1 week Ago By Fred Wesley
The fact that only one person turned up for the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights’ public consultation in Labasa early this week is a concern. It prompted the cancellation of a 11am session.The consultation was to gather public views on three key Bills — Code of Conduct Bill, Accountability and Transparency Commission Bill and the Access to Information Bill.
Committee chairman Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure said the poor attendance was disappointing and unexpected.He remarked they never expected such a low turnout.That was the case though at the Labasa Civic Centre.
The consultations, he said, were important for shaping the law.The poor turnout is causing some concern. The idea is for people to come forward with their views on the governance Bills.
There is supposed to be a process that allows us all to be engaged, and to offer views that will allow the Government to make important decisions.As Ratu Rakuita said, it is an important part of the law-making process. Our voices must be heard.
He said Tuesday’s turnout was the poorest so far.“As someone from the North, I find that unfortunate. It’s a missed opportunity for our people.
”He is now urging the public to take consultations seriously and make submissions while the Bills are still under review.“Once a Bill is passed, it becomes law and is binding on everyone. The time to raise your concerns is during consultations, not after.
”Now that is very important.We all have views of what constitutes good policy, or Bills. We all have views of what we want to see, and what we want changed.
This is why consultations are an important part of the process. They allow our leaders to understand and appreciate what we want. In the end, we all can assist in moving our country forward.
In saying that, we raise the question of awareness and whether we are doing justice to the process.Have we considered the little things like timing for instance?Are we happy with our awareness campaigns?As the movers and shakers, are we doing enough to motivate or inspire people to turn up?Ratu Rakuita believes government agencies, stakeholders and relevant parties “need to help raise awareness, so that people understand the importance of participating in this process”.Governments must consult the people on key issues.
Likewise, we have a hand as well in playing our role. And that’s through the consultation process.Let us reflect on the fact that we have such a process in place.
Let’s reflect on the fact that we can have a say, and let’s consider our right to be part of the process, and let’s also consider our duty for our nation.The process of public consultation is about shared responsibility. It is a given that leaders can create an environment that encourages openness and invites participation.
It is also important, as we said earlier, that we acknowledge our role in this process. We can constructively influence laws that affect our lives by participating!We can assist in laying the foundation for a better future for our loved ones, and for our nation!The post Editorial comment | Importance of public consultations appeared first on The Fiji Times..
