Home For Solomon Accountability Institutions Opens

New Home For Solomon Islands Accountability Institutions Opens

Submitted Mon, 05/07/2010 - 8:31am

Monday 5 July 2010

A new home for the Solomon Islands Leadership Code Commission and the Ombudsman’s Office was officially opened by Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Fred Fono, in Honiara today.

The new building, a joint project between the Solomon Islands Government and the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), will house the Solomon Islands Leadership Code Commission and Ombudsman’s Office, and will provide Solomon Islanders with a focal point for registering complaints against leaders and government officials.

RAMSI Special Coordinator, Graeme Wilson, said that the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands was proud to support the construction of the building, as it would continue the significant progress made in recent years in building the capacity of Solomon Islands accountability institutions.

“The Ombudsman’s Office, the Office of the Auditor General and the Leadership Code Commission have a key role in making sure government leaders are answerable for their behaviour, in investigating and in reporting on the actions and practices of government, and in fostering accountable, lawful, fair, transparent and responsive administration,” said Mr Wilson. “However, when RAMSI first arrived in Solomon Islands, these three accountability institutions were not fulfilling their functions.”

“Enormous progress has been made in strengthening these institutions to ensure effective oversight of the government and its leaders. I am confident that this building – which is a ‘one-stop shop’ for the community to raise their concerns about government leaders and processes – will provide you with the environment you need in order to do this work effectively and with confidence.”

Deputy Prime Minister Fred Fono, who accepted the building on behalf of the Solomon Islands Government, said the building provided “a stable platform for these constitutional offices to function more effectively and more efficiently, so that they will be able to help build a professional and innovative public service that demonstrates the highest level of ethical leadership, and is responsive to changing demands for improved service delivery”.

“Better resourced and supported integrity institutions, such as the Ombudsman’s Office and the Leadership Code Commission, will be more able to fulfill their roles of fostering and promoting ethical leadership and effective administration that is capable of delivering appropriate services to the people of Solomon Islands through a more efficient and responsive system of government,” said Mr Fono.

Following the official handover to the Deputy Prime Minister by RAMSI Special Coordinator, Graeme Wilson, the building’s name was then officially unveiled as ‘Isaac Qoloni House’ in honour of Solomon Islands second Ombudsman, Isaac Qoloni, who passed away in 1997, and was widely recognised for his work to protect much of Solomon Islands virgin forest.

“Mr Qoloni was Ombudsman until 1991 and during his time, he worked valiantly to awaken people to the need to protect their resources and to help people understand the law, the processes and what they were letting themselves in for,” said Mr Fono.

“Today, we dedicate this fine building to his memory and to what he stood for,” said Mr Fono. “And we task the Leadership Code Commission and the Ombudsman to pursue their responsibilities with the same vigour and rigour that Isaac Qoloni applied.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media