Martin Sopage

Martin Sopage, whose name is also commonly spelt Martin Sopaghe, (born May 1966 in Komuvaolu Village, Guadalcanal Province[1]) is a Solomon Islands politician.

The Right Honourable

Martin Sopage

MP
Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey
In office
17 February 2011 – 18 April 2011
Prime MinisterDanny Philip
Preceded byhimself, prior to vacancy
Succeeded byJoseph Onika
Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey
In office
31 January 2011 – 8 February 2011
Prime MinisterDanny Philip
Preceded byhimself, prior to vacancy
Succeeded byhimself, after vacancy
Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey
In office
27 August 2010 – 20 January 2011
Prime MinisterDanny Philip
Succeeded byhimself, after vacancy
Minister for Infrastructure and Development
In office
12 November 2007 – 20 December 2007
Prime MinisterManasseh Sogavare
Preceded byStanley Sofu
Succeeded byStanley Sofu
Member of Parliament
for North Guadalcanal
Assumed office
5 April 2006
Preceded byEdmond Rukale
Personal details
BornMay 1966
Komuvaolu Village, Guadalcanal Province
Political partyIndependent

After a primary school education, he went into private business. His career in national politics began when he was elected to the National Parliament as MP for the North Guadalcanal constituency in the general election on April 5, 2006. He was elected as an Independent. In November 2007, several ministers defected from Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's government in an attempt to bring down the government, and Sogavare appointed Sopage as Minister for Infrastructure and Development on November 12. Nevertheless, Sogavare was ousted in a motion of no confidence on December 20, ending Sopage's brief participation in Cabinet. Sopage retained his seat in the general election on August 4, 2010, having stood again as an Independent, unaffiliated to any political party. He was appointed Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey in Prime Minister Danny Philip's coalition Cabinet.[2][3][4][5]

On January 20, 2011, he and three other ministers left the government and joined Steve Abana's official Opposition, citing dissatisfaction with the Cabinet being "manipulated by one or two people".[6][7] On January 31, he returned to the government and resumed his Cabinet post.[8] On February 8, he defected anew to the Opposition,[9] then re-defected to the government with several other defectors on February 17, and resumed his post as Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey.[10]

On April 18, Philip removed him from Cabinet in a reshuffle to make way for five Opposition members who had just joined the government ranks. Sopage was succeeded by Joseph Onika.[11]

In early November, Sopage, along with several other former ministers who had lost their positions in that reshuffle, switched over to the Opposition again, and this time succeeded in bringing down the Philip government.[12][13]

Summary of membership during the Ninth Parliament (2010- )

As of November 2011, Sopage has crossed the floor between the government and the opposition five times:

  • Aug. 2010-Jan. 2011: government (frontbencher)
  • Jan. 2011: opposition (for eleven days)
  • Jan. 2011-Feb. 2011: government (frontbencher)
  • Feb. 2011: opposition (for eleven days)
  • Feb. 2011-Nov. 2011: government (frontbencher until April, then backbencher)
  • Nov. 2011: opposition (helps bring down the government)

References
  1. Official biography 1, Parliament website
  2. Official biography 2, Parliament website
  3. Members of the Eighth Parliament by political party, Parliament website
  4. "Three New Ministers Sworn In", Solomon Times, November 12, 2007
  5. 2010 election data Archived 2010-12-20 at the Wayback Machine, Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation
  6. "Ministers walkout" Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine, Solomon Star, January 21, 2010
  7. "Four MPs Desert Government", Solomon Times, January 21, 2010
  8. "Sopage sworn in as minister for lands,housing and survey", Island Sun, January 31, 2011
  9. "Opposition reclaims Members", Island Sun, February 9, 2011
  10. "Four Ministers explain why they move", Solomon Star, February 18, 2011
  11. "Ministers axed: Replacement sworn in" Archived 2012-04-02 at the Wayback Machine, Solomon Star, 19 April 2011
  12. "Backbenchers confirm allegiance to Opposition" Archived 2012-04-02 at the Wayback Machine, Solomon Star, 11 November 2011
  13. "PM Resigns" Archived 2012-04-02 at the Wayback Machine, Solomon Star, 11 November 2011
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