Transcript
Among the defectors are former prime ministers Danny Phillip and Snyder Rini, lending weight to moves to change government.
They claim the current government, the Democratic Coalition for Change, has lost trust in the leadership of Manasseh Sogavare.
There are also grumblings about the influence of Mr Sogavare's nephew, Robson Djokovic, as cabinet's chief of staff.
But the Minister of Infrastructure Development, Stanley Sofu, says it's not entirely clear why the members resigned.
"We are trying to find out what are the reasons that made them resign from the government. We are yet to find out. I think it's something to do with the anti-corruption bill. I am still with the government, and I am committed to the anti-corruption bill."
One of the ministers who has resigned, Snyder Rini, denies that they have any problem with the anti-corruption bill, which is being tabled in parliament this week.
The former Fisheries Minister says they resigned because the prime minister has stopped listening to others, and has been diverting from core government policy of governance and sectoral reforms.
"He changed his approach. He was diverting from our main policies, and he has listened too much to the outsiders, instead of listening to us ministers. So that's why I don't have any confidence with him, and why I resigned."
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Mr Sogavare is only a year out from completing his first full four-year term in office, but Mr Rini doesn't think he should be given another chance
The Communications Minister Peter Shanel is staying firm behind Mr Sogavare.
According to him, those who have resigned do not like the government's intention to pass the anti-corruption bill.
Mr Shanel names Mr Rini and Mr Phillip as two central figures, saying they're using personal grudges against Mr Sogavare and his nephew to hold government to ransom.
He's confident that Mr Sogavare will have majority support in the 50-seat parliament come next week's vote of no-confidence.
The defections come just before this week's visit to Solomon Islands by president Dr Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan which is a key aid donor.
A Taiwanese embassy spokesman says her scheduled talks with Mr Sogavare will go ahead.
