SOLOMON IS: Ramsi challenges Moti and PM
Updated
The head of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands has questioned the intentions of a government review of the RAMSI act. The government's planned review comes just months after the Pacific Islands Forum completed its own review of the Australia led mission.
Presenter: Sam Seke
Speakers: Tim George, RAMSI Special coordinator
SEKE: Special Coordinator of Ramsi, Tim George says contributing countries in the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands should be engaged in any move by the Sogavare government to amend the RAMSI act.
He says the Pacific Islands Forum countries have a strong and direct interest in any development relating to RAMSI.
Mr George said there's a lack of transparency in the review of the act based on a flawed document compiled by the Attorney General, Julian Moti.
GEORGE: The contributing countries and I will make the point that all members of the Pacific Islands Forum are active contributors to RAMSI and have people here in the Solomon Islands. So they have a very direct and strong interest in developments here relating to RAMSI. They have a strong interest in any proposals to change the facilitation of international assistance Act, which really creates the rationale and the conditions under which their people are here. So if there are to be moves to change that Act it's important I think that they're not just informed of any such moves, but that they be engaged in a very genuine and thorough process of consultation. They have very strong and legitimate interests in that particular process.
SEKE: But Mr Sogavare has told the Solomons Star newspaper that his government will not be deterred by the criticisms vented by the RAMSI officials to derail the proposed review.
Mr Sogavare says the people of Solomon Islands spoke through their legitimate voices in Parliament to vote for the review and that is exactly what will happen very shortly.
He says neither RAMSI nor the Pacific Islands Forum can usurp the constitutional role and prerogative of the Solomon Islands Parliament and parliamentarians.
He says the review has also been enthusiastically supported by provincial Premiers.
Prime Minister Sogavare has also expressed surprise at comments made by the deputy head of RAMSI, Masi Lomaloma in defending the Pacific Islands' contribution to RAMSI.
Mr Sogavare told parliament recently that the Pacific Islands contingents in RAMSI were merely a camouflage.
He said while he understood their anxiety and frustration, he did not appreciate the direction and tone of their remarks.
He said "visitors must realise that it is the privilege of every MP to speak his mind freely in Parliament".
Mr Sogavare said it's a constitutional right and he will not apologise to anyone for calling a spade a spade.
But Mr Lomaloma took exception to the remarks by the Prime Minister.
LOMALOMA: Personally as a senior member of the Pacific Islands contingent here I'm very disappointed with this remark. As you know we have more than 100 members of the RAMSI that are from the Pacific Islands, that contribution is from the Pacific Islands. And we are honoured and we are proud to be part of this regional initiative to come and serve in RAMSI. And as such we don't understand the motive and the reason why the Prime Minister would want to dismiss our contribution as merely camouflage for Australian foreign policy and institutions.
