Dear Editor– I wish to convey my sincere gratitude and to express my view points as the sun is setting in the Western end of the ninth Parliament.
The ‘Hey Days’ of some of the Parliament members of the outgoing government would certainly over as of this week, as the ninth Parliament finally dissolved.
Their determination to retain their respective constituency parliamentary seats might not be possible.
However, despite being harshly criticised for some unpopular handling of critical and crucial national issues; our MP’s including the NCRA government, the Opposition, and the Independent groups have demonstrated maturity in their deliberations regarding nation-building as we have witnessed in the passing of a good number of bills, motions and recommendation reports.
Many thanks and God bless you all our good MP’s and Solomon Islanders.
Special admiration for a few MPs who usually contributed constructively to parliamentary debates regarding important bills, motions, and submissions of related parliamentary matters.
Manasseh Sogavare, MP for East Choiseul, especially for his constructive debates as well as for getting the top list of the Parliament meeting attendance.
However, for the silent (mute) MPs who remained voiceless during parliamentary debates, they need to reconsider themselves whether or not they are worthy to recontest their respective constituency seats.
While all citizens above 21 years old have the constitutional right to run for the parliamentary seats; parliament as the highest house of the land is not meant for those who will remain silent during debates, indifferent, distant, and liabilities.
In this instance, contesting political parties need to consider, select and field learned and credible candidates if they are to gain individual voters confidence and trust knowing well that political system in the rural area is unobtrusive.
In this regard, I believe most people would vote for individual candidates of their desire/favour than for party candidates, unless unrelenting efforts and thoroughness in political party campaigns were exerted on voters.
After all most people would be inclined to vote for candidates who were people cantered or people oriented.
It is my believe that most MP’s will successfully retain their Parliamentary seats in the upcoming National general election, as well as one will stand unopposed.
In all, the outgoing parliament must be congratulated for the good work they have done in the production and passing of important bills, in its tenure.
Some of the important bills I have to mention here are, the land mark bill, and the Family Protection bill which now become lawful in the country.
To my personal view, the penalties for breaching these act is not promotional and fair in nature.
A person found guilty will either imprisoned for 3 years, or pay a fine of $30,000 or both.
$3,000 would be proportionate, to three years, I think $30,000 is far too hefty, however our 48 MP’s had decided and legalised it, so let it be.
To all the intending candidates and sitting MPs and voters take heed of this saying; “No man is an Island, and no one is indispensable”.
God Bless the Solomon Islands and the upcoming government to rule us ahead
Clement W. Fakasori
Lunga Water Front
East Honiara
