Knowledge Sharing Important For Members of Parliament
The Parliament Secretariat is committed to continuously enhance the capacity and competency of Members of Parliament (MPs) to address topical or thematic issues that arise when discharging their legislative and oversight functions, according to Secretary-General to Parliament, Mrs Viniana Namosimalua.
While opening the one-day workshop on Sharing Knowledge from Inter-Parliamentary Events and Fijian Parliament Committees, Mrs Namosimalua said, “We live in a much bigger world and globalisation has meant that local issues are often linked to broader international issues. In fact, many social, economic, environmental and political problems are common across countries and regions.”
“It is therefore important to have such engagements to ensure we learn about these issues and best practices used to address them.”
Mrs Namosimalua noted that regional workshops and conferences are beneficial to those attending but the secretariat has not created opportunities for members to share their experiences with colleagues upon their return.
“Knowledge and information sharing should be an integral part of our work. Thus we are glad that in partnership with the UNDP, we have undertaken to have this important workshop as a knowledge sharing forum for Members,” she added.
Members of Parliament who participated in the local and overseas workshops and seminars highlighted emerging issues and trends surrounding topics such as parliamentary practices and procedures, climate change, cybercrime, international trade, gender empowerment, security, SDGs, etc.
The workshop is also an opportunity for MPs to share with their colleagues on how Parliament can address some of these issues, particularly in raising Members’ understanding when these issues arise during the legislative and oversight process in debates, question time and in committees.
At the end of the workshop, MPs will attend the Speaker’s Debate highlighting the importance of youth, with the title ‘Do communities in Fiji value the voices of our youth?’
Panellists include the Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Laisenia Tuitubou, Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Ro Teimumu Kepa, General Secretary of National Youth Council of Fiji, Ms Lina Anne, National President of Sanatan Youth, Mr Rovin Singh, President Fiji Muslim Youth Movement, Mr Aneez Khan and Associate Dean (Pacific) University of Otago, Pacific Youth Researcher Dr Patrick Vakaoti.
The debate will begin at 5.00pm at the Grand Pacific Hotel.
