Baddeley Devesi

Sir Baddeley Devesi GCMG, GCVO (born October 16 1941) is a Solomon Islander politician.

He was born in Guadalcanal. He served as the first Governor-General of the Solomon Islands from July 7 1978 to July 7 1988. Afterwards, he served as Foreign Minister from 1989 to 1990, Interior Minister from 1990 to 1992, and Deputy Prime Minister from 1990 to 1993 and 1997 to 2000, until the government was removed by a coup d'etat. He has since retired from politics.cite web|url=http://www.cdnn.info/industry/i030714/i030714.html|title=Solomon Islands crisis dates back to hasty British handover|author=Mary-Louise O'Callaghan|date=July 14 2003|accessdate=2007-10-18|work=New Zealand Herald]

As a leader during the independence, he has criticized Britain for its lack of preparation for the handover of autonomy, which ultimately led to the political crises the Solomons have suffered following independence. He quipped that "that the empire was leaving behind a system of British justice and Parliament, but for an island nation with 4 volcanoes and 70 languages." [cite web|page=3|url=http://www.policyconcepts.com/mif.pdf|title=Asia Regional: Multinational Intervention Force to Arrive in Embattled Solomon Islands Tomorrow|work=World Markets Research Centre|accessdate=2007-10-18|date=July 23 2003|format=PDF] In particular he was concerned about the absence of preparation for economic development.

In 1993, he addressed the United Nations General Assembly, concerned that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change did not sufficiently address the issue of global warming. [cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1309/is_n1_v30/ai_13828023/pg_24|title=The nations speak; caught in the throes of pervasive change, seeking effective and swift responses - United Nations General Assembly|work=UN Chronicle|month=March | year=1993|accessdate=2007-10-18] He was also a strong advocate of the Treaty of Rarotonga. [cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-8886345.html|work=UN Chronicle|month=March | year=1990|title=Asia and the Pacific: the quest for peace pacts ... tempered optimism in '89. (state-of-the-world review)(The Nations Speak)|accessdate=2007-10-18]

Leading up to the coup, he had strongly recommended to the Australian and New Zealand High Commissioner that they send peacekeepers. He encouraged election observers to ensure an orderly formation of a government after the 2006 election. [cite web|url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=22572|title=Solomons call for observers to monitor PM’s election|work=Radio New Zealand International|date=March 2 2006|accessdate=2007-10-18]

External links

* [http://solomonstarnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2072&change=71&changeown=78&Itemid=26 Biography of Sir Baddeley] on the website of the "Solomon Star" newspaper

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