From TRANSPARENCY SOLOMON ISLANDS
The regional Civil Society Organisation Forum and other associated events was convened in Suva Fiji 31st July – 2nd August 2023.
This is an annual meeting of civil society from across the region launched in 2015 under the Framework for Pacific Regionalism and Pacific Island Leaders’ desire for greater inclusion and participation of their people in regional agenda and priority setting.
The Forum is convened annually as the preparatory platform for the engagement of CSOs with Pacific Island Forum Leaders.
Due to lack of clarity with regard to PIF processes for participation at this CSO PIF Forums, misinformation both at the national and regional level it was assumed that Pacific Island Association of Non-Government Organisation (PIANGO) and its membership were the only CSOs that were recognised by the Pacific Forum Secretariat.
Despite this assumption, Transparency Solomon Islands put in an application when the Concept Note and Expression of Interest was advertised in public by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
Transparency Solomon Island has been following the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent of the Forum Leaders, and is of the view that whilst this Vision and Strategy will make a positive difference in the lives of the country members of the PIF, it is threatened by corruption at the top leadership, and the observation that leaders say one thing and do exactly the opposite, and wishes to raise this at the Forum Leaders Meetings be it at the Forum Leaders meeting, the Forum Women’s Meetings, and at the Forum Economic Minister’s Meeting the three that were listed in the Expression of Interest Application Form.
Transparency Solomon Islands commends the Forum Leaders for their vision of the Pacific Region, the people of the countries they represent, the people of their constituencies who voted them into the positions of power, the people whose entrusted power they exercise and for the good and healthy development of these countries and the Pacific Region as a whole.
TSI does so based on the Blue Pacific Continent Vision of the Forum Leaders quote “A REGION OF PEACE, HARMONY, SECURITY, SOCIAL INCLUSION AND PROSPERITY. A REGION WHERE PEOPLE CAN LEAD FREE HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE LIVES”.
For Solomon Islands this vision makes complete sense, is achievable and is what the people more so now are crying out for.
It is the vision that the founding fathers of the Independent Democratic Sovereign State of Solomon Islands had when they gave birth to our country.
A vision that we had a very short glimpse of, enjoyed for about ten short years (10) following our independence and now continuously being butchered by the choice of representatives that we make come election time every four years.
Of important interest to Transparency Solomon Islands in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent are the 10 commitments that the leaders have made to strengthen their collective action and deepen regionalism to realise the vision.
Furthermore, in support of these commitments the 2050 Strategy brings together seven interconnected thematic areas containing a level of ambition that represents the transformational change that is sought in each by 2050 Strategy to realise the Vision of the leaders.
Each thematic area contains a number of strategic pathways focusing on governance, inclusion, and equity; education, research, technology, resilience, well-being; partnerships and corporation.
The seven thematic areas are:
1. Political Leadership and Regionalism
2. People-Centered Development
3. Peace and Security
4. Resource and Economic Development
5. Climate Change and Disasters
6. Ocean and Environment
7. Technology and Connectivity.
Transparency Solomon Islands commends the architecture of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
If achieved such a vision can also influence and bring about the same at the national level in each PIF countries of the Pacific.
Whilst TSI notes the focus of strategic pathways on governance, inclusion, and equity; partnerships and corporation, observations of the conducts, actions, of those in positions of power, be it the governments, civil society organisations, non-governmental organisation, inter-governmental agencies who expend millions in the name of these focus areas has been wanting.
People have been left behind and there is very little inclusion.
Transparency Solomon Islands acknowledges those that do touch base with the people, and countries that do so.
TSI also notes with concern that some intergovernmental agencies and CSOs have become experts in every area that happens to have funds and grew their empire at the cost of people that are meant to benefit from it.
Transparency Solomon Islands believes the importance of raising these at the Forum Leaders level to ensure they do have the political will to pay special attention to issues that threaten the 2050 Blue Pacific Continent Vision.
Transparency Solomon Islands commends the 2050 Blue Pacific Continent and the strategies for achieving this for the region and the countries of the region.
It is however, concerned about the threats that can impede the strategic pathways to achieving the Pacific Island Forum Leaders (people’s representatives) Vision for the Pacific and its people.
The key findings of the Global Corruption Barometer Pacific 2021 raise red flags especially with regard to high levels of political corruption in political leadership of countries in the region.
Political will, protecting the regions democracy through good governance are vital for the successful implementation of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
The success in any strategy meant for the people must have them as the major stakeholder and partners and not just Civil Society Organizations, who claim they represent the voices of the people but most often hardly visits them, gather their views and be their voices etc.
The most important voices of the people are however their elected representatives (politicians they vote in) who again and again focus on the partisan sympathies of the politicians that they happen to be in power with.
People or citizens are an integral part of the successful realization of the 2050 Blue Pacific Continent Vision.
They also have the legal responsibility to hold their leaders to account for corrupt conducts, provided they are aware of their democratic, political, legal, civil, and human rights.
They alone have the power together with their elected representatives to make a change for the common good or not.
It is a concern that despite the millions poured into civic awareness in the countries of the Pacific focusing on gender equality for example, statements made about gender equality is all about women and children and men are nowhere to be seen.
Worse still is the fact that nothing much touches people in the rural, remote areas of the country.
With little information that reaches them and their observations of happenings around them they experience and live through the negative impacts of corruption, corrupt conduct and practices by politicians, civil servants, police etc. and in the Global Corruption Barometer Pacific 2021 believe, they can make a difference in the fight for good governance for the common good, thus protecting their democracy.
The findings of the Global Corruption Barometer Pacific 2021 (what people say from their experiences, observations, and perception) are very clear and must not be ignored.
The people of Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Federated States of Micronesia, and Fiji see Members of Parliament as the most corrupt in their countries, Kiribati the Prime Minister and the judges and magistrates, New Caledonia the Local Government, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji the Police, French Polynesia the Presidents/Prime Minister.
The second most corrupt institutions according to the citizens taking part in the survey for their countries are: Kiribati the financial institution (Bankers), Samoa the civil servants, Solomon Islands the companies extracting natural resources.
The promotion of good governance should not be only in its written inclusion in the documents but supporting people and CSO’s (practical funding support and civic awareness) to be partners in this journey is a must for checks and balances in the implementation of 2050 Strategy of the Blue Pacific Continent.
Transparency Solomon Islands welcomes good governance being weaved into all the thematic areas, but it cannot be just in words alone.
It is disappointing that the PIF CSO Forum spent so much time on processes and procedures, on issues that have already been taken onboard by the Leaders than emerging issues and sensitive issues that only CSOs can raise, such as political corruption, geo-politics, review of strategies for getting women into parliament, economic and social infrastructures that would allow people to remain in their own province, land and discover their own economic potential having access to services to get their products to the market or bring the market to their door step etc. to be raised to the Leaders.
Good Governance was played down and not re-emphasized and one wonders if good governance is something that CSOs while talking about it at the national level refrain from re-emphasizing and asking for a stand-alone section in statements to the Forum Leaders.
Fighting corruption, promoting good governance, and protecting democracy must be given the same prominence as gender equality and others, otherwise, how else can people centered development be achieved if bad governance and political corruption and corruption is allowed to go unimpeded with no support to citizens to hold all of us to account for the common good.
Transparency Solomon Islands has witnessed what corruption has done to Solomon Islands, people die because the hospital does not have liquid Panadol that could be administered directly into patients needing it, not enough nurses and doctors, public health facilities, etc. Whilst this is the case public funds are spent on buying votes indirectly and the list goes on.
Each applicant to the PIF CSOs Forum was asked one issue it will bring to the Forum Leaders Meeting, PIF Women Leaders Meeting, and Forum Economic Ministers Meeting.
Transparency Solomon Islands applied to participate and the three priority areas it plans to raise and raised in the interest of the 20250 Blue Pacific Continent Vision are:
1. Addressing Political Corruption, geo-politics, Good Governance. These if not addressing threatens clean and honest political leadership and regionalism, the first pathways to achieving 2050 Blue Pacific Continent Vision. This had to be addressed to avoid the thwarting of the 2050 Strategy and Blue Pacific Continent Vision.
2. PIF Women Leaders Meeting, the need to get more women into parliament and a review of current strategies where millions were spent but nothing much to show for it.
3. Importance of building fit for purpose economic and social infrastructure to decentralize development thus achieve the people centered structure of the 2050 Strategy.
TSI believes these to be necessary priority issues however sensitive they are to put before the leaders. Corrupt political leadership and Geo-politics threatens the very essence of 2050 Blue Pacific Vision – regionalism.
The Regional civil society organizations forum is an annual meeting of civil society organizations from the region.
It was launched in 2015, under the Framework for Pacific Regionalism and the PIF Leaders desire for greater inclusion and participation of people in regional agenda and priority setting process.
The CSO forum has convened annually as a preparatory platform for the engagement of CSOs with Pacific Islands Forum leaders.
The Forum provides an avenue for CSOs from Pacific Islands Forum member countries to discuss, share their views and strategize for the achievement of the 2050 strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
The regional CSOs forum is also an annual event organized by the Pacific Islands Forum. It provides a shared platform for CSOs to caucus around the region’s policy priorities.
Transparency SI is fortunate to be accepted to attend the Forum 2023 represented by its Executive Officer, Ruth Liloqula.
The Forum is attended by representatives of CSOs from 18 countries.
Two CSOs were selected from each country and for Solomon Islands it was Development Services Exchange and TSI that were successful in their application.
Transparency Solomon Islands encourages CSOs in the country to apply come 2024.
The engagement of CSOs ensures the voices and positions of CSOs are reflected in key regional policies.
Pacific Islands Forum recognizes CSOs as a key stake holder in sustainable development and are an integral part of Pacific Islands Forum processes.
People and Civil Society Organisation are a critical partner in achieving the Pacific Islands Forum’s vision for the Blue Pacific Continent.