THE ratification process of the Federal Constitution could take another two years to be completed and is up to the Democratic Coalition for Change Government (DCCG) on how to do so.

This is according to the Policy Secretary of Fundamental Reforms of the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC) Warren Paia.

The Policy Secretary made the comprehensive response to queries sent to him by Island Sun.

“After the Prime Minister has received the Draft Federal Constitution, it will be up to the DCC Government to find a way to ratify the document,” Mr Paia said.

Ratification means the acceptance and endorsement of the DFC by the people of Solomon Islands.

“How is this to be done? Will Parliament do it on behalf of the people by subjecting the Document to Parliamentary processes and procedures, or is there another way of approving the DFC?

“Since the DFC will be a document of the people, done by the people and aimed to restructure governance in the country according to the wishes of the people, should Parliament debate, amend, recast or revise the contents of the Document after the people have spoken?” Mr Paia rhetorically questioned.

He then added that Parliament will certainly be involved through the Constitutional Review Standing Committee of Parliament.

Chairman of the CRC is the Member of Parliament for Aoke-Langalanga Hon Mathew Wale.

“It will have a big role to play in submitting to Parliament its recommendations on how to handle the DFC after the Committee has deliberated on it.

“Nevertheless, the DCC Government does have options on how to address the ratification process,” Mr Paia added.

He then said that these options will only become clearer after the Government has received a copy of the DFC.

“But once the Government has decided to adopt a certain mechanism for ratifying the DFC, it will act on it and the ratification process could take another one or two more years to complete,” Mr Warren Paia added.