First Training for Parliamentary Standing Committee Members

Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committees are currently attending a three-days training/workshop to assist them with their legislative, representative and oversight roles.

The training is an important part of capacity-building and professional development for the Members in their respective Committees as they prepare to resume after the opening of the second session next month.  

Speaker of the Fijian Parliament, Hon. Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu noted that whilst the work ahead would bear its own challenges, there needs to be some transformational changes to the role of the Standing Committees that better represents the people and further strengthens Fiji’s place in the modern and dynamic Parliamentary democracy.

“The sessions over the next three days will cover a broad range of topics related to Committee work and this will include community engagement and public consultation, conducting policy inquiries under Standing Order 110(1)(c), scrutiny and oversight by Committees, treaties and conventions, and the role that Chairpersons and Deputies, Members and staff play within the Committee system.”

“The sessions are not intended to be one-way instructive but rather interactive, to allow exchange of ideas and experiences as we try to map the best way forward and make our Standing Committees more effective and efficient.”

He stressed that more training would be held in future, as part of Parliament’s effort to improve, strengthen and heighten the Committees oversight role.

“These trainings are important to allow for better accountability and transparency in the Parliamentary Committee system in this term of the Fijian Parliament – and ultimately, advance the Parliament’s stride towards SDG 16 particularly on promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions as a key enabler of the entire SDG framework.”

Member of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs the Hon. Premila Kumar found the workshop very useful, especially to the Members of Parliament who are new to Standing Committees.

“I find the workshop very useful mainly from the perspective that we can go through the Standing Orders and see its relevance in different scenarios. And also learning from experts who are here from Australia and New Zealand as its more of a comparison between our Parliaments. It is a learning experience for us but also an opportunity in future to scrutinise the Standing Orders and to gauge how we can make the Committees more dynamic and more useful, not only for Parliament but also for our people.”

The training/workshop was made possible through the Parliament of Victoria, the Australian Government and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Fiji Parliamentary Support Project with generous support from the Governments of Australia, Japan and New Zealand. 

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