa'alu made a failed attempt to form a coalition to become prime minister again in April 2006. Shortly after, he took up the role of finance minister.
Johnson Honimae says he was seen as a strong leader whose policies improved the Solomon Island's economy.
HONIMAE: I remembered it was one of the elections and I was asking people around town, going around asking people who they would like to be prime minister at that time, this was the election straight after he was ousted out and people was still thinking it should be Ulafa'alu that should become prime minister and I asked them, why? And they said 'we need him to complete what he was trying to do as far as the economy was concerned'. And they were saying as far as they were concerned the economy was improving at that time.
WEBB: But in the years following the coup, Mr Ulufa'alu seemed plagued by the desire to bring his kidnappers to justice.
Speaking in parliament in 2005, he said he was surprised that former militants had been charged with offences such as extortion, murder and carrying weapons in public places but no one had been charged with his house arrest.
He said time was running out for him to take legal action.
Former Papua New Guinea prime minister, the late Bill Skate, also described Mr Ulufa'alu as a hero and a real leader for deciding to resign.
Mr Skate once said he contributed a lot to peace and reconciliation on Bougainville and his government's co-operation with PNG contributed to ending the island's crisis.
Mr Honimae recalls the close ties the two leaders had.
HONIMAE: I remember he went on this visit before Christmas, he celebrated Christmas on Bougainville and him and Skate did business very well.
WEBB: Johnson Honimae.
Mr Ulufa'alu will also be remembered for his strong support for women in parliament.
He advocated for ten more seats to be allocated for women, believing it would help create political stability in Solomon Islands.
President of the Solomon Islands National Council of Women and former member of parliament during Mr Ulufa'alu's leadership, Hilda Kari says he made inroads for women in parliament.
KARI: Mr Honourable Ulufa'alu saw there was a vacancy that needed to be filled up by women in the parliament. And he saw that things like corruption and those things like can be lessened if there were more gender balance in our parliament.
WEBB: While he may not have had the chance to see all of his desired policies evolve, Miss Kari says there were many achievements that will be remembered.
And she has fond memories of the kind way in which Mr Ulufa'alu treated friends and colleagues.
KARI: A very strong, firm kind of a person but very willing to listen to people, very willing to see the problems through and a very understandable person. He tends to sometimes give that special time and favour. So that is what I remember about honourable Ulufa'alu. He's a very kind kind man, yeah.
