The Parliamentary Civic Education Unit (PCEU) will be taking Parliament down to the people of Isabel during the course of the province’s Kodili festival from 25th to 29th June 2018 in Buala.
The PCEU accepted the invitation to attend the Kodili festival since it is also part of its Education and Outreach program to educate and inform rural citizens in the provinces on the functions of Parliament, roles of Members of Parliament, separation of powers and professional supporting services of Parliament.
Men, women, boys and girls who will attend the festival are also urged to come and flock the Parliament stall in numbers to listen and learn more about our Parliamentary democracy.
To add a bit of excitement during the awareness program will be the screening of the Parliament DVD which will sum up our Parliamentary democracy. This include clips on functions of Parliament, responsibilities of MPs and professional supporting services of Parliament.
Taking Parliament to such a special occasion like Kodili festival is very important for ordinary Solomon Islanders, in this regard for Isabel people to hear from parliament what their MPs are doing in the big round house at Vavaya Ridge.
Furthermore, the outreach program will enable PCEU team to promote the rich and valuable information on our Parliamentary democracy to Isabel constituents and vice-versa to allow the CIVIC team to mingle, interact and learn in depth about the unique cultures and customs of the people of Isabel Province at the Kodili Festival.
Speaker of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands, Ajilon Jasper Nasiu once said in one of his speeches, that one of the many challenges of the Solomon Islands 21st century is that majority do not yet understand and appreciate the roles and functions of Parliament.
He said many still think that Parliament is the ruling government, which is not true.
Ajilon said, “As the national constitution outlines well, that there is separation of powers on the three arms of the state. Therefore, in order to understand this separation of powers, it is rewarding experience to engage with the general populace, through various civic activities and outreach program that will make them appreciate the mechanics of parliamentary procedures and processes and how these parliamentary mechanisms provide how the state governs its citizens.”
Last year the PCEU team had also took part in educating men, women, boys and girls about Parliament at the celebration of the 2nd appointed day of Guadalcanal Province and weaving festival.