By Loretta B Manele

Opposition Leader Matthew Wale said running a government is a very serious responsibility and after all, it is the people’s government.

He made the statement at the Sine Die Motion in parliament last Thursday.

Wale said those animating and exercising government are trustees above all else.

He expressed that if leaders lose sight of the trusteeship, then what follows is bad governance, bad decision making and poor choices.

“The consequences are on all who call this beautiful Solomon Islands home and so no one should be conducting themselves as if they own the government alone and use their position in government for their own personal benefits”

He said we know that human nature tends to pull against what is right and good for everyone because the human heart above all else is deceitful.

Wale mentioned that it is precisely because of the human condition that they, as leaders all have the responsibility to hold each other to account not only for the benefit of the country but also to help each other as individuals.

“To not fall into the traps of self-interest and greed and thereby bring the public offices we occupy into disrepute and erode the people’s trust in their government”

Wale emphasized that it is very important that people trust their government to do the best for them because when poor decisions or poor choices are made, rightly or wrongly, the people lose trust.

“We must be jealous about protecting the trust of the people in their government”