Snyder Rini

Infobox Prime Minister
name = Snyder Rini


order = 11th Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands
term_start = 2006-04-20
term_end = 2006-05-04
deputy =
predecessor = Allan Kemakeza
successor = Manasseh Sogavare
birth_date = Birth date and age|1949|07|27
birth_place =
death_date =
death_place =
spouse =
party = Association of Independent Members
religion =

Snyder Rini (born July 27, 1949 [http://www.parliament.gov.sb/index.php?q=node/209 Rini CV at Parliament website] .] ) is a Solomon Islands politician who was briefly the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands from April 2006 to May 2006 and has been Minister for Finance and Treasury since December 2007. He has represented Marovo Constituency in the National Parliament since 1997.

Rini was Permanent Secretary for the Ministry for Natural Resources in 1989 and was Chairman of the 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, 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 April 18, 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 and Republic of China (Taiwan) governments. Originally to be sworn in as Prime Minister on April 19, 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 the Solomon Islands to try and enable his new government to regain control.

On April 26, Rini resigned immediately before facing a motion of no confidence in Parliament. The news of his resignation caused celebrations in the streets of Honiara. [ [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10379008 "Rini resigns as Solomons PM"] , Reuters (NZ Herald), April 26, 2006.] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4945090.stm "Embattled Solomons PM steps down"] , BBC News, April 26, 2006.] His successor, Manasseh Sogavare, took office on 4 May 2006, defeating Rini's Deputy Prime Minister, Fred Fono, in the vote to replace Rini.

Fono, as Leader of the Opposition, named Rini as Shadow Minister of National Planning and Aid Coordination on May 16 2006. ["Solomons opposition names shadow cabinet", Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation text website (nl.newsbank.com), May 16, 2006.] After Sogavare was defeated in a no-confidence vote in December 2007, Rini became Minister for Finance and Treasury under Prime Minister Derek Sikua on December 21 2007. [Joanna Sireheti and Joy Basi, [http://www.solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwid=1145 "Prime Minister Sikua Unveil Cabinet"] , "Solomon Times Online", December 22, 2007.]

References

* [http://www.pacificislands.cc/pina/pinadefault2.php?urlpinaid=21489 Election as PM]
* [http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=23509 Riots in response]