‘High expectations, low means’.

 

TO better services of constitutional offices to exercise their accountability mandate, they must be well resourced.

The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Ronald Bei Talasasa made the statement when asked of his opinion by Member of Parliament for Small Malaita Hon Rick Hou, on his observation on human and financial resources and the independence of constitutional offices.

Hon Hou raised the query during the Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) inquiry into the Ombudsman Bill 2016 this week.

DPP Ronald Bei Talasasa responded saying it is crucial the fight against corruption is not rhetoric or stagnant.

He added that the two accountability constitutional institutions, the Leadership Code Commission (LCC) and the Ombudsman Office must be fully supported and well-resourced to carry out its functions with full independence.

Talasasa then strongly stated that should the two institutions be able to fully operate in full independence, the machinery would make efforts of the courts much easier.

The LCC, Talasasa told the BLC, deals with Leaders whilst the Ombudsman deals with administrative bodies.

Chairman of the Leadership Code Commission (LCC) Solomon Kalu was then asked of his opinion by the BLC on the same issue.

Kalu told the Committee that a separate budget to be administered by the LCC itself would aid its independence and mandate to conduct its work without interference.

He then admitted that last year some work was not able to be done because in terms of finance, they “are not fully independent”.

Kalu told the BLC this week that it would only be practical if the LCC could manage its own resources.

“High expectations, low means,” Kalu added, is the hindrance.

The Chairman of the LCC told the BLC that from his personal observations into the Ombudsman Bill 2016, he sees areas which both the LCC and Ombudsman’s Office can work collaboratively.

This he added, can be done with great ease if the proposed legislation is not too restricted, otherwise, he fully supports the idea of the proposed legislation.