2007 Budget set for next week
National Broadcaster
The importance of a national broadcaster to any society was highlighted as Parliament started sitting Thursday this week.
There was no live broadcast of the proceeding of Parliament. I would have been the first time since Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, SIBC, had been carrying live coverage of Parliament meeting. SIBC did not broadcast Parliament because the contract agreement with the office of the National Parliament for the live coverage of meetings in 2007 was not renewed. The Parliament office did not agree on a new rate which SIBC is charging saying it's too high.
However, the Office in the afternoon agreed to renew the contract. SIBC has been forced to slightly increase its airtime rates because government had withdrawn the annual subvention to the Corporation.
Parliament Session
The first Parliament for this year had been set to focus on the 2007 Budget.
The meeting show two new faces were among Opposition members of Parliament. Leader of Liberal Party Bartholomew Ulufa'alu took up seat in the Opposition Bench so as the former Deputy Prime minister Job Duddley Tausinga.
In the last meeting, both MPs were ministers of the Crown. Mr Ulufa'alu being the minister for Finance and Mr Tausinga was the minister for Forest environment and Conservation. Prime minister Manasseh Sogavare relieved Mr Ulufa'alu on medical grounds while Mr Tausinga resigned from the government.
Guadalcanal Bona Fide Demands
The Minister for National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace, Sam Iduri is expected to deliver a statement on the Guadalcanal Bona fide demands in Parliament on Monday next week.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare revealed this in Parliament yesterday when he announced government business for week ending 9th February.
MyBlog says
MyBlog anticipates that the people of Guadalcanal who have radios would be keeping their ears glued to their receivers.
They have been waiting to be heard since Solomon Islands gained independence in 1978. That's 29 years of waiting. The demands re-surfaced in 1988, but it fell on deaf ears. Then the bubble burst in 1998. The ethnic tension was the result, now its history.
Can the Sogavare government learn from the history and start addressing those bona fide demand? The people of Guadalcanal have been waiting for previous governments to deliver. Now its the turn of the present administration. Its a taunting challenge, but MyBlog believes justice can be and must be done to address the issues.
Other Statements
Two Government Ministers will also make statements on other issues in Parliament next week.
Minister for Finance and Treasury, Gordon Darcy Lilo will deliver a statement on the Development Bank of Solomon Islands. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration, Patteson Oti will deliver the other statement on the diplomatic relations between Australia and Solomon Islands.
Prime Minister Sogavare says that "The 2007 Appropriation Bill 2007" is set down for its second reading on Tuesday next week. Debate on the the Bill will commence on Wednesday and continue on Thursday.
MyBlog adds
The statements to be delivered by the two ministers are important.
One addresses an institution that had been dealing with rural development, while the other should update the people of the status of Solomon Islands relations with Australia, an important traditional development partner. Is the Development Bank a viable entity if revived?
MyBlog believes that such institution if managed well could assist provide the service that rural people need to fully participate in the Government's "Bottom-Up Approach" or rural development.
Or should the government revive the Credit Union League to help rural financial bodies such as credit unions and savings clubs to assist stimulate economic activities in villages in the country? Either option would provide a much need service that is lacking in rural Solomon Islands.
Provincial Governance
Central Province
The new Premier of Central Province, Charles Kunu, has appointed his executive.
Premier Kunu is the Assembly member for Tulagi Ward. Below are the Provincial Minister and their portfolios.
Premier Charles Kunu - Planning, Administration, Economic Planning, Aid Coordination, Provincial Government, State System and National Peace and Unity.
Deputy Premier Patrick Vasuni - Finance and Treasury, Police and Security, Foreign Affairs, Trade, Justice and Legal affairs and Education and Human resources.
Raxston Diua - Public Service, Home Affairs and Ecclesiastical Affairs, and sports, youth and women's affairs.
Mark Vaka - Agriculture, Lands and Survey, Culture, Commerce, Tourism, Mines, Energy, Forestry and Natural Resources.
Robert Kande - Fisheries and Marine Resources, Transport, Works, Infrastructure, Communication and Civil Aviation.
The Deputy Speaker Dick Manebona - Chairman of the Government Caucus and Director to other companies.
MyBlog says
Supporters of the previous administration have regained power.
Will the new administration under Premier Kunu improve the short comings of the previous government. The people of the province are hoping to see things move forward. MyBlog believes moving forward would also means "Moving backwards to move forward". Sounds contradictory? Audit reports of the province's previous financial standing are necessary to identity the any short-comings. They would include alleged misappropriation of public funds. Those historical information are necessary to for future planning for the province.
At least the Assembly has a lawyer in member Augustine Rose would be useful in digging out some of the dubious dealings of the previous administration. He must work closely with the Auditor General Office if such dealings are to be unearthed.
MyBlog wishes the new Central Provincial Government the best in addressing its peoples' needs.
Happy surfing in cyberspace.
The importance of a national broadcaster to any society was highlighted as Parliament started sitting Thursday this week.
There was no live broadcast of the proceeding of Parliament. I would have been the first time since Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, SIBC, had been carrying live coverage of Parliament meeting. SIBC did not broadcast Parliament because the contract agreement with the office of the National Parliament for the live coverage of meetings in 2007 was not renewed. The Parliament office did not agree on a new rate which SIBC is charging saying it's too high.
However, the Office in the afternoon agreed to renew the contract. SIBC has been forced to slightly increase its airtime rates because government had withdrawn the annual subvention to the Corporation.
Parliament Session
The first Parliament for this year had been set to focus on the 2007 Budget.
The meeting show two new faces were among Opposition members of Parliament. Leader of Liberal Party Bartholomew Ulufa'alu took up seat in the Opposition Bench so as the former Deputy Prime minister Job Duddley Tausinga.
In the last meeting, both MPs were ministers of the Crown. Mr Ulufa'alu being the minister for Finance and Mr Tausinga was the minister for Forest environment and Conservation. Prime minister Manasseh Sogavare relieved Mr Ulufa'alu on medical grounds while Mr Tausinga resigned from the government.
Guadalcanal Bona Fide Demands
The Minister for National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace, Sam Iduri is expected to deliver a statement on the Guadalcanal Bona fide demands in Parliament on Monday next week.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare revealed this in Parliament yesterday when he announced government business for week ending 9th February.
MyBlog says
MyBlog anticipates that the people of Guadalcanal who have radios would be keeping their ears glued to their receivers.
They have been waiting to be heard since Solomon Islands gained independence in 1978. That's 29 years of waiting. The demands re-surfaced in 1988, but it fell on deaf ears. Then the bubble burst in 1998. The ethnic tension was the result, now its history.
Can the Sogavare government learn from the history and start addressing those bona fide demand? The people of Guadalcanal have been waiting for previous governments to deliver. Now its the turn of the present administration. Its a taunting challenge, but MyBlog believes justice can be and must be done to address the issues.
Other Statements
Two Government Ministers will also make statements on other issues in Parliament next week.
Minister for Finance and Treasury, Gordon Darcy Lilo will deliver a statement on the Development Bank of Solomon Islands. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration, Patteson Oti will deliver the other statement on the diplomatic relations between Australia and Solomon Islands.
Prime Minister Sogavare says that "The 2007 Appropriation Bill 2007" is set down for its second reading on Tuesday next week. Debate on the the Bill will commence on Wednesday and continue on Thursday.
MyBlog adds
The statements to be delivered by the two ministers are important.
One addresses an institution that had been dealing with rural development, while the other should update the people of the status of Solomon Islands relations with Australia, an important traditional development partner. Is the Development Bank a viable entity if revived?
MyBlog believes that such institution if managed well could assist provide the service that rural people need to fully participate in the Government's "Bottom-Up Approach" or rural development.
Or should the government revive the Credit Union League to help rural financial bodies such as credit unions and savings clubs to assist stimulate economic activities in villages in the country? Either option would provide a much need service that is lacking in rural Solomon Islands.
Provincial Governance
Central Province
The new Premier of Central Province, Charles Kunu, has appointed his executive.
Premier Kunu is the Assembly member for Tulagi Ward. Below are the Provincial Minister and their portfolios.
Premier Charles Kunu - Planning, Administration, Economic Planning, Aid Coordination, Provincial Government, State System and National Peace and Unity.
Deputy Premier Patrick Vasuni - Finance and Treasury, Police and Security, Foreign Affairs, Trade, Justice and Legal affairs and Education and Human resources.
Raxston Diua - Public Service, Home Affairs and Ecclesiastical Affairs, and sports, youth and women's affairs.
Mark Vaka - Agriculture, Lands and Survey, Culture, Commerce, Tourism, Mines, Energy, Forestry and Natural Resources.
Robert Kande - Fisheries and Marine Resources, Transport, Works, Infrastructure, Communication and Civil Aviation.
The Deputy Speaker Dick Manebona - Chairman of the Government Caucus and Director to other companies.
MyBlog says
Supporters of the previous administration have regained power.
Will the new administration under Premier Kunu improve the short comings of the previous government. The people of the province are hoping to see things move forward. MyBlog believes moving forward would also means "Moving backwards to move forward". Sounds contradictory? Audit reports of the province's previous financial standing are necessary to identity the any short-comings. They would include alleged misappropriation of public funds. Those historical information are necessary to for future planning for the province.
At least the Assembly has a lawyer in member Augustine Rose would be useful in digging out some of the dubious dealings of the previous administration. He must work closely with the Auditor General Office if such dealings are to be unearthed.
MyBlog wishes the new Central Provincial Government the best in addressing its peoples' needs.
Happy surfing in cyberspace.
posted by Myblog | 10:01 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home