Snyder Rini (born 27 July 1948
[Rini CV at Parliament website]
) is a
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capita ...
politician who was briefly the
eighth Prime Minister of the
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capita ...
from April to May 2006 and was
Minister for Finance and Treasury 2000–2001, 2002–2003, 2007–2010 and 2014–2017.
He has represented
Marovo Constituency in
National Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
since 1997.
Rini was Permanent Secretary for the Ministry for Natural Resources in 1989 and was Chairman of Solomon Islands National Provident Fund from 1990 to 1996. He was also Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of National Planning and Development from 1994 to 1995 and Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries from January 1997 to June 1997. He was first elected to the National Parliament in the August 1997 election. Under Prime Minister
Manasseh Sogavare
Manasseh Damukana Sogavare (born 17 January 1955) is the sixth and current Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, serving since 24 April 2019. He previously held the office in 2000–2001, 2006—2007 and 2014–2017; in all he has served over ni ...
, he served as
Minister of Finance and Treasury from July 2000 to December 2001. Re-elected to Parliament in December 2001, he became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for National Planning & Development in that month; after one year, he became Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Finance and Treasury in December 2002, and he then became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education and Human Resources Development in mid-2003, remaining in that post until April 2006.
[
Rini was re-elected to his seat in the April 2006 parliamentary election.][ Rini's subsequent election as Prime Minister by Parliament on 18 April 2006 caused riots as some claimed the election was fixed and that Rini's government would be unduly influenced by local Chinese businessmen and one or both of the ]mainland China
"Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater China. ...
and Republic of China (Taiwan)
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...
governments. Originally to be sworn in as Prime Minister on 19 April, this was delayed until the following day because of the riots and conducted without prior notice so as to avoid triggering further violence. In response to the violence, extra Australian, New Zealand and Fijian police and defence personnel were dispatched as part of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands
The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), also known as Operation Helpem Fren, Operation Anode and Operation Rata (by New Zealand), was created in 2003 in response to a request for international aid by the Governor-General of ...
to try to enable his new government to regain control.
On 26 April, Rini resigned immediately before facing a motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...
in Parliament. The news of his resignation caused celebrations in the streets of Honiara
Honiara () is the capital and largest city of Solomon Islands, situated on the northwestern coast of Guadalcanal. , it had a population of 92,344 people. The city is served by Honiara International Airport and the seaport of Point Cruz, and lie ...
. His successor, Manasseh Sogavare, took office on 4 May 2006, defeating Rini's Deputy Prime Minister, Fred Fono
Fred Iro Fono (10 October 1962 – 26 December 2011) was a Solomon Islands politician, serving as the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Rural Development and Indigenous Affairs from December 2007 to August 2010. , in the vote to replace Rini.
Fono, as Leader of the Opposition, named Rini as Shadow Minister of National Planning and Aid Coordination on 16 May 2006. After Sogavare was defeated in a no-confidence vote in December 2007, Rini became Minister for Finance and Treasury under Prime Minister on 21 December 2007.[Joanna Sireheti and Joy Basi]
"Prime Minister Sikua Unveil Cabinet"
''Solomon Times Online'', 22 December 2007.
Following the replacement of Manasseh Sogavare as Prime Minister by Rick Houenipwela on 15 November 2017, Sogavare became Minister of Finance of the Solomon Islands
The Ministry of Finance and Treasury is a government ministry of the Solomon Islands responsible for public finances. The ministry is located in Honiara.
Ministers
*Willie Betu, 1975-1976
*Benedict Kinika, 1976-1981
*Bartholomew Ulufa’alu, 19 ...
, and Rini does not currently hold a portfolio.
References
Election as PM
Riots in response
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rini, Snyder
1948 births
Living people
Prime Ministers of the Solomon Islands
Members of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands
People from the Western Province (Solomon Islands)
Association of Independent Members politicians
Finance Ministers of the Solomon Islands
Education ministers of the Solomon Islands
Deputy Prime Ministers of the Solomon Islands