Transcript
The chief executive of Transparency Solomon Islands, Ruth Liloqula, says members of the public need to realise they are equally responsible for the actions of their leaders, as they are for having elected them.
"This country can only change if all of us make the effort to make that change. Your vote is your voice and you only control that. But after casting your ballot paper your responsibility does not end there, it has just begun. You also need to exercise that right to hold your leader, if not the rest of it, just your leaders accountable for the sake of Solomon Islands."
Prior to the election, Ms Liloqula and her team travelled the country educating people about civic responsibilities and the impact of bad governance.
An example of this was last year's national drug shortage, caused by a change to procurement processes in the ministry of health.
A doctor at the country's main hospital, Pedical Togamae, says the crisis highlighted decades of successive governments failing to prioritize the health sector.
"In terms of political will I think it will be very good if whoever comes into power puts health as the number one priority. Because currently our health system is going down and the hospital is overcrowded, there is shortage of drugs. Even though they said it is coming up better but all throughout the country everyone is facing the problem."
The socioeconomic indicators for Solomon Islands are equally grim.
Unemployment is extremely high, more than 30 percent according to the World Bank.
And with 77 percent the country's population of about 680,000 under the age of 35, the government has been unable to create enough jobs for what's known as the youth bulge.
The chair of Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce, Atenasi Ata, says the private sector can be an important partner in this space.
But she says what's needed are broadminded leaders who are willing to listen.
"In the whole legislature it is just a person who wants to know, or who has an open mind to ideas and ways of doing things differently. So of course in our work with the chamber it is about an enabling environment for businesses to grow. So this is what we are going to be talking on, advocating on. So someone who will want to listen and engage in a discussion."
Meanwhile, the size and shape of the pre-election political parties have already started to shift as negotiations to form the next government ramp up in the capital.
A coalition appears to be forming around Kandere, a major party in the last coalition government.
The Solomon Islands Democratic Party is the only other party to emerge from the election with at least eight successful candidates.
This is Koroi Hawkins.
