In 35 years of reporting from Solomon Islands, I’ve never seen the secrecy of the last few months

Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands. ‘The government has become secretive since the draft security agreement between China and Solomon Islands was leaked online.’ Photograph: Zahiyd Namo/The Guardian

At the end of April, a reporter and a cameraman stood outside the national parliament in Honiara. They were trying to film the Solomon Islands prime minister, Manasseh Sogavare, as he walked in. But police arrived and chased them from the building.

It prompted outrage among journalists. As they stood around discussing it afterwards, one said in Pijin: “Ma any cathedral,” meaning “as if it’s a cathedral” – a sacred place where filming is inappropriate. Everyone burst out laughing. This was a democratic country’s parliament, which journalists have a duty to cover.