29 Feb 2012

New Foreign Minister appointed in Solomon Islands

10:22 am on 29 February 2012

The Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Gordon Darcy Lilo, has appointed the Police Minister Clay Forau as his new Foreign Affairs Minister.

The Solomon Star reports the Member of Parliament for Temotu Vatud was sworn in at Government House yesterday afternoon.

This means the Police Ministry is now left vacant with Prime Minister Lilo yet to appoint his new minister.

Mr Forau has replaced former Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Shanel who was sacked by the Prime Minister earlier this month.

Mr Forau had in the past served as Minister of Legal Affairs and as Health Minister.

Meanwhile, two other ministers were sworn in yesterday and they are new minister for infrastructure Seth Gukuna and new minister for fisheries Alfred Ghiro.

Prime Minister Lilo is expected to reshuffle and appoint more ministers to fill in the vacant posts in the coming days.