The Constitutional Review Special Select Committee will be conducting public consultations in Atiu, Mitiaro and Mauke, all in a single day.

The consultation to be held today will cost Parliament $11,136.

Clerk of Parliament Tangata Vainerere says the team will leave Rarotonga at 7am and will start their consultations in Atiu at 8.30am. The MPs and support staff will then depart for Mitiaro at 11am, and for Mauke at 2.30pm. The team will return to Rarotonga at 5.30pm.

Vainerere said the costs of the consultation programme included the travel costs by Air Rarotonga charter ($8836) and the various costs for logistics on each island, such as hireage, refreshments, transport and others, at $2300.

“The consultations will focus on the three Constitution Amendment Bills (Bill Nos. 30, 31 and 32) which are currently in the consultation stage.”

Leader of the Opposition Tina Browne of the Democratic Party will be chairing all the public meetings in her capacity as the deputy chair.

According to Vainerere, the Committee chair and Foreign Minister Tingika Elikana was unavailable for travel.

The Constitutional Review Special Select Committee also includes MPs Te-Hani Brown, Tereapii Maki Kavana, Teariki Heather, Toa Isamaela and Agnes Armstrong.

The three Constitutional Amendment Bills were presented to Parliament in the last sitting of 2023 in December and were referred to a Special Select Committee for review and consideration.

The Constitution Amendment (No. 30) Bill proposes increasing the number of Cabinet Ministers and removing the ability to appoint a non-MP Minister. The Constitution Amendment (No. 32) Bill provides for the ability for MPs to hold a proxy vote for a fellow MP, and Amendment (No. 31) Bill will allow a new Parliament to commence its work after a general election without waiting for the outcome of any election petitions. 

Rarotonga residents have strongly opposed an increase in Cabinet Ministers and a measure allowing MPs to vote by proxy. Additionally, some residents have voiced their disagreement with the proposal to allow a new Parliament to convene before electoral petitions are settled.

Accountability push

Prior to the public meetings on each island, Vainerere will be holding special meetings with the Executive Officers, Mayors and Island Councillors of each island on the submission of Annual Performance Reports and Financial Statements to Parliament under section 52 of the Island Government Act 2012/13.

Tangata said: “The lack of reporting is an ongoing problem that has been recurring since the enactment of the IG (Island Government) Act and my objective is to explain the need for accountability and persuade the Island Administrations to report as required by law.”