Patrons of disaster: The role of political patronage in flood response in the Solomon Islands

Abstract

This article examines the contentious role of Members of Parliament (MPs) in disaster response following the 2014 floods in the Solomon Islands and the implications their involvement had on both responding agencies and affected communities. Drawing on qualitative interviews and focus groups with various stakeholders, supplemented by document analysis, the study was guided by a reflexive discourse analysis and narrative inquiry approach. The hopeful post-development theoretical lens which underpins this research places high importance on the heterogeneity of lived experiences among research participants. We found that MPs stepped into a void of service delivery left by a largely ‘absent state’, but catered mostly to the needs of their own supporter base. The channeling of relief funds through MPs in disaster response undermined the role of the National Disaster Management Office and contributed to increasing dependency and opportunism among affected populations. Our study concludes that the MPs’ dual function of legislators and implementers in the wake of the flood disaster raises concerns about accountability, effectiveness and fairness. Bypassing government agencies tasked with disaster response may be corrosive to the country’s socio-political fabric and have negative implications for leadership and coordination in future disaster events. This article argues for greater inclusion of those affected by disaster and a focus on progressive improvements to disaster planning, response and recovery based on reflexive practice.