BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
TWO years have passed since the national general election in 2014. Winning candidates have taken up their respective roles as leaders in efforts to move their constituency and the country forward, while for losing candidates, life continues as usual.
Some might wait for the next opportunity in 2018 while others might already have given up for reasons only known to them. Whichever the case, in the Solomon Islands men normally dominates an election. Maybe it is because of the cultural system or political system, who knows.
It takes a lot of courage for a woman to contest a national election in the Solomon Islands, huge praises for those women who have tried in past elections. These women should always be saluted and remembered in the political history of the Solomon Islands for their brave attempts to lead a constituency and the nation.
Janet Hatimoana, who hails from Ngella in the Central Province part Chinese, is one of the many women who have contested once in the national general election.
She contested the Ngella constituency seat during the 2014 National General Election against 14 other male candidates and she came second, losing by only 200 plus votes to the winning candidate and now Minister of Tourism, Bartholomew Parapolo.
Despite losing the election, what Mrs. Hatimoana achieved in being in second place proved that despite being a woman anything is possible. Solomons Women Newspaper caught up with a very happy Mrs. Hatimoana this week who spoke about her experience of contesting in a male-dominated election.
“Despite coming second I am proud because it takes so much effort and courage for a woman to reach this far in an election dominated by men,” she said.
Mrs. Hatimoana is the widow of the late John Lee Hatimoana who was the seating Member of Parliament for Ngella before his untimely passing away in 2014, a couple of months before the national election in December later that year.
“I only tried contesting because people wanted me to,” Mrs. Hatimoana said. “As my late husband was the former Honorable MP for Ngella Constituency the people wanted me to continue my husband’s work which was why I contested.”
“I indeed felt the positive sign of winning during then but in the end, things did not turn out as expected. We indeed get upset, frustrated, and all that stuff but we should leave the past behind and set another new positive course in life,” she said.
Mrs. Hatimoana will always be proud of the fact that she finished second out of 14 contestants.
When asked if she is thinking about having another shot at the 2018 election, Mrs. Hatimoana said she will no longer contest.
“I just want to advise my good people of Ngella Constituency to vote wisely and choose a good leader in the upcoming general elections in 2018. This is to have a well-developed constituency for the future.
“Also to my good supporters during the past election, don’t give up and continue to go after your heart in who you believe should be a good leader to lead you.
“I thank you all so much, in one way or the other, for all the support you have given me during our campaigns. May God continues to watch over us and lead us,” said Mrs. Hatimoana. Mrs. Hatimoana who is originally from North Ngella in Belagha village is part Chinese.
Her husband was the former Honorable MP for Ngella Constituency the late John Lee Hatimoana.
Today she continues to live a simple and happy life with her four children.
