BY LYNTON AARON FILIA
THE consideration of young people in the Traditional Governance and Custom Facilitation Bill 2018 is a must, according to Youth Development Officer for Malaita and Isabel Mr Methodius Iapara.
Iapara appeared before the Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) recently when the parliament special select committee met stakeholders regarding the said Bill.
Chaired by Matthew Wale (MP), the hearing also sought inputs from young Solomon Islanders.
Wale said, “The bill deals with chiefs, setting up structure for chiefs, but youths are an important sector in our society and it is crucial that any proposed law must also cater for the interests of young people.”
Agreeing to the statement, Iapara says young people should be included in the Bill because young people can also be traditional leaders and chiefs.
He said there are also some sectors where traditional leaders can be women or young girls as well.
He said the Bill is general, and not specific to young people.
“I see as for first comer, it is alright but if we need to work on, we must consider few specific areas inside like how sections inside the bill will cater for participation of young people in leadership,” Iapora said in response to Wale’s question on role of youths in tribal traditional governance.
“For example if traditional chief is there, how will his son will considered as next chief when there is absence of trainings and teachings.”
Also during the hearing, Wale asked if the custom way of doing things to deal with leaders and leadership succession is enough to which Iapora said it is enough.
“We already factored in the new National Youth Policy which is on objective six.
“It stated that we will work alignment with the implementation of mechanisms in place along with the provincial ordinance is there.
“But given the chance to speak, I want to say something that maybe will give more something clear that young people are not excluded as young men and women are gender sustainability of Solomon Islands,” Iapora said.
A National Youth Policy 2017 – 2030 was launched in Honiara August this year (2018).
