By Gary Hatigeva
FOLLOWING its break for last year’s Christmas-New Year festive period, Parliament is now confirmed to resume on February 28, 2018, a statement from the office of the Prime Minister’s Press Secretariat revealed.
Prior to his departure yesterday for the Melanesian Spearhead Group summit currently underway in Papua New Guinea, Prime Minister Rick Hounipwela wrote to advise the Governor General, Sir Frank Kabui on the commencement date for Parliament.
“As Prime Minister of Her Majesty’s Government of Solomon Islands, and in the spirit of the Section 32 of the Constitution, I write to advise you of my decision to convene the first meeting of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands for 2018 on Wednesday 28th February, 2018,” the Prime Minister wrote.
Meanwhile, the Press Secretariat statement added that following the notification sent to the Government House, the Clerk of Parliament will also be asked to notify all members of Parliament accordingly based on Standing Order 7(2) of the Standing Orders of the National Parliament.
No official confirmation has yet been released on government businesses to be tabled in this sitting however, it is understood that the government’s main business will be to table the 2018 Budget.
The much anticipated Anti-Corruption Bill (ACB) and the Traditional Governance Bill (TGB) have also been revealed to be some of the key bills that will be put before Parliament for deliberations.
The ACB made it to Parliament last year under former Prime, Minister Manasseh Sogavare who despite the many criticisms from both the opposition and members of the civil society groups had it withdrawn for the purpose of improving provisions to tackle corruption.
The ACB had reached the first reading stage.
Parliament is expecting a full house when it resumes as most of the MPs have returned to the capital from their first quarter constituency tours including other businesses.
