CDI Visit to Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands

CDI Deputy Director, Quinton Clements, visited Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands from 11 to 28 March 2007. In Port Moresby , Mr Clements met with the Clerk of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea, Mr Don Pandan, the Acting Deputy Clerk, Mr Simon Ila, and the Division Heads of the Parliamentary Service to discuss CDI's assistance for the planned induction program for new Members of Parliament following the 2007 national elections. Mr Pandan and his senior staff warmly welcomed CDI's ongoing assistance to the National Parliament and, in particular, CDI's agreement to assist the Parliamentary Service in developing the induction program for Members of the Eighth National Parliament. In addition, Mr Clements met with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) PNG Country Office and the UNDP Parliamentary Support Project and agreed that, subject to the approval of the Clerk of Parliament, CDI would work with the UNDP Project team in assisting the Parliamentary Service with organising the induction program. As part of this assistance, Mr Clements held discussions with several PNG government agencies including the Chief Ombudsman, Mr Ila Geno, the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties and the National Research Institute on their involvement in the induction program.

Mr Clements discussed with the Clerk of Parliament other areas for cooperation between CDI and the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea, including the participation of staff and Members in CDI training programs and workshops, CDI facilitated attachments to other parliaments for staff, and attendance by MPs at CDI sponsored conferences such as the annual Pacific Parliamentary Dialogue. Mr Pandan agreed to the possible involvement of PNG parliamentary officials as presenters and facilitators in some of the training workshops CDI organises throughout the region.

At the invitation of the Speaker of the Autonomous Bougainville Government House of Representatives, Hon. Nicholas Peniai, Mr Clements visited Buka, Bougainville from 13 to 15 March 2007 to observe the first sitting of the House for 2007. Mr Clements met with the Speaker, the Clerk, Mr Robert Tapi, the President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, Hon. Joseph Kabui, and the Chief Administrator, Mr Peter Tsiamalili, to discuss areas for cooperation between CDI and the ABG House of Representatives. At the request of the Speaker, CDI agreed to sponsor two officers of the ABG House of Representatives on attachments to an Australian parliament. CDI also agreed to organise and facilitate a training workshop on effective parliamentary committees for Members in Buka in June 2007. At a meeting of all members of the House of Representatives organised and chaired by the Speaker, Mr Clements briefed members on the role of CDI, its parliamentary strengthening work, and ways in which CDI could assist the ABG House of Representatives. A motion was subsequently passed in the House of Representatives acknowledging the work of CDI and extending the gratitude of the House to CDI for its assistance.

Whilst in PNG, Mr Clements visited Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, where he met with the provincial Governor, Hon. Malcolm Smith MP, other MPs and Provincial Government officials to discuss the possibility of holding the 9th annual CDI Pacific Parliamentary Dialogue in Goroka in December 2007.

On Thursday 22 March, Mr Clements attended the launch of the Pangu Pati policy platform for the upcoming 2007 national elections at the Hideaway Hotel in Port Moresby. Organised and hosted by the National Research Institute as part of a series of party policy platform launches, the policy platform was officially launched by Sir Barry Holloway, one of the founders of the party. Party Secretary, Mr Moses Kanawi Taian, a graduate of CDI's inaugural Political Party Development Course in 2006, also gave a presentation on the policy detail.

Mr Clements visited Honiara, Solomon Islands from 25 to 28 March 2007. In Honiara he held discussions with the Speaker of the National Parliament, Rt Hon. Sir Peter Kenilorea, the Clerk, Mrs Taeasi Sanga, and the Project Manager, UNDP Parliamentary Strengthening Project, Mr Warren Cahill, on areas in which CDI may be able to assist the National Parliament of Solomon Islands. Mr Clements met with Hon. Francis Zama MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, and Hon. Selwyn Ruimana MP, to discuss their CDI sponsored participation in the upcoming Australasian Council of Public Accounts Committees biennial conference in Canberra. At the request of the Speaker, CDI agreed to sponsor one officer of the National Parliament on an attachment to an Australian parliament. CDI also agreed to organise and facilitate a training workshop on effective parliamentary committees and parliamentary financial scrutiny for Members in Honiara in the second half of 2007.