The National Parliament of Solomon Islands recently rendered expertise to its neighboring Vanuatu Parliament. As part of the UNDP’s Pacific Parliamentary Effectiveness initiative, the Chairman to the Education and Human Resources Committee Hon. Alfred Ghiro along with the Committee Secretary, Mrs. Jasmine Waleafea were invited to facilitate amongst other Guest Speakers from the Queensland and Fiji Parliament.

This regional exchange is a follow up from a similar training conducted with Vanuatu Parliamentary Staff a couple of weeks earlier, to which the National Parliament of Solomon Islands was also supporting.

During the two days’ workshop organized specifically for the Committee Chairs and Deputy Chairs, topics discussed during those sessions included understanding what Committees and their functions are and how they develop within democratic parliaments.

In the course of the workshop, Hon. Ghiro shared with fellow Chairmen on the role of the Chairman and the Committee clerk; and further shared on his experiences with the Committees in a challenged environment. The Queensland Parliament Chairman for Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee, Hon. Peter Russo along with Mrs. Waleafea, emphasized on the benefits of deploying strategic planning for each parliamentary Committee; given their mandates and tools that could have been at their disposal for carrying out their committee roles.

Committee Chairmen and members of the Vanuatu Parliament have commended the training and have tabulated recommendations that hopes to see to a resurrected and vibrant Committee functioning within their jurisdiction, in the coming months.