DEMOCRACY MUST DELIVER: ROLE OF PARLIAMENT IN ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES: WORKSHOP A to speak or have access to the judiciary etc. A Member from North-West Province (South Africa) posed a question as to how does one seek democracy? It is the truest form of government and the Member discussed the extent to which Parliament ensures government is loyal to the people through public participation and oversight. A Member (Malawi) stated that democracy seems to be founded on everyone who takes part in government – equality, transparency and equality. Democracy has challenges such as corruption. Is there a role model which has created watchdogs or an Auditor General with reports presented to Parliament? The Member also challenged the participants as to whether any Parliaments have come up with something to detect corruption or whether a fund to manage corruption exists. Hon. Mavrides Marios, MP (Cyprus) raised a comment that there is no question that democracy is the best system although it is not perfect. Democracy is where everyone should benefit equally. Transparency is a very important principle, especially to government. It is also important that power is given to the people and to the media. Freedom of speech should be taken as given, as it goes with transparency, together with the importance of education. This means that if people respond, it becomes very powerful and effective. All these elements will provide a good framework in a democracy. Speaker Biman Banerjee (West Bengal, India) made a statement about judicial activism which has reached such an extent that it calls for intervention and denies justice to people. He reiterated that Parliamentarians should be clean and acceptable to the people in a peaceful way. More participation of women should be looked into. Delivering
social security to the people, terrorism may be reduced. Speaker Niki Rattle (Cook Islands) returned to the SDGs argument by stating that they can act as capacity building among Members of Parliament by moving forward in a development plan which goes beyond what was proposed by the UN, through funds and other methods of support. If the SDGs at the local level are implemented, democracy automatically comes with it, and the SDGs come naturally. It feeds down to where the wealth is equally spread. Moderator, Hon. Tanveer Imam, MP brought the discussion to a close by putting forward the recommendations as proposed by the discussion leaders. The discussion leaders put forward four recommendations which were all endorsed by the workshop. • Parliaments should ensure that Parliamentarians are equipped and enabled to make informed decisions on law-making, budgeting, oversight and public outreach in effectively implementing the SDGs. • Parliamentarians to proactively play a role in translating the 17 Sustainable Development Goals into legislation and policies for country-specific goals. • For Parliament to promote democracy and good governance, thereby enhancing people’s participation, it should be more transparent and have a separation of power, making it easily accessible to the public. • A democratic Parliament should reflect the social diversity of the population in terms of gender, geography, language, religion, race, ethnicity and any other politically-significant characteristics.
VIEW FROM THE CPA SMALL BRANCHES Hon. Derek Thomas, MLC, St Helena “It was a great honour to attend the 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 1 – 8 November 2017. I was completely impressed with the high level of planning, organisation and hospitality of the Bangladesh Parliament and its people. The conference proved to be of real benefit to CPA Branches and it is clear that the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is going from strength to strength, especially with the establishment of a Small Branches Chairperson designed to provide a voice and platform for Small Branches to develop and address common issues. St Helena, being a CPA Small Branch, will stand to benefit from the strategic objectives and associated thematic priorities. The focus of the conference on ‘Continuing to enhance the high standards of performance of Parliamentarians’ through a series of conference workshops with discussion leaders from across the Commonwealth provided a range of experience to Parliamentarians and the agreed recommendations will allow the CPA to develop innovative strategies relevant to the Branches. My tenure of three years on the CPA Executive Committee which ended at this conference, has been an honour, rewarding and challenging, I have a comprehensive understanding of the workings of the CPA which has developed me as a Parliamentarian. St Helena has benefitted from the CPA through Technical Assistance Programme (TAP) funding streams and we look forward to the CPA’s Post-Election Seminar training which will be delivered to Members in St Helena early in 2018 together with a CPA Roadshow for young people. I have built up a network of relationships with fellow Parliamentarians and I am confident that the CPA is going in the right direction under the leadership of the Secretary General, Mr Akbar Khan. I would like to thank the outgoing Chairperson, Hon. Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, MP, Speaker of Bangladesh for her support and wish her every success for the future and I would also like to wish the incoming CPA Chairperson, Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, MP, Deputy Speaker of Cameroon, the very best. I wish CPA every success.”
Above: Hon. Derek Thomas, MLC, St Helena (far right) briefs the media in Bangladesh at the 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference on the outcomes of the conference workshop that he moderated.
The Parliamentarian | 2017: Issue Four | 297