PERSONAL DETAILS
NAME: Isaac QOLONI, OBE, CMG
Date of Birth: 16TH September 1942
Date of Death: 14TH February 1997
Place of Birth: Nabusasa Village, South Choisuel
Parents: Solomon Damusoe & Emily Sagoleke
Village: Qome Village, South Choiseul
Spouse: Alice Geisae
Children: 4 (Maxwell, Emily, Margaret, Sarah)
EDUCATION BACKGROUND
1970 – 1971: South Devon, England - Diplomacy
1962-1963: Admores Teachers College, Auckland, NZ
1959-1961: Wesley College, Pukekohe, Auckland, NZ
1957-1958: Goldie College, Western Province
1955-1956: Vonunu Provincial Secondary School
1948-1954: Sasamuga Primary School, South Choiseul
WORK HISTORY
1986–1991: Ombudsman, Solomon Island Government
1984-1985: Private Businessman, Vasivapada Trading and Shipping CO.LTD
1982-1983: Permanent Secretary, Ministry Of Works
1975-1981: Permanent Secretary to Prime Minister and Secretary to Cabinet
1973-1974: District Commissioner, Western Province
1965–1972: District Officer, Auki, Malaita Province
1964: Teacher, Goldie College
WORKSHOPS/CONFERENCES ATTENDED
1991: 12TH Conference of the Australian and Pacific Ombudsmen, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
1990: 11TH Conference of the Australian and Pacific Ombudsmen Honiara, Solomon Islands
1989: Tropical Forestry Workshop - 28th Mach – 2nd April 1989, Puncack Pass Hotel, Indonesia -1988- 10th Conference of the Australian and Pacific Ombudsman Canberra Australia
HIGHLIGHTS
In March 1988, produced Special Report on the controversial sale of Government Quarters in 1982 and 1985.
Recommended that:
- All Senior houses be withdrawn from the sale
- Junior houses be processed properly and sold at full market value to those who won them.
- Institutional houses (both senior and junior) are to be withdrawn from the sales altogether
- Government to be prepared to reimburse any reasonable expenses incurred by officers on the houses to be returned, and in certain cases houses are to be bought back.
The above recommendations were put to the government and a firm policy decision was expected from the government then.
High Court Case No: 239 of 1987 – The Ombudsman –v- The Attorney General and Others
The Ombudsman was aware of his Constitutional duty to ensure that restrictive provisions in the Ombudsman Act should not encumber the elimination of unfair decisions. The Ombudsman was of the view that where Recommendations and Reports had been ignored or perhaps because of urgency or other peculiarity of a case were bound to fail, the Ombudsman should have access to the High Court. Mr. Isaac Qoloni tested this interpretation by putting it to the test in September 1987 in the High Court Civil Case No. 239 of 1987.
Logging Issues
He was very vocal on Logging and environmental issues. Produced four Special Reports on Logging to the Prime Minister in one year. (July 1988 to June 1989)
- During period 1989/1990, produced ten Investigation Reports on issues ranging from Public Servants’ welfares, Prison Inmate Welfares, Land issues, Timber Rights and Psychiatric patient welfares.
- During period 1990/91 produced eight Special and Investigation Reports.
- Instigated an Own Motion Investigation into the sale of old Government House, now Heritage Hotel site to develop it into a Five Star Hotel. This also includes the Iron Bottom Sound Hotel Development.
Australasian and Pacific Ombudsman Conference
Hosted the eleventh Australasian and Pacific Ombudsman Alliance Conference from 08th to 12thOctober 1990.