The head of Transparency Solomon Islands says a court's decision to affirm tax free salaries for MPs is a big step back for the country's transparency efforts.
On Friday, the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court ruling that declared the decision made last year by the Parliamentary Entitlements Committee, which has MPs sitting on it, was unconstitutional.
In its judgement, the Court of Appeal said that, while unpopular, the committee's decision was legal.
The executive officer of Transparency, Ruth Liloqula, told Jamie Tahana the decision is extremely disappointing.
Transcript
RUTH LILOQULA: It is very disappointing but not surprising to get the decision because just listening to the changes and also what the lawyers could get from the way that the Court of Appeal was conducted, the questions asked, yes, the decisions of the Parliamentary Entitlement Commission on awards that they give, may be unpopular, very unpopular with the public, with the people, but they are not illegal. They have the power.
JAMIE TAHANA: Do you accept this judgement or are you going to look at another avenue for appeal ?
RL: I think the appeal process is now done but that is not say that we couldn't do something more about it. Just because the Court of Appeal ruled that everything that was declared unconstitutional by the High Court is now constitutional, it doesn't make it right in my books. It doesn't make it right for any sensible person to look at it, because it was not right for Members of Parliament to influence the decision - because they are in this Commission as well - to award themselves such exorbitant awards and also tax free salaries. Yes there is a window of opportunity to do something about this and to change the law, because now we know that we need to change the law, but then we know that the MPs - they are ones who should change the law, but they are also the ones who will receive the entitlements.
JT: So that gives little prospect for change?
RL: Yeah it is unlikely and also, of more concern, is that the Court of Appeal's decision has kind of validated the culture of MPs helping themselves to public funds without any scrutiny. It's just money that's going through them in a most untransparent way, and they don't account for it. This is the biggest concern that I have and more and more we are seeing that the Court of Appeal is perpetuating the kind of culture that we are having here, that are being practised by our leaders, which we think is not befitting for the office.
To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following:
See terms of use.