> McKINNON ADDRESSES PACIFIC SOCIETY: Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon highlighted the importance of oversight bodies to act as a check on governments when he addressed the
> Pacific Islands Society of the United Kingdom and Ireland on 8 May 2002. He was the keynote speaker at the society's 20th anniversary meeting held at New Zealand House, London.
>
> Mr McKinnon said that small states, including island states, were often
> unable to afford oversight institutions found in larger, more developed
> states. "And yet, oversight institutions play a central role in the
> stability and health of small states, particularly the young democracies of
> the Pacific. Experience shows that without a number of oversight
> institutions, no democracy can work effectively."
>
> He pointed out that the Ombudsman's office, the Auditor-General, the Human
> Rights Commissioner, the Electoral Commission, the Environment Commission,
> the Attorney-General and the Governor of the Central Bank can all play a
> part in holding the government and the public service accountable for their
> actions. A healthy democracy also needed an open and transparent tax
> collection system.
>
> The Commonwealth recognised the central role played by oversight
> institutions and was committed to strengthening these institutions in all
> its member countries. It has provided experts to help develop and reinforce
> oversight bodies, particularly in small member states where resources in
> this area were often limited, he added.
>
> "For a democracy to be successful, it is not enough to have the right
> political institutions and the right balance of power between them.
> Democratic practices should be at the heart of public life and shape every
> decision affecting the life of the community."
>
> Mr McKinnon said it is encouraging to see that the Pacific Islands Forum had
> adopted a mechanism similar to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on
> the Harare Declaration (CMAG), which deals with serious or persistent
> violations of the Harare Principles and penalises member countries that fall
> foul of the rules. The Biketawa Declaration, signed in October 2000,
> established a detailed system to assist in the resolution of political
> crises in member countries of the Forum.
>
> He added that the "good offices" role of the Commonwealth Secretary-General
> had been strengthened, so that in the future more conflict prevention work
> can be done. The Secretary-General gave the example of Solomon Islands and
> Fiji Islands, where the Commonwealth had intervened to help prevent
> conflicts and uphold democratic principles.
>
> Mr McKinnon pointed out that the Commonwealth, an association of 54
> countries of which 32 are small states, was the first organisation to
> recognise the special characteristics of small states and developed a set of
> tools to help these countries deal with the unique challenges they face,
> notably globalisation and climatic changes.
>
> The Commonwealth spends about 15 per cent of its annual technical assistance
> budget on projects in Commonwealth member countries in the Pacific region.
> Over the last year, advisers have been provided in the areas of multilateral
> trade, marine pollution and fisheries law management.
>
> In conclusion, the Secretary-General said that the Pacific nations
> contribute a great deal to the association. "Our Pacific members play a
> crucial role in our Commonwealth of Nations. They make us stronger. They add
> to our influence. They are an integral part of our diverse identity."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> http://www.thecommonwealth.org/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Dec 12 2002 - 08:00:42