Patteson Oti

John Patteson Oti, sometimes called Patterson Oti, is a politician of the Solomon Islands. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs, External Trade and Immigration from May 2006 to 22 December 2007.

Oti was a desk officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1983 to 1990 and a Provincial Secretary for the Ministry of Provincial Government from 1991 to 1993. He was a political analyst for the government of Prime Minister Francis Billy Hilly in 1994, and from 1995 to 1997 he was special secretary to the Leader of the Opposition. [http://www.parliament.gov.sb/index.php?q=node/216 CV for Oti at Parliament website] .]

He was first elected to the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands for Temotu Nende Constituency in the August 1997 parliamentary election, and under Prime Minister Bartholomew Ulufa'alu he served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from August 1997 to June 2000. In the December 2001 election, he was re-elected to his seat, and he served as Leader of the Opposition Group in Parliament from December 2001 to May 2003. He was also a member of the Public Accounts Committee from 2000 to 2001 and was the Committee's Chairman in 2002.

Oti was subsequently Minister for Communication, Aviation & Meteorology from January 2004 to February 2005 and Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament from February 2005 to December 2005. He was re-elected to his seat in the April 2006 parliamentary election and was again a candidate for the post of Deputy Speaker late in the month, ["Solomons ex-PM stands for deputy speaker", Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation text website (nl.newsbank.com), April 23, 2006.] although the post was won by Allan Kemakeza. ["Solomons ex-premier elected deputy speaker", Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation text website (nl.newsbank.com), April 25, 2006.] Under Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, Oti became Foreign Minister for a second time on May 5 2006.

In mid-August 2006, Oti resigned from the National Party. ["Six of seven Solomon Islands ruling coalition MPs resign from party", Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation text website (nl.newsbank.com), August 18, 2006.]

After Sogavare was defeated in a no-confidence vote in December 2007, Oti was the government's candidate to replace Sogavare as Prime Minister, but he was defeated by opposition candidate Derek Sikua in the vote held on December 20, receiving 15 votes against 32 for Sikua. [ [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-12/20/content_7284362.htm "Solomon Islands MPs elect new PM"] , Xinhua, December 20, 2007.]

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