Fred Fono
Encyclopedia
Fred Iro Fono is a politician in the Solomon Islands
who has been Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Rural Development and Indigenous Affairs since December 2007. He is a member of the People's Alliance Party
and has represented Central Kwara'ae Constituency in the National Parliament
since 1997.
Fono served as Chief Commercial Officer of the Corporate Division of the Ministry of Commerce & Primary Industries and as Provincial Secretary for Malaita Province
before being elected to the National Parliament for the first time in the August 1997 parliamentary election. He then served as Minister for Development and Planning from 29 September 1997 to 5 June 2000. He was a candidate for the position of Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament later that year, but withdrew his candidacy on 1 December 2000, leaving Jackson Sunaone to win the post without opposition. He was re-elected to his seat in the December 2001 parliamentary election and subsequently served as Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament from 20 December 2001 to 3 January 2005. He was then Minister for National Planning and Aid Coordination from 4 February 2005 to 4 April 2006. Re-elected to his seat in April 2006, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for National Planning and Aid Coordination in the short-lived government of Snyder Rini
from 21 April 2006 to 4 May 2006. Fono was the government's candidate to replace Rini as Prime Minister, but he was defeated by Manasseh Sogavare
in the parliamentary vote on 4 May, receiving 22 votes against 28 for Sogavare. He was then elected as Leader of the Opposition on 5 May, receiving unanimous support from the members of the opposition.
Criticizing Sogavare's worsening of relations with Australia through his refusal to extradite Attorney-General Julian Moti
, Fono introduced a motion of no-confidence against Sogavare that was defeated on 11 October 2006; the motion was supported by 17 members of parliament, while 28 voted against it. After Sogavare was defeated in another no-confidence vote in December 2007, Fono became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Rural Development and Indigenous Affairs under Prime Minister Derek Sikua
on 21 December 2007.
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
who has been Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Rural Development and Indigenous Affairs since December 2007. He is a member of the People's Alliance Party
People's Alliance Party (Solomon Islands)
The People's Alliance Party is a political party in the Solomon Islands. The party was formed in 1977 through a merger of the Rural Alliance Party and the People's Progressive Party ....
and has represented Central Kwara'ae Constituency in the National Parliament
National Parliament of the Solomon Islands
The National Parliament of Solomon Islands has 50 members, elected for a four year term in 50 single-seat constituencies.It is presided by a Speaker - currently Sir Allan Kemakeza.-Latest elections:-Members:...
since 1997.
Fono served as Chief Commercial Officer of the Corporate Division of the Ministry of Commerce & Primary Industries and as Provincial Secretary for Malaita Province
Malaita Province
Malaita Province is one of the largest provinces of the Solomon Islands. It is named for its largest island, Malaita . Other islands include South Malaita Island , Sikaiana Island, and Ontong Java Atoll. The provincial capital and largest urban center is Auki, located on Big Malaita...
before being elected to the National Parliament for the first time in the August 1997 parliamentary election. He then served as Minister for Development and Planning from 29 September 1997 to 5 June 2000. He was a candidate for the position of Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament later that year, but withdrew his candidacy on 1 December 2000, leaving Jackson Sunaone to win the post without opposition. He was re-elected to his seat in the December 2001 parliamentary election and subsequently served as Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament from 20 December 2001 to 3 January 2005. He was then Minister for National Planning and Aid Coordination from 4 February 2005 to 4 April 2006. Re-elected to his seat in April 2006, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for National Planning and Aid Coordination in the short-lived government of Snyder Rini
Snyder Rini
Snyder Rini is a Solomon Islands politician who was briefly the eighth Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands from April to May 2006 and has been Minister for Finance and Treasury since December 2007...
from 21 April 2006 to 4 May 2006. Fono was the government's candidate to replace Rini as Prime Minister, but he was defeated by Manasseh Sogavare
Manasseh Sogavare
Manasseh Damukana Sogavare was the sixth Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands from 2000 to 2001 and again from 2006 to 2007. He has served in the National Parliament as Member for East Choiseul since 1997, and he is currently the Leader of the Opposition.-Biography:Sogavare was Permanent...
in the parliamentary vote on 4 May, receiving 22 votes against 28 for Sogavare. He was then elected as Leader of the Opposition on 5 May, receiving unanimous support from the members of the opposition.
Criticizing Sogavare's worsening of relations with Australia through his refusal to extradite Attorney-General Julian Moti
Julian Moti
Julian Moti QC CSI is the former Attorney General of the Solomon Islands. He was born in Fiji and educated in Australia.Moti worked as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Bond University on Australia's Gold Coast from 1992, and taught comparative constitutional law, public and private international...
, Fono introduced a motion of no-confidence against Sogavare that was defeated on 11 October 2006; the motion was supported by 17 members of parliament, while 28 voted against it. After Sogavare was defeated in another no-confidence vote in December 2007, Fono became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Rural Development and Indigenous Affairs under Prime Minister Derek Sikua
Derek Sikua
David Derek Sikua served as the ninth Prime Minister of Solomon Islands from December 20, 2007 to August 25, 2010. He is a member of the Solomon Islands Liberal Party.-Career:Sikua is from Ngalitavethi Village in Guadalcanal Province...
on 21 December 2007.