Of grave concern is the question of the interpretation and implementation of the GREAT led Executive Government Policy of “Investing in people”.
The reality of the cost-of-living crisis is being felt in households throughout Solomon Islands. The prices of food, transportation, housing, school fees, utilities and other essential goods and services continue to place significant pressure on families whose incomes are already stretched to their limits.
Some ship operators charge children and students the same fare as they charge adults and at a time when students are returning to their schools this adds to their plight.
For many hard-working Solomon Islanders, the daily challenge is simply trying to make ends meet, providing food, water, shelter, clothing, and an education for their children, extended and immediate families, getting their children to school etc.- making ends meet.
Families are working hard to pay school fees, meet transport costs and provide basic necessities for their children. For many, there is little or no room left to save, invest or improve their standard of living.
These salary hikes could have gone into the GREAT government’s “free education” policy. It is now becoming more and more often that the Prime Minister is saying one thing, the GREAT Policy another or nothing at all and those working the Machinery of Government are doing the opposite or doing nothing.
Against this backdrop, TSI notes with great concern and objects the recent increase in salaries and entitlements of the Members of Parliament. It urges the Parliamentary Entitlement Commission (PEC) to revoke this award for the common good.
PEC having the legal right to make such awards does not make this decision a right one for the development of Solomon Islands. The decision must be viewed within the broader economic and social realities facing the people of Solomon Islands.
Effective from 1st April 2026, the annual salary of an ordinary Member of Parliament will increase to approximately SBD288,615, while the annual salary of the Prime Minister increased to approximately SBD454,659. This reported increase is the second increase in parliamentary salaries in two years and has understandably generated public discussion, particularly given the continuing cost-of-living pressures experienced by ordinary citizens.
TSI recognises that the Members of Parliament (Entitlements) Commission (PEC) is established under the Constitution and has the legal mandate to determine and review the salaries and entitlements of parliamentarians. However, the existence of a legal mandate does not remove the need for transparency, accountability and public scrutiny.
The Constitution requires the Commission, when exercising its powers, to have regard to the state of the national economy and the financial position of the Government, movements in the level of pay and other entitlements received by other people in employment and changes in the retail price index and other relevant indicators of the cost of maintaining a reasonable standard of living for parliamentarians.
The Constitution also provides that, in determining parliamentary entitlements, consideration must be given to the rate of increase in salaries and entitlements of public officers. TSI calls for transparency.
The public who are the taxpayers deserves to know how these considerations were applied in arriving at the latest increase. Did the PEC take into account their fight and struggles for social services when deciding on this increase. Did PEC consult or call for submission from civil society like the previous chairmanship did or is this going to be the new mode of operation – complete lack of transparency and accountability.
The key question is not simply whether the PEC has the authority to review parliamentary salaries, but whether the decision reflects the economic reality of Solomon Islands, access to services by the people whose entrusted power it exercises, and whether the process has been transparent and accountable. It is the people that will ultimately fund the increase through their tax.
Whether one is employed, self-employed or otherwise all are subject to the same economic environment. We all live in the Solomon Islands where the cost of goods is the same. There is therefore no justifiable reason for increasing the salaries of Members of Parliament at this point in time.
Transparency Solomon Islands urges PEC to always take into consideration the context and status of the country’s economic, affordability in its decisions. They must consider the standard of living of the people who elected them to serve their needs.
Prime Minister Hon Matthew Wale, expressed in his victory speech to the nation that elected leaders are servants of the people, not their lords, they must continue to remind their leaders of their roles and responsibilities. This speech carries a significant importance in relation to the increased salary. It is important that this principle of servant leadership is reflected not only in words but also in decisions and actions.
A salary increase for political leaders, at a time when families are struggling to afford basic necessities, is nothing more than leaders putting their own interests ahead of the people they represent.
The GREAT Government has presented itself as a government committed to serving the people of Solomon Islands and strengthening institutions. TSI therefore calls on the Government to ensure that the principle of being a government of the people and not the people’s lords, is reflected in its approach to public remuneration, economic policy and social justice.
TSI demands for greater transparency in decision on the entitlements of MPs’ be it salaries or otherwise. The people deserve to know why the increase.
The explanation given by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Entitlement Commission is insufficient and not good enough. The people of Solomon Islands are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for fairness, proportionality, transparency and accountability.
TSI therefore calls on the GREAT Government to uphold its commitment to servant leadership and to ensure that fairness, transparency and accountability guide decisions affecting the lives and livelihoods of all Solomon Islanders.
The people are the masters of democracy. Leaders are entrusted to serve them.
For the good of the people of Solomon Islands, TSI calls for the revocation of the salary increase award. MPs are already remunerated adequately, their gas, water, electricity, rent, transport, servants, gardeners, security, medical bills overseas, clothing, sitting allowances, are already paid for by public funds or tax payers.
The rest, especially tax payers, do not have such lucrative remunerations. It is grossly irresponsible of PEC to increase their salary when they are the most privileged group in Solomon Islands.
Table 1. Breakdown of 2026 Salary Regulations
Position
Previous Salary
New Salary
Increase
Prime Minister
SBD428,560.12
SBD454,659.43
+SBD26,099.31
Deputy Prime Minister
SBD385,226
408,687.10
+SBD23,460.31
Opposition Leader, Independent Leader, Ministers
SBD334,539.33
354,912.78
+SBD20,373.45
Ordinary MPs
SBD272,047.34
SBD288,615.02
+SBD16,567.68
[end]
TSI statement
