MTGP&EA CONCLUDED TGCF BILL CONSULTATION WITH HONIARA CITY COUNCIL (HCC)
The Ministry of Traditional Governance, Peace and Ecclesiastical Affairs (MTGP&EA) completed one day Traditional Governance and Custom Facilitation Bill 2018 (TGCF Bill) consultation at Heritage Park Hotel on Thursday, 20 August 2020.
Honiara City Council Councilors and Head of Divisions of the Honiara City Council attend this consultation.
Speaking at the opening of the consultation the City Clerk Mr Rence Sore said that HCC is very fragmented, diverse and multicultural especially with the informal settlements in and around Honiara.
He added, “The challenge is how best this diversity can be dovetailed to fit in the TGCF Bill”.
Sore said with the TGCF Bill, all provinces and HCC can aligned well with it once the Provincial government and HCC Acts are amended.
Such a multicultural society like Honiara, the provincial centers and other multicultural settings in the country, this need innovative thinking to capture in the Bill.
He said the bill itself is very important when it comes to peace and unity, whereby strengthening traditional leaders will certainly have impact on society and country as a whole.
Sore expressed his gratitude and support on behalf of the City Mayor and the Deputy City Mayor for the TGCF Bill consultation.
He urged the City Councilors and Heads of Divisions to fully participate and make the most out of this opportunity through which their inputs will solicited in the draft Bill.
Meanwhile, Deputy Secretary Policy Planning and Program Development Mrs. Emily Kupenga said supporting, recognition and empowerment of traditional governance structures and systems is one of the current DCGA flagship policy.
She highlighted that there are constraints and impediments to peaceful co-existence in this country thus; empowering traditional leaders can contribute to the social and economic development of the country.
She says, “Your participation in the consultation is an important aspect of the policy development process in any democratic system and the Ministry values your inputs into this Bills process”.
Also she added it is an opportunity for you to participate in the improvement of one of the founding pillars of our identity as Solomon Islanders.
She further said the TGCFB consultation is a response to the Bills and Legislations Committee (BLC) Recommendations Report 2018 that recommends the Ministry to undertake this nationwide consultation on this draft Bill in order to further improve the draft version as required by BLC.
During the consultation there where over whelming support from the participants who attended consultations and rendered their appreciation and support for the Bill to be passed in parliament soon.
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