Constitutional Crisis: Solomons Governor-General Rejects Calls to Convene Parliament

Governor-General Sir David Tiva Kapu rejects opposition calls to summon parliament as Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele wins a stay of execution on a High Court order.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 16, 2026, 4:59 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

The Legal Tug-of-War

On Tuesday, Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer ruled that the Prime Minister was under a "constitutional duty" to convene parliament within three days to address a leadership challenge. However, the legal landscape shifted rapidly over the next 48 hours:

The Appeal: Attorney-General John Muria Jr filed a notice of appeal against the High Court decision.

The Stay of Execution: On Thursday afternoon, the Court of Appeal granted a stay of execution, effectively halting the three-day deadline.

The GG’s Stance: In a letter to the opposition coalition, Sir David Tiva Kapu acknowledged his power to summon parliament but stated he would not do so until an "appropriate date and time," effectively siding with the executive's timeline during the appeal process.

Numbers vs. Protocol