AN induction and professional development workshop aimed at strengthening the Parliamentary oversight role of the country’s 50 Members of Parliament is underway in Honiara.
The workshop is hosted by the National Parliament of Solomon Islands, through its Committee Secretariat Department, in partnership with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD).
The three-day workshop commenced on Tuesday and will conclude today.
The workshop will provide Parliamentarians with necessary insights into public financial management, fiscal frameworks, debt management, budget formulation and implementation, external audits and media engagement strategies.
The workshop discussions are tailored to encourage knowledge-sharing amongst MPs to strengthen their ability to effectively engage in the budgetary process and moreover, ensure transparency.
The key areas covered are:
• The role of parliament in public budgeting and financial oversight;
• How the budget process shapes committee hearings and oversight functions;
• Accountability actions parliamentary committees can take during the budget cycle; and
• Effective strategies for engaging with the media to support oversight efforts.
Key speakers during this workshop include the Speaker of Parliament Patteson Oti and Clerk to Parliament Jefferson Hallu, Auditor General David Dennis, Accountant General in the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, Paula Uluinaceva, Governor of the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI), Dr Luke Forau and specialists from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury.
Public Finance Management (PFM) Advisor of WFD, Mitchell O’Brien said the programme has seen a fantastic start.
“It’s a great collaboration between the National Parliament of Solomon Islands and the Westminister Foundation for Democracy focusing on a committee induction for the new Parliament.
“It’s been very interesting engagement a lot of MPs’ have turned up and asked a lot of detailed questions, which is great to see. But the aim behind this is try to make all the MPs understand how they can work in committees to be able to conduct the oversight using the budget,” Mr O’Brien said.
By IAN LADDS OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara
