Parliament has so far passed three Bills in this current 7th meeting of the 10th Parliament since its resumption on Wednesday 18th July 2018.
The three Bills passed include the popular Anti-Corruption Bill 2017, the Whistleblowers Protection Bill 2016 and the Strata Titles Bill 2017.
The Anti-Corruption Bill 2017 went through the Committee of the Whole House without amendments and finally passed on Wednesday 25th July 2018. Prime Minister Hon. Rick Hounipwela at that time also tabled a list of corrections which were inserted later on the typing errors on some clauses of the Bill.
It is anticipated the passage of this Anti-Corruption Bill will ensure that the new Commission liaises with existing bodies that deal with maladministration (the Ombudsman) and misconduct in public offices (the Leadership Code Commission) and amend the Penal Code to require various agencies to liaise with one another and share information for the purpose of investigation and prosecuting corruption offences.
The ACB’s sister bill, the Whistleblowers Protection Bill 2016 went through the Committee of the Whole House with amendments and passed in third reading on Tuesday 31st July 2018 just after two days of debate. A list of corrections was also tabled by the Prime Minister under Standing Order 58 (2) on the typing errors of the Bill.
This Whistleblowers Protection Bill 2016 is an Act to protect persons making public interest disclosures from liability and victimization, and for related purposes. Majority of the MPs who have contributed to the debates of both the Anti-Corruption Bill and the Whistleblowers Bill spoke in support of the two Bills although few shared their negative observations surrounding the technicality of some clauses.
The third Bill to pass in the current 7th meeting is the Strata Titles Bill 2017. The Bill also went through the Committee of the Whole House and passed in third reading with amendments. The Minister of Lands, Housing and Survey Hon. Andrew Manepora'a also tabled a list of corrections on the typos of some clauses.
This Bill when become an ACT will provide for the division of land into strata titles; amend the Lands and Titles Act (Cap. 133), the Land and Titles (General) Regulations, the Local Government (Exemption from Basic Rate) (Honiara) Regulations, the Local Government (Rating of Land) Regulations and the Planning and Development Act (Cap.154); and for related purposes. Bills that are still before Parliament to pass include the following;
- The 2018 Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2018
- The 2017 Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2018
- The Constitution (Amendment) (Electoral Reform) Bill 2018
- The Electoral Bill 2018
- The Legal Profession Bill 2017
- The Goods Tax (Amendment) Bill 2018
- The Payment Systems Bill 2018
- The Development Bank of Solomon Islands Bill 2018
- The Constitution (Amendment) (Dual Citizenship) Bill 2018
- The Solomon Islands Maritime Authority Bill 2018
- The Constitution (Amendment) (Electoral Reform) Bill 2018
- The Prescription of Ministers (Amendment) Bill 2017
Deliberations on some of the Bills are expected in upcoming Parliament sittings. You can access the copies of the Bills and read in detail their objects and reasons on our website.
Parliament is on special adjournment since Friday 10th August and will resume Wednesday 22nd August 2018.