Solomon Islands Parliamentary Strengthening Project

Solomon

Islands

PERFORMANCE review report 1/2008

Solomon Islands Parliamentary Strengthening Project

REPORTING PERIOD:

APRIL2008 – september 2008

(DRAFT)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.GENERAL INTRODUCtion

1.1PARLIAMENTARY STRENGTHENING PROJECT PHASE 2

1.2CORPORATE PLAN 2008 – 2012

2.Delivery against PROJECT outcomes IN REPORTING PERIOD

2.1PROCEDURAL SUPPORT SERVICE

Parliamentary Meetings and Sittings

Review and Revision of Standing Orders

Opening of Parliament and Traditional Welcome Ceremony

Motion congratulating the National Futsal Soccer Team ‘Kurukuru’

Procedural advice and support to Speaker, Clerk and Members

Advice to Parliamentary Administration

2.2COMMITTEE SERVICES

Public Accounts Committee

Parliamentary House Committee

Bills and Legislation Committee

Constitutional Review Committee

Foreign Relations Committee

Special Select Committee on Parliamentary Privileges, Immunities and Powers

2.3INFORMATION SERVICES

Library and Information Management System

Library Furniture

Library Collection Development

Newspaper Clippings

Provision of accurate and timely records of the debates of parliament

Broadcasting of parliamentary debates and Committee Hearings

Administration of the parliamentary web-site

2.4CORPORATE SERVICES

Advice and Preparation of Contract Documents

Preparation as hosts of the PPAPD/FPOCC Meeting in 3 – 6 November 2008

Budget and Financial Management

Facilities Management

Human Resources Management

Corporate Planning and Reporting

2.5Parliamentary Education & Community Engagement Services

3.Project risks, 2008

4.Lessons learned

5.Next Steps

TRIANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW

REPORT 1/2008

SOLOMON ISLANDS NATIONAL PARLIAMENT STRENGTHENING PROJECT

1.GENERAL INTRODUCtion

1.1PARLIAMENTARY STRENGTHENING PROJECT PHASE 2

The Solomon Islands Parliamentary Strengthening Project (Project) completed its initial ‘2004 – 2008’ work program in March 2008 after a successful first phase. The main outcomes of the first phase were (a) Effective and efficient parliamentary services, management and administration, (b) Representative role of the Solomon Islands Parliamentarians strengthened, (c) Law making procedures of Solomon Islands Parliament strengthened, (d) Capacity of the Solomon Islands Parliament to exercise its oversight role strengthened; and (e) Increased representation of women and gender perspective in governance.The jointly funded UNDP/AusAID Project had considerablesuccess in executing its mandate and achieving its outcomes during the first four years which led to a consensus among stakeholders that the project should continue. The ‘Final Project Review Report’ produced in February 2008 provides an excellent summary of the first phase of the project and the process of developing phase two (attachment 1). The 2008 – 2012 second phase project commenced on March 2008.

This report is the first of the tri-annual reports required under the monitoring and evaluation framework of the phase 2 project document and reports on delivery of activities, risks and issues encountered by the Project, and lessons learned, and aims to communicate this information succinctly to relevant stakeholders. Due to the additional demands on the project as a result of the extensive sittings of the House and its committees since the commencement of phase 2 this Reportaddresses the 6 months from March - September 2008(Reporting Period) against five anticipated outputsfor the Project, namely:

(a)Strengthened Procedural Support Service

(b)Strengthened Committee services

(c)Strengthened Information services

(d)Strengthened Corporate services

(e)Strengthened Parliamentary Education and Community Engagement Services

1.2CORPORATE PLAN 2008 – 2012

In addition to the above expected outputs, the Project also relies on therecently tabled National Parliament Office (NPO) Corporate Plan 2008 - 2012(Corporate Plan) which is a document that strategically aligns the Project outputs and activities with the Parliament’s yearly work plan with the aim of achieving Parliament’s long-term corporate and strategic goals (attachment 2) which are in turn aligned to certain strategic objectives of the Government.

The Corporate Plan will become a crucial tool for the Project and its reporting requirements as it reflects on the success of work completed and plans for future work, and ensuring a progressive,coordinated and integratedapproach by Parliament and the Project. This also accords with Government policy objectives.

2.Delivery against PROJECT outcomesINREPORTING PERIOD

This section of the Report describes the major activities that were completed in the Reporting Period in relation to the following five Project outcomes.

2.1PROCEDURAL SUPPORT SERVICE

Parliamentary Meetings and Sittings

The Project continued to increase support to the Speaker, Clerk, Ministers and Members during meetings of the House and its Committees. In this period, project staff assisted the Clerk in planning and organizing the opening of Parliament at which the Governor-General delivered a speech to Parliament. This was preceded for the first time by a traditional welcome and reconciliation ceremony by the representatives of the people of GuadalcanalProvince.During the ceremony there was also a symbolicpresentation and exchange of gifts of food and shell money between the Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition. The ceremony also highlighted the fact that Parliament was acknowledging the people of GuadalcanalProvince for allowing Parliament to be built upon their land. The Chiefs and people of Guadalcanal were also acknowledged by the Governor General in his speech and by all Members during the speech in reply to the Governor General. This initiative of the Speaker and the National Parliament Office (NPO) was strongly supported by both sides of the House and also received considerable and very positive press by the media.

: Graph showing the types of parliamentary business in the Parliament 7th and 8thMeetings

: Graph showing Parliamentary Meetings from 2005 to September 2008

Speaker’s Program

In the reporting period, the project staff provided procedural support to the Speaker in the form of a ‘Speaker’s Program’ to assist in the orderly conduct of the business of Parliament. This practice started in the preceding reporting period when the Speaker and the Clerk were both absent from the parliamentary meetings and as a result the Deputy Clerk assumed the responsibilities of the Clerk in the administration and proceedings. To assist the Deputy Speaker and Deputy Clerk, the project staff drafted daily Speaker’s Programs which effectively outline the anticipated order of proceedings according to the Standing Orders and advice from the Prime Ministers Office and contain the necessary wording or loqs which ensure that proceeding run efficiently and according to the rules of procedure. This practice continued after the Speaker returned from medical leave and the Clerk assumed her position in the office. The Speaker’s Program is now not only an accepted and welcomed procedural document, but it has also been a mechanism which has allowed Members including the Deputy Speaker, the Prime Minister, to introduce new procedural motions which have improved the effectiveness and efficiency of the House. These have included motions of congratulations, detailed amendments to bills in Committee of the Whole House, special adjournments and so on.

Review and Revision of Standing Orders

In 2007, the Project facilitated the engagement of recently retired former Clerk of the New South Wales Legislative Council, Mr. John Evans, to undertake a review and rewrite of the Standing Orders of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands. In the first stage of his contract, Mr. Evans traveled to the Solomon Islands in December 2007 and commenced preliminary research of the Standing Orders. This research resulted in the production of a comprehensive draft of the new Standing Orderswhich have been completely rewritten and restructured into a plain English, logically sequenced and accessible set or procedures which are consistent with contemporary parliamentary best practice.

John Evans returned in August 2008 to continue the next phase of the review including continued consultation with stakeholders including Members, the Speaker and Parliamentary officers on refining the first draft of the new Standing Orders. In September 2007 the project organised a weekend retreat at Maravagi Island Resort, NgellaIslands, CentralProvince, for procedure staff and Mr Evans where the first draft Standing Orders were comprehensively vetted and reviewed. This process resulted in further improvements to the draft, particularly in respect of a number of procedural anomalies in the current Standing Orders. Mr Evans has since returned to Australia to update draft new Standing Orders for review by the House Committee and the Bills and Legislation Committee in early 2009. The draft is now with the Speaker for his comment and advice.

Opening of Parliament and Traditional Welcome Ceremony

As previously mentioned, the Project, with the support of the Office of the Clerk and Speaker was also instrumental in organizing the opening ceremony of the 7th Sitting of the Eight Parliament for 2008. Through the Project initiatives, the traditional Westminster practice of the inspection of the Guard of Honour and the Speech from the Throne by the Governor-General was accompanied by a unity, peace and reconciliation welcome ceremony. This component of the opening ceremony was symbolic of the cultural heritage of the people of Solomon Islands but was alsoseenas a symbol and statement of Parliament’s unique role and responsibility in unifying and reconciling the people of the Solomon Islands, particularly in light of the conflicts encountered in post independence history.

The opening ceremony was done by the Chiefs, Communities and people of GuadalcanalProvince, as the traditional landowners of the land on which Parliament house is situated and as the province where the recent conflict was principally located. The Project were involved in preliminary liaisons with the stakeholders including the Office of the Governor-General, Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation & Peace, Guadalcanal Provincial Government and Guadalcanal Chiefs and Communities and also the program and on the ground coordination on the day. The Project expects to have a key role in a similar ceremony in 2009 with representatives from one of the other provinces as well as Guadalcanal.

Motion congratulating the National Futsal Soccer Team ‘Kurukuru’

The Project was also responsible for planning and coordinating a parliamentary first for Solomon Islands where Parliament acknowledged a national representing sporting team. Through the Project and the Office of the Speaker, Parliament overwhelmingly supported a special motion congratulating the National Futsal Soccer Team on Tuesday 2 September, 2008. The national team dubbed the “Kurukuru” had won the opportunity to represent Oceania and the Solomon Islandsat the 7th FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil in October 2008. Before its departure to Brazil, the Kurukuru were invited to Parliament to witness a motion of congratulations and support moved by Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Derek Sikua. The proceeding was appropriately brief but commendations were received from the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition, Hon. Manasseh Sogavare and Hon. Job Tausinga. After the motion was passed, the House was briefly suspended to allow the Kurukuru to meet members of Parliament and have a commemorative photograph taken with the Speaker and Members.

Procedural advice and support to Speaker, Clerk and Members

The Project continued to provide high level advice and briefing material to the Speaker and Clerk in relation to a range of Constitutional and other matters that confront the Parliament andthe NPO. During the period some of the issues under consideration included:

• The effects of the conviction of a Member of Parliament;
• The review of the Facilitation of International Assistance Act 2003;
• The recall of Parliament under the Standing Orders and the Constitution;
• The role of Parliament in appropriation;
• The privileges, powers and immunities of Parliament; and
• Motions of No Confidence in a Prime Minister.

Advice to Parliamentary Administration

During the Reporting Period, the Project staff continued to provide administrative and procedural advice to the Speaker and Clerk, particularly in respect of matters relating to members, member’s entitlements and also on matters relating to the Public Service. The work demonstrates the capacity that Parliament now enjoys in dealing with issuesaccording to law and administrative procedures and regulations.It is worth noting that the positive changes that are currently taking place in how the NPO as a public institution administers itself and the focus on structured organisational change and a strong drive towards the development and implementation of best practice, the preparation of guidelines and manuals and human resource management and development,is expected to have an encouraging impact on other public institutions’ administration practices.

2.2COMMITTEE SERVICES

Public Accounts Committee

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) conducted an inquiry into the 2008 Budget Estimates. Public Hearings were held which were attended by permanent secretaries and officials of the 24 ministries and other offices such as the Governor General, Auditor General and the National Parliament Office. The hearings again attracted considerable interest from the media and the broader public and the proceedings of the Committee were televised in a daily summary by One News Limited. The project supported the PAC through secretariat support.

The PAC held another inquiry into the 2008 Supplementary Budget, and the public hearings were attended by Permanent Secretaries and officials from x government ministries. Through the support of the project, the PAC continues to carry out its key essential function of scrutinizing public funds.

The PAC will also have a busy schedule in the last quarter of 2008 as it focuses on a number of important Audit reports and the 2009 budget.

Parliamentary House Committee

During the reporting period the Parliamentary House Committee (PHC) met on numerous occasions to discuss a range of matters related to Parliament and its Members. These included:

(a)Deliberating on the issues surrounding a proposed motion of no confidence;

(b)Setting down the order of business for private members day as outlined in the Standing Orders;

(c)Finalizing the report for a Parliamentary Sitting Calendar to be tabled in the House;

(d)Monitoring the progress of the proposal by Republic of China (Taiwan) to fund a new Office Complex for Members of Parliament;

(e)Deliberating and endorsing the program for the opening of Parliament and the traditional welcome and reconciliation ceremony;

(f)Monitoring the progress of the Renovation and Maintenance of the NationalParliamentBuilding project.

Bills and Legislation Committee

Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) also carried out its function ofanalyzing, reviewing and preparing reports on all bills brought before the House. In the reporting period, the BLC also considered the following bills and subsequent reports were tabled in the House to assist members in their second reading debate:

(a)Secured Transactions Bill 2008

(b)Mines and Minerals (Amendment) Bill 2008

(c)Truth and Reconciliation Commission Bill 2008

(d)Correctional Services (Amendment) Bill 2008

The BLC also reviewed an index of gazette notices which were prepared by the Secretariat staff. This was part of the process of improving the oversight process on subsidiary legislation and the Committee Secretariat briefed the BLC on this function and highlighted certain subsidiary legislation that needed further investigation. The BLC resolved that a proper report be prepared and presented to Parliament for the information of Members on this process. A report on this was prepared and subsequently tabled in Parliament. This will enable the BLC to review and recommend to Parliament gazette notices that require further attention and possible disallowance, if Parliament so decides.

Constitutional Review Committee

The Constitution Review Committee (CRC) continued with its work program on the review of the Draft Federal Constitution. Its main agenda in 2007 was to review the Draft Audit Report on the Draft Federal Constitution January 2007 and the work of the Constitutional Reform Unit. Secretariat staff assisted in the preparation of extensive briefings to Members.

In 2008 the CRChas focused on hearing more broadly from stakeholders about their views on Constitutional Reform and was particularly keen to take up an opportunity to hear from Provincial premiers when they were in Honiara prior to and after the Premier’s conference. The Chair of the Committee has emphasised the different roles and mandate of the CRC and the Reform Unitwhich is part of the Prime Ministers Office. The hearings with the provincial Premiers were also broadcast live throughout the country and rebroadcast in full at night on One News.

Foreign Relations Committee

Despite its previous record of inactivity the Foreign Relations Committee (FRC) in this Reporting Period has become one the busiest Committees following the reference from the House of an inquiry into the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands Notice 2003.The project staff played a pivotal role in organizing a large number of high profile hearings. Throughout the proceedings secretariat staff briefed the Chair and members on hearing details and procedural issues, coordinated witness attendance,summarized submissions, undertook research and drafted questions,managedthe broadcasting by the media and briefed and responded to questions from the media, stakeholders and the public.

Themotion to refer the ‘RAMSI Review’ to the FRC was moved by the Prime Minister and passed by Parliament by way of a resolution on 24 July 2008. The Notice which the committee is inquiring into was published by the Governor-General on 23 July 2003 as required by the Facilitation of International Assistance Act 2003. That Act became effective on making of the Notice. With the Act in place, the Solomon Islands Government entered into an international Agreement with various neighbouring countries on 24 July 2003 allowing what became as RAMSI to enter and operate in Solomon Islands. This Agreement is specifically referred to in the Notice.

In his opening remarks, the Chair of the FRC, Hon. Laurie Chan stated that the Committee proposed to consult widely both by way of formal hearings in Honiara but also, in a first for the Parliament, by travelling extensively to hear from community and Provincial leaders and groups.The Committee is currently due to report by November 14 although an extension is expected to allow the Committee to complete its extensive evidence taking before it reports to Parliament.