Opposition commends Finance Minister Lilo for fiscal discipline, urging spending control and stronger fiscal space for Solomon Islands.
Honiara, Solomon Islands – The Parliamentary Opposition Group has commended Minister of Finance and Treasury Gordon Darcy Lilo for his responsible and realistic approach to the country’s financial position.
In his recent presentation of the 2026 Supplementary Appropriation Bill, Lilo highlighted the pressure placed on the national budget when expenditure increases without corresponding revenue growth or a clear financing strategy.
The Opposition said the Minister’s emphasis on understanding Solomon Islands’ available fiscal space, strengthening domestic revenue and managing public finances responsibly is the kind of discipline required when Government faces many competing demands.
The Opposition said this is a difficult responsibility for any Finance Minister, particularly when Government is also pursuing major policy commitments and new programmes.
“Minister Lilo deserves credit for putting fiscal reality at the centre of the discussion. A Finance Minister must look at what the country can actually afford before Government makes commitments that create additional financial obligations,” the Opposition stated.
The Opposition said this discipline must apply across Government, particularly as expenditure increases and the Government pursues major commitments including fee-free education, infrastructure, agriculture and other programmes.
It said all these commitments have financial implications and must be considered against the country’s available resources.
The Opposition said increasing revenue is important, but it cannot simply be followed by more spending. Government must also consider what it can afford to sustain over the long term.
This is particularly relevant to the proposed fee-free education policy, with the Opposition saying Government must be clear about the full cost of the policy and how it will be financed alongside its other commitments.
“Good policy must be matched by good financial planning,” the Opposition stated.
The Opposition also said responsible financial management requires the Finance Minister to have the space to properly assess the country’s finances and advise Government on what is affordable and sustainable.
“If we genuinely want responsible government, then fiscal discipline cannot rest with the Finance Minister alone. It must be respected and applied across the whole of Government,” the Opposition stated.
The Parliamentary Opposition Group said it welcomes Lilo’s focus on fiscal responsibility and will continue to support efforts to strengthen the country’s financial position while scrutinising Government spending and major policy commitments.
The Opposition said Solomon Islanders deserve a Government that makes promises based not only on what people want to hear, but on what the country can realistically afford and sustain.
It also urged the Minister for Finance and Treasury to control government expenditure while building the country’s fiscal space.
SOURCE//: OPPOSITION PRESS RELEASE
