Speaking Notes for His Excellency Hon. Speaker, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau during the IPU World E-Parliament Conference

His Excellency Hon. Ratu Epeli  Nailatikau
Speaker of Parliament

IPU World e-Parliament Conference, 16 – 18 June 2021

LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS CONTINUITY AMIDST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

THE FIJIAN PARLIAMENT’S ABILITY TO CONTINUE PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS AMIDST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE TIMELY INVESTMENTS IN ITS E-PARLIAMENT INITIATIVE WHICH STARTED IN 2020 AND INCLUDED THE DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHENING OF I.T FACILITIES TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE ONLINE OR VIRTUAL COMMUNICATIONS.

THE TARGET WAS ENHANCING PARLIAMENT’S ACCESSIBILITY TO CITIZENS FOR INFORMATION RESOURCES, AND ACCESS TO COMMITTEE INQUIRIES. BUT IT BECAME CRUCIAL IN ENSURING THE CONTINUITY OF BUSINESS DURING THE LOCKDOWNS THAT WERE INSTITUTED TO COUNTER THE TRANSMISSION OF THE PANDEMIC.

THIS INITIATIVE WAS DUE TO THE SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE FIJIAN PARLIAMENT, THE GOVERNMENT AND OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS OF AUSTRALIA, JAPAN AND NEW ZEALAND THAT WAS FACILITATED UNDER THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FIJI PARLIAMENT SUPPORT PROJECT.

FIJI IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING A SECOND WAVE OF COVID-19 THAT BEGAN IN APRIL COMPELLING LOCKDOWNS AS DIRECTED BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL SERVICES.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE HYBRID SITTINGS FROM 25 MAY TO 7 JUNE. THIS WAS A MILESTONE IN THE HISTORY OF THE FIJIAN PARLIAMENT AND PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY IN FIJI.

MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF THE MEMBERS ATTENDED THE SITTING VIRTUALLY, WITH THE REMAINDER ATTENDING IN-PERSON AND OBSERVING PARLIAMENT’S COVID-19 SAFE PROTOCOLS. IN TOTAL WE HAVE HAD 94% DAILY ATTENDANCE.

DURING THESE HYBRID SITTINGS, COMMITTEE REPORTS AND BILLS WERE TABLED, DEBATED AND PASSED BY ACCLAMATION AND WERE TELEVISED LIVE ON FREE-TO-AIR TV AND LIVE-STREAMED ON THE PARLIAMENT’S WEB SITE AND FACEBOOK PAGE.

IT SHOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE STANDING COMMITTEES HAD ALREADY BEEN MEETING SINCE APRIL 2020, UNDERTAKING INQUIRIES AND HEARINGS THROUGHOUT FIJI WHERE INTERESTED CITIZENS AND STAKEHOLDERS MADE VIRTUAL SUBMISSIONS. THE HEARINGS HAD ALSO BEEN LIVESTREAMED ON FACEBOOK  ALLOWING PUBLIC ACCESS.

DESPITE THE LOCKDOWNS PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE ITS BUSINESS IN PLENARY AND COMMITTEES BY WORKING VIRTUALLY.

REMAINING RELEVANT AND ENGAGED

THE HYBRID SITTINGS HAVE ENSURED THAT PARLIAMENT’S LEGISLATIVE AND OVERSIGHT AGENDA CONTINUES. FIJIANS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS STANDING COMMITTEE INQUIRIES AND PUBLIC HEARINGS VIRTUALLY.

THE LIVESTREAMING OF PARLIAMENT SITTINGS AND COMMITTEE HEARINGS, HAVE ENSURED A WIDER REACH, KEEPING FIJIANS INFORMED AND ENGAGED WITH THE BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT, AND THEREBY GENERATING MUCH PUBLIC DEBATE.

ADAPTING PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES

WE NOTE THAT SOME PARLIAMENTS HAVE DIFFICULTY IN HAVING VIRTUAL SITTINGS OR VIRTUAL COMMITTEE ENGAGEMENTS.

ALSO, IN ADDITION TO THE I.T INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONNECTIVITY CHALLENGES, SOME HAVE BEEN HINDERED BY STANDING ORDERS, CONSTITUTIONS OR STATUTES THAT DO NOT ALLOW VIRTUAL SITTINGS OR REMOTE PARLIAMENTARY WORK.

THE FIJIAN PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO UNDERTAKE THE HYBRID SITTINGS AND ALLOWING COMMITTEES TO WORK VIRTUALLY, BECAUSE OF THE PROVISIONS PROVIDED FOR IN THE STANDING ORDERS THAT GIVE THE BUSINESS COMMITTEE AND THE SPEAKER THE POWER TO CONVENE SITTINGS OF PARLIAMENT.

THE SPEAKER HAS ADDITIONAL POWERS TO DO EVERYTHING NECESSARY OR CONVENIENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS OR HER FUNCTIONS UNDER THE STANDING ORDERS.

IN THIS NEW NORMAL, PARLIAMENTS SHOULD EVOLVE AND ADAPT THEIR RULES OF PROCEDURES TO ALLOW PARLIAMENTARY PROCESSES TO CONTINUE WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE CONTINUANCE OF PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY.

PARLIAMENTS MUST MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO THEIR PRACTICES, PROCEDURES AND WORK CULTURE TO ADAPT TO THE EFFECTS OF PANDEMICS AND OTHER DISASTERS.

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN PEOPLE AND STATE

THE VIRTUAL COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND PARLIAMENT SITTINGS HAVE ENSURED TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION FOR MANY ORDINARY FIJIANS WHOSE MOVEMENTS HAVE BEEN HAMPERED BY THE LOCKDOWNS.

THIS CONTINUITY OF PARLIAMENT ENABLES OVERSIGHT AS MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT RAISE QUESTIONS AND ENGAGE IN DEBATE ON THE GOVERNMENT’S COVID-19 RESPONSE STRATEGY.

CHALLENGES

LOCKDOWNS HAVE AFFECTED PARLIAMENT’S ABILITY TO STICK TO ITS SITTING CALENDAR. THE COVID-19 RESPONSE MEASURES PREVENTED MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AND THE SECRETARIAT STAFF FROM COMING TO THE PARLIAMENT COMPLEX TO WORK.

WHILE WE HAVE A WORKING I.T INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT VIRTUAL MEETINGS AND WORK-FROM-HOME POLICIES AND INITIATIVES, THERE ARE CHALLENGES SUCH AS INTERNET CONNECTIVITY, MPS’ TECH KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, AND SO FORTH WHICH WE ARE CONTINUALLY FINE TUNING.

FORTUNATELY, FOR MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, THE SECRETARIAT HAD CONDUCTED ITS TRAINING WELL BEFORE THE PANDEMIC SURFACED AND HAVE SHOWED GREAT RESOURCEFULNESS IN PROVIDING THE ONGOING ESSENTIAL BACK-UP SERVICES.

— ENDS —-