Speaker, HE Sir Ratu Epeli Nailatikau – Launch of Committee Room Broadcasting Systems

• HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

• HIS EXCELLENCY MR. JOHN FEAKES, AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER

• TSUGUYOSHI HADA, JAPANESE DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION

• SALLY WASWO, FIRST SECRETARY, NZ HIGH COMMISSION

• REPRESENTAIVES OF UNDP AND THE FIJI PARLIAMENT SUPPORT PROJECT

• DISTINGUISHED GUESTS

• LADIES AND GENTLEMEN 

I AM DELIGHTED TO WELCOME YOU HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH OF OUR COMMITTEE BROADCAST SYSTEMS WHICH WILL NOW PROVIDE LIVE BROADCAST OR LIVE STREAMING OF OUR PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE SITTINGS.

I AM, AS MOST OF YOU WILL KNOW, ONE OF THOSE WHO SEE THE BROADCASTING OF PARLIAMENT’S WORK AS ONE OF THE MORE EFFECTIVE METHODS OF INCREASING PEOPLE’S KNOWLEDGE OF PARLIAMENT AND GOVERNMENT.

IT WILL ALSO HOPEFULLY ENCOURAGE MORE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT WITH PARLIAMENT.

WHILE WE MAY NOT ALWAYS LIKE WHAT WE HEAR, THE FACT THAT WE CAN TUNE IN AND LISTEN IS PART OF OUR CHERISHED DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO GUARD AND CELEBRATE AT OCCASIONS SUCH AS THIS.

PARLIAMENT DERIVES ITS LEGITIMACY FROM ITS CORE FUNCTION AS THE PEOPLE’S REPRESENTATIVE.

STRONG, DEMOCRATIC PARLIAMENTS ARE THEREFORE RESPONSIVE TO CHANGES IN SOCIETY.

PARLIAMENTS NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE GOOD USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICT) TOOLS THAT ARE SHAPING THE WORLD OF WORK, MODIFYING INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION AND STIMULATING POLITICAL MOBILISATION.

FOR PARLIAMENT, ICT IS A CORE ENABLER OF GREATER OPENNESS, ACCESSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AS WELL AS A KEY CHANNEL FOR COMMUNICATING WITH CITIZENS.

BY STIMULATING CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THE WORK OF PARLIAMENT, EFFECTIVE PARLIAMENTARY ICT SYSTEMS WILL HELP PARLIAMENT IN ITS CORE PARLIAMENTARY ROLES OF LAWMAKING, BUDGETING, OVERSIGHT AND REPRESENTATION.

THESE INITIATIVES BUILDS ON OUR ACHIEVEMENTS FROM THE PREVIOUS TERM AND WE AIM TO ACHIEVE FAR BIGGER AND BOLDER THAN WHAT OUR PARLIAMENT HAS ACHIEVED PREVIOUSLY.

THIS IS BECAUSE I RECOGNISE THAT TO THINK STRATEGICALLY ABOUT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND DIGITAL DEMOCRACY, THERE NEEDS TO BE A WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN TO CHALLENGES AND TO CONTRARY VIEWS.

I RECOGNISE THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGAGING WITH EXTERNAL EXPERTS AND PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE PARLIAMENT OF FIJI.

I RECOGNISE, TOO, THE STRENGTH THAT COMES FROM SEEKING OUT EXPERTISE, INFORMATION AND IDEAS FROM OFFICIALS AND POLITICIANS WITHIN OUR PARLIAMENT.

TODAY, I’D LIKE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN REALISING THIS GOAL.

MANY OF YOU ARE HERE TODAY – ICT STAFF OF THE FIJIAN PARLIAMENT, UNDP STAFF, THE BROADCAST ENGINEERS OF GENCOM TECHNOLOGY – AND OF COURSE THE FIJI PARLIAMENT SUPPORT PROJECT DONORS, THE GOVERNMENTS OF AUSTRALIA, JAPAN AND NEW ZEALAND, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE.

I THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE CELEBRATE MILESTONES SUCH AS THIS AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT CAN BE HEARD.

AFTER ALL, IT REMAINS THE CORE OF OUR DEMOCRACY.

THANK YOU.