Honiara 2003, conditions had become so bad in Honiara that the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), consisting of multiple Pacific nations under Australian leadership, was invited into the country by the Solomons Government to restore order. In 2006, riots broke out following the election of Snyder Rini as Prime Minister, destroying a part of Chinatown and making more than 1,000 Chinese residents homeless. The riots devastated the town and tourism in the city and the islands was severely affected. Honiara contains the majority of the major government buildings and institutions of Solomon Islands. The National Parliament of Solomon Islands,
2008 East Honiara by-election "Solomon Times" reported that many voters and other residents stayed "around to watch the whole day", viewing the election as "entertainment". The newspaper also reported that the election was "filled with drama, with candidates and supporters accusing certain camps of corrupt dealings". The following candidates finished first, second and third, respectively. Silas Milikada -described by the "Solomon Times" as a "private businessman"- was duly elected MP for East Honiara. Dr. George Manimu contested the result, claiming "corrupt dealings and voting irregularities", unsuccessfully. 2008 East Honiara by-election The East Honiara by-election, 2008 was a by-election for the East Honiara constituency in