Martin Sopage

{{Short description|Solomon Islands politician (born 1966)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix = The Right Honourable

|name = Martin Sopage

|honorific-suffix = MP

|image =

|office = Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey

|primeminister = Danny Philip

|term_start = 17 February 2011

|term_end = 18 April 2011

|predecessor = himself, prior to vacancy

|successor = Joseph Onika

|office2 = Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey

|primeminister2 = Danny Philip

|term_start2 = 31 January 2011

|term_end2 = 8 February 2011

|predecessor2 = himself, prior to vacancy

|successor2 = himself, after vacancy

|office3 = Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey

|primeminister3 = Danny Philip

|term_start3 = 27 August 2010

|term_end3 = 20 January 2011

|predecessor3 =

|successor3 = himself, after vacancy

|office4 = Minister for Infrastructure and Development

|term_start4 = 12 November 2007

|term_end4 = 20 December 2007

|primeminister4 = Manasseh Sogavare

|predecessor4 = Stanley Sofu

|successor4 = Stanley Sofu

|office5 =

|leader5 =

|term_start5 =

|term_end5 =

|predecessor5 =

|successor45 =

|constituency_MP6 = North Guadalcanal

|term_start6 = 5 April 2006

|term_end6 =

|predecessor6 = Edmond Rukale

|successor6 =

|majority6 =

|constituency_MP7 =

|parliament7 =

|term_start7 =

|term_end7 =

|predecessor7 =

|successor7 =

|birth_date = May 1966

|birth_place = Komuvaolu Village, Guadalcanal Province

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Independent

|alma_mater =

|website =

}}

Martin Sopage, whose name is also commonly spelt Martin Sopaghe, (born May 1966 in Komuvaolu Village, Guadalcanal Province[http://www.parliament.gov.sb/index.php?q=node/161 Official biography 1], Parliament website) is a Solomon Islands politician.

After a primary school education, he went into private business. His career in national politics began when he was elected to the National Parliament as MP for the North Guadalcanal constituency in the general election on April 5, 2006. He was elected as an Independent. In November 2007, several ministers defected from Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare's government in an attempt to bring down the government, and Sogavare appointed Sopage as Minister for Infrastructure and Development on November 12. Nevertheless, Sogavare was ousted in a motion of no confidence on December 20, ending Sopage's brief participation in Cabinet. Sopage retained his seat in the general election on August 4, 2010, having stood again as an Independent, unaffiliated to any political party. He was appointed Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey in Prime Minister Danny Philip's coalition Cabinet.[http://www.parliament.gov.sb/index.php?q=node/515 Official biography 2], Parliament website[http://www.parliament.gov.sb/index.php?q=node/147 Members of the Eighth Parliament by political party], Parliament website[http://www.solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=908 "Three New Ministers Sworn In"], Solomon Times, November 12, 2007[http://www.sibconline.com.sb/elections/results_party.asp?partyID=01 2010 election data] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101220080456/http://www.sibconline.com.sb/elections/results_party.asp?partyID=01 |date=2010-12-20 }}, Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation

On January 20, 2011, he and three other ministers left the government and joined Steve Abana's official Opposition, citing dissatisfaction with the Cabinet being "manipulated by one or two people".[http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/9924-ministers-walkout "Ministers walkout"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716103321/http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/9924-ministers-walkout |date=2011-07-16 }}, Solomon Star, January 21, 2010[http://www.solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwID=5823 "Four MPs Desert Government"], Solomon Times, January 21, 2010 On January 31, he returned to the government and resumed his Cabinet post.[http://www.islandsun.com.sb/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2001:sopage-sworn-in-as-minister-for-landshousing-and-survey&catid=36:latest-news&Itemid=79 "Sopage sworn in as minister for lands,housing and survey"], Island Sun, January 31, 2011 On February 8, he defected anew to the Opposition,[http://www.islandsun.com.sb/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2096:opposition-reclaims-members&catid=36:latest-news&Itemid=79 "Opposition reclaims Members"], Island Sun, February 9, 2011 then re-defected to the government with several other defectors on February 17, and resumed his post as Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey.[http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/10164-four-ministers-explain-why-they-move "Four Ministers explain why they move"], Solomon Star, February 18, 2011

On April 18, Philip removed him from Cabinet in a reshuffle to make way for five Opposition members who had just joined the government ranks. Sopage was succeeded by Joseph Onika.[http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/10621-ministers-axed-replacement-sworn-in "Ministers axed: Replacement sworn in"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402214412/http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/10621-ministers-axed-replacement-sworn-in |date=2012-04-02 }}, Solomon Star, 19 April 2011

In early November, Sopage, along with several other former ministers who had lost their positions in that reshuffle, switched over to the Opposition again, and this time succeeded in bringing down the Philip government.[http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/12761-backbenchers-confirm-allegiance-to-opposition- "Backbenchers confirm allegiance to Opposition"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402214424/http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/12761-backbenchers-confirm-allegiance-to-opposition- |date=2012-04-02 }}, Solomon Star, 11 November 2011[http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/12767-pm-resigns "PM Resigns"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402214339/http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/12767-pm-resigns |date=2012-04-02 }}, Solomon Star, 11 November 2011