Regional & Local Government

There are three tiers of government in the Solomon Islands: national, provincial and local. Sub-national government is mentioned specifically in the country’s constitution.

The Solomon Islands is divided into nine provinces which are governed by devolved Provincial Assemblies. Their powers and functions are provided for by the 1997 Provincial Government Act. Oversight is vested in the minister of Provincial Government.

The 1996 Local Government Act provides the Minister of Home Affairs with the authority to establish local government councils. However, no councils have been established under this act. The only local government authority, Honiara City Council, was established by a separate act— the 1999 Honiara City Act. Councils are headed by a mayor who is indirectly elected by council members. Honiara City Council members are elected for four year terms via the first-past-the-post system.