THE Democratic Coalition for Change (DCC) government will review the Political Party Integrity (PPI).
When the Solomon Star asked about the seriousness DCC has in ensuring political stability during a talk back show on Sunday, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare admitted the failure of the Act to address political stability and pledge DCC’s commitment to review it.
“We’re expecting the PPI Act to protect political parties. Political parties spent a lot of resources to put out candidates to stick to parties. That was the intention.
“That did not eventuate. It was business as usual as before,” Mr Sogavare said.
He said DCC will seriously look at reviewing the Act to achieve political stability.
“Political stability is what we want to address, the current Act does not address that.
“We will be reviewing it. There are many ways of doing it, we might repeal it and do it properly. We will leave it to the Cabinet to discuss how to go about it, but the review will certainly happen.”
The Bill emerged as one of the key policy initiatives of the Sikua-led CNURA Government when it took office at the end of 2007 from Mr Sogavare.
The Sikua government introduced the Bill in an attempt to address the inherent instability in the political system.
They pushed the Bill on the floor of Parliament in April 2010 before the dissolution of the house, but it was thrown out the window by members within the government led by former Prime Minister, Gordon Darcy Lilo.
Mr Lilo then re-emerged with the Bill during his leadership in the last house and took it through to its successful passage.
It was tested in the recent government formation period, but failed to achieve some of its intentions such as limiting horse-trading by regulating the activity of political parties and membership.
By EDNAL PALMER
