By Loretta B Manele
There is also the absence of the analysis of the cost and financing of the proposed federal system.
John Maneniaru, Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) chairman stated the above during the debate on the Constitution Amendment of the Constituent Assembly Sitting Bill 2024 in parliament.
He voiced that the cost analysis and financing of the proposed federal system of government is an important area for them to cover.
He stressed that they have spent a lot of money on this bill and if the cost is too high and the bill doesn’t eventually go through at the end then it will be a waste of time and resources.
Maneniaru said they should do a cost analysis and present it to the people so they know what is good and what is not good from this bill.
“We must prepare for this. This has not started yet as my committee was informed during the inquiry and to me, that is very, very discouraging and disappointing”
Maneniaru said it is an important legislation; the constituent assembly which is for us to move to a new system, the federal system.
He reiterated that the people need to know the cost of this bill and whether or not it is alright for us to move forward with it or not.
Moreover, the BLC chairman highlighted that procedural matters for the constituent assembly should also be prepared.
He added that this is so that the constituent assembly knows what to do so that when they convene, they can be able to make decisions.
“At the moment, we have not yet taken them to that level and that is from the findings of the Bills and Legislation Committee”
He said these are shortcomings that raised serious doubts from the committee in the government’s ability to ensure that a well-informed and effective deliberative process is in place.
Maneniaru stated that when the bill was passed in 2023, it became an Act and they were convinced that the constituent assembly would sit before 31st Dec 2024 however this is not the case.
“So, we should think seriously about this whole process”
