UPDATED: 7:57am – The Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has vowed to pass a revised anti-corruption bill during the next sitting of parliament.
Mr Sogavare received widespread criticism when he withdrew a much anticipated anti-corruption bill that he tabled in 2016 only to have it stall after its first reading.
The opposition group voted against its withdrawal, calling it a slap in the face for Solomon Islanders standing against corruption.
But in statement Mr Sogavare accused them of being against the strengthening of the proposed legislation, which was the reason he gave for its withdrawal.
The prime minister said several major recommendations made by a bills and legislation committee to strengthen the proposed legislation warranted its withdrawal.
However eight out of the ten MPs who were on the committee voted against this.
Mr Sogavare accused them of having double standards and vowed to have a new and improved version of the bill passed into law during the next sitting of parliament.
But the opposition group said Mr Sogavare had been forced to withdraw the bill because MPs in his own government did not support it.
-RNZ
