MR Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the motion moved by the Prime Minister that Parliament resolves itself into a Committee of the Whole House to consider National Parliament Paper N0.19 of 2017, The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) 2003 -2017: a joint report by the Solomon Islands Government and RAMSI on the 14-year intervention’’.
Sir, I am making this statement on behalf of the Parliamentary Opposition Group and my good people of Hograno/Kia/Havulei Constituency.
At the outset Sir, I wish to thank the Government and RAMSI for producing the report and bringing it to Parliament for us to deliberate on at the eve of RAMSI’s departure from our country.
Sir, as RAMSI departs, let me on behalf of the Parliamentary Opposition and my people of Hograno/Kia/Havulei Constituency sincerely congratulate and say thank you to RAMSI for a job well done.
You have given us an opportunity to rebuild this beautiful country.
You have given us hope for a better future. I also commend the Government for coming up with a week-long program beginning with the Thanks Giving Service last Sunday to celebrate RAMSI’s successes and commence the farewell celebrations.
I am sure those of us who attended the Service enjoyed it.
The entertainment by our youth representing the 15 participating Forum countries was a fitting tribute, so as the sermon and challenge for all of us to take leadership and stewardship of our country.
RAMSI REPORT 2003-2017
Mr Speaker, the report before us is quite a comprehensive one.
It outlines RAMSI’s history, success, challenges and also recommendations.
There is no doubt that RAMSI has been a success.
Despite the few cultural, social and political challenges experienced throughout the years, RAMSI has proven to be successful model of regional intervention and cooperation.
Sir Operation Helpem Fren can be best described as a ‘regional savior’; as it came to our rescue at a time when our Government and citizens had no hope for a better tomorrow.
RAMSI came in to help us rebuild our sovereignty.
Without RAMSI, Sir, I do not know what our country would become today.
Sir back then, before RAMSI came in, the international community once described Solomon Islands as a ‘banana republic’. Let us not venture into that direction ever again.
Mr Speaker, whilst I acknowledge and welcome the report, I thought an additional section could have been included capturing the voices of our people especially our children, youths, women, our chiefs and elders on their personal perspective of RAMSI and how this regional intervention have impacted on their lives.
Sir, I am sure our people will have a lot of good memories about RAMSI that should be documented.
Sir, pages 12 to 16 of the report outlines the historical context, the reasons and events in particular the ethnic tension that eventually led to the RAMSI intervention under the auspicious of the Pacific Islands Forum – Biketawa Declaration.
I will not repeat what has been outlined here but I wish to take the opportunity to pay tribute to Sir Allan Kemakeza, Prime Minister then for making that important decision to request Australia for assistance which led to the RAMSI intervention.
I acknowledge the other factors highlighted in the report which necessitated Australia to make the decision to intervene.
Some of us officials then, were privileged to be part of the taskforce preparing for the RAMSI intervention.
The rest is history and 14 years later, we have a country to be proud of, a country whose future is certainly bright; and a country that will need the collective effort of all its citizens with a strong leadership to sustain the gains and take it forward.
Mr Speaker, pages 17 to 33 of the report describes the nature and scope of RAMSI, its mandate and focus, and its structure which was organized into three pillars namely – Law and Justice; Economic Governance; and Machinery of Government.
I also note the various phases that RAMSI has gone through during the last 14 years.
These phases are highlighted in pages 27 and 28 of the report. Off course we are at the final phase – police development and drawdown (2013 – 2017).
Sir, I agree with the observation in the report that one of RAMSI’s core strengths and a major contributing factor to its success has been its regional nature – it was a regional mission with regional endorsement and regional oversight.
The oversight role played by the Pacific Islands Forum through a number of mechanisms such as the Forum Imminent Persons Group; the Enhanced Consultative Mechanism; and the Forum Ministerial Standing Committee; and the SIG-RAMSI Activity Report helped to keep Forum Member States abreast of RAMSI’s progress and challenges over the years.
Mr Speaker, at this juncture, let me join the Prime Minister to acknowledge the contribution of the 15 member states of the Pacific Islands Forum.
Tagio tumas Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Marshall Islands, FSM, Palau, Nauru, Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Cook Islands for helping us through RAMSI.
I commend in particular the lead role played by Australia and New Zealand.
In this connection, I thank the Australian Government and people for the huge financial contribution of $2.8 billion towards RAMSI.
The Parliamentary Opposition is also grateful for Australia’s ongoing bilateral assistance towards other sectors such as education and health in Solomon Islands.
Mr Speaker, the Parliamentary Opposition Group joins the Government and RAMSI in paying tribute to those six RAMSI personnel who tragically lost their lives while serving RAMSI and representing their countries.
Their names are listed on page 32 of the report.
I also salute the former Pacific Islands Secretary General Greg Urwin and former RAMSI Special Coordinator Graeme Wilson, both of whom have passed away.
I had the privilege of meeting and interacting with them in my former life as a Permanent Secretary.
Both were indeed very dedicated and committed to the cause of rebuilding Solomon Islands.
I also commend other RAMSI Special Coordinators and personnel for their firm commitment to building peace in Solomon Islands.
Mr Speaker, pages 34 to 59 of the report outlines the events, activities, and successes of RAMSI in the three pillars or sectors it was involved in namely the Law and Justice Sector; Economic Governance, and Machinery of Government.
These sections of the report provide us an insight on the partnership between the Government and RAMSI on these sectors and or institutions and their respective programs.
Sir, I agree that one of RAMSI’s greatest legacies has been its contribution to the law and justice sector.
The rapid restoration of law and order was a considerable and significant achievement.
Mr Speaker, we must not forget that community support played an important role in helping RAMSI to restore law and order.
In this regard, I also wish to recognize the contribution of peace builders and mediators, including the National Peace Council, faith-based groups, NGOs, women’s peace groups, chiefs, and United Nations agencies.
We will need the same partnership and collaboration after RAMSI departs and as we move forward on our own.
Sir, I also commend RAMSI for its support and investments in development of the RSIP including our correctional services, fire and rescue services, courts and justice sector, national disaster and emergency response.
On Economic Governance, RAMSI’s efforts to stabilize the budget and public debt, improve financial and cash management systems; reforms to make doing business easier, and other financial and economic reforms have been crucial in the efforts to stabilize our Country’s finances and the economy.
We must continue with these reforms.
On a similar note, the various initiatives under the Machinery of Government sector including improving the effectiveness of parliamentary services, electoral reforms, public service reforms, provincial governance and support to our integrity institutions, I believe have enhanced the capacity of these government agencies.
We would not have done it on our own during those difficult times.
Our Government agencies would need adequate funding in their annual budgets to sustain and build on these gains.
Mr Speaker, cross-cutting issues are outlined in pages 60 to 64 of the report.
As highlighted in the report these issues included capacity building; gender issues; Anti-corruption; partnership in nation building and community outreach.
In deed capacity building was at the heart or central to RAMSI’s mandate.
It was an integral part of RAMSI’s work to establish the conditions whereby we could once again regain full control of our country, our lives, and our future.
Sir, as you know a lot of work remains to be done in terms of addressing these cross-cutting issues including the fight against corruption.
The onus is on us Solomon Islanders, especially us leaders to take the lead and make the right decisions –decisions that are in the best interest of our country.
Mr Speaker, I note that the final sections of the report are on beyond RAMSI – Sustaining the gains; and lessons for future security cooperation.
I would like to make some reflections and observations in this regard, especially in terms of sustaining the gains and going forward into the future.
Sir, while we celebrate RAMSI’s successes and farewell our friends from the region this week, this is a moment for us to seriously reflect on the efforts and initiatives we need to pursue to sustain and build on the gains we have achieved with RAMSI.
Mr Speaker at the moment there is still some feeling of anxiety and to some extent fear among segments of our population as RAMSI departs.
There is anxiety and fear that the law and order situation could return to the pre RAMSI days.
These anxiety and fears does not necessarily link to another major perceived ethnic conflict but the potential for a deteriorating general law and order situation where people and institutions could be harassed unnecessarily again.
Sir, we must not allow another major conflict to happen again. We simply cannot afford to go back to those days.
We have had enough. Let us move forward.
So how do we sustain the gains made by or with RAMSI?
I understand various Government initiatives and policies are being pursued that are critical to sustaining and building on these gains and in addressing the underlying causes of the ethnic tension.
But where do we start?
Sir, I believe we must start with addressing the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
I understand that work is about to be completed on prioritizing and sequencing the recommendations of the TRC report.
I also understand this work will feed into a Reparation Policy framework and a reparation bill that will holistically address the outstanding ethnic tension related claims.
This policy and bill are critical to our reconciliation efforts and in ensuring lasting peace. I urge the Government to pursue these initiatives with some sense of urgency.
The Government Ministry responsible must be adequately resourced to undertake and champion these measures.
Of course it is our collective responsibility to build peace and stability in this country, we must all be peace builders and makers.
Mr Speaker, it is no secret that peace and development are interconnected.
The national peace dialogue hosted by the Government last week once again highlighted the need for economic development in our provinces to provide employment and income opportunities for our people.
Our efforts to build lasting peace and stability must be pursued with inclusive and participatory economic development involving our women and youth.
It must be based on just and fair distribution of resources among our provinces and people.
Mr Speaker, lasting and genuine peace starts at home. So we must educate our children to become good citizens of our country.
We must embark seriously on peace education in our schools.
We must impart and teach our children about the values and principles of respect and mutual tolerance for our diverse cultures and traditions, harmony and peaceful co-existence.
We must also teach them to respect our own laws and regulations, and respect for those in authority.
Sir, sadly there is a decline in this regard.
Just look at what is happening in Honiara in terms of disregard for our City Council’s building regulations. Houses are being built without permits.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, Mr Speaker, I believe strong national leadership is imperative as we move forward.
We need champions to pursue our peace building efforts and strategies.
In this regard, I would like to urge all of us in this House to take our mandated roles seriously.
We must take the lead. We must champion the cause for lasting peace and stability in our beautiful country.
We must also be serious in the way we manage the affairs of our country and how we govern it.
Furthermore, Mr Speaker, we must serve our people and our country with diligence and honesty to bring about the peace and prosperity our people are crying for.
Therefore, I am confident that this nation will rise up and move forward if we allow our good Lord to intervene and take control of our destiny.
Thus, we must take heed of the teachings from the Holy book of 2 Chronicles 7:14 which reads;
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Mr Speaker, it should be a great lesson for us and it should begin with us the 50 MPs in this House.
The future of this country depends on us and our attitude towards our people and our country.
Let us be genuine and we must not pretend. We must be committed and dedicated to building sustainable peace and stability in our country.
Mr Speaker, RAMSI had rescued us, it had played its part. Now they are leaving; the onus is on us to ensure that we do not fall back to those dark days.
We must be united in our resolve to create a peaceful and stable country for our children and future generations.
The Parliamentary Opposition and the peace loving people of my constituency, Sir, is firmly committed to this noble cause.
Sir, with these few remarks, I wish was again to thank RMASI for the opportunity given to us to regain control and rebuild our beautiful country.
By JEREMIAH MANELE
Leader
Opposition Group
