THE fifth meeting of parliament that ended Monday this week has deliberated and passed 10 bills.

Leader of Independent group Dr Derek Sikua thanked the Government and Parliamentary Bills and Legislation Committee for bringing the bills to parliament.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare also alluded his words of appreciation, extended by the Leader of Opposition Jeremiah Manele who applauded the bills and legislation committee, and the public accounts committee for a job well done in scrutinising the bills and in raising issues and recommendations for the government to consider.

The bills passed in the recent fifth parliament sitting include;

1. The 2017 Appropriation Bill 2016
2. The 2016 Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2017
3. The 2017 Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2017
4. The Pacific Games 2023 Bill
5. Town And Country Planning Bill
6. The Land Surveyors Bill
7. The Child And Family Welfare Bill
8. The Adoption Amendment Bill
9. The Wild Life Amendment Bill
10. The Sitesa Bill

Mr Manele said some of these issues and recommendations are not new as they have been raised many times in the past.

“The fact that we are still raising them means nothing much have been done in addressing these issues.”

He supported a call by the Independent Leader Dr Derek Sikua to act on the bills

“The government cannot simply take note of these recommendations. It must act on them.

“Apart from these bills, a number of important motions were also debated and important policy questions raised by this side of the house.

However, while he thanked the ministers for their responses to the questions, the opposition leader said some of these responses have been unsatisfactory.

“I wish to remind cabinet ministers that the government is accountable to parliament and the people of Solomon Islands,” he said.