Choiseul Province has called for an evidence-based approach to the country’s proposed transition to a federal system of government, saying any constitutional reform must deliver tangible benefits for the people.
The call was made during a consultation between the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s (OPMC) Federalism Cost-Benefit Analysis Team and the province’s Executive at the Pacific Crown Hotel on 16 June.
Led by Deputy Secretary to Cabinet Florence Joel and facilitated by consultant Peter Forau, the team presented a comparative cost-benefit analysis of Solomon Islands’ current unitary system of government against the proposed federal model.
Choiseul Premier Pitakaka welcomed the consultation, describing federalism as one of the country’s most important national issues and stressing the need for reliable data to guide future decisions.
“Choiseul Province is committed to ensuring that any future system of government delivers real benefits for our people and addresses the shortcomings of the current system,” Premier Pitakaka said.
He acknowledged that while the existing unitary system has delivered important gains, it also has significant weaknesses that must be addressed.
“The country must carefully consider whether those weaknesses can be fixed within the current system or whether a federal model would provide a better path forward,” he said.
The Premier identified the return of alienated land, stronger provincial economic development, and improved management of fisheries, forestry and mineral resources as Choiseul’s key priorities under any future governance arrangement.
He said further analysis of the economic and governance impacts of federalism is essential, adding that robust evidence will be critical when the proposed reforms are considered by the Constituent Assembly and, ultimately, the National Parliament.
Premier Pitakaka thanked Deputy Secretary Florence Joel and Constitutional Reform Unit Director Philip Houlia for facilitating the consultation.
A statement from the Government says the OPMC’s Federalism Cost-Benefit Analysis Team is continuing consultations across the country as part of efforts to gather provincial views and inform the national debate on the future structure of government.
