19 Jul 2006

Solomon Islands government sets up taskforces to review RAMSI operations

7:51 pm on 19 July 2006

The Solomon Islands government is committed to reviewing the operations of the Regional Assistance Mission, or RAMSI, but the review won't take place immediately.

This follows the opposition saying that it's considering legal action after the prime minister, Manasseh Sogavare, signed the Facilitation Act's international assistance notice which allows RAMSI to continue operating in the country.

The opposition says the act stipulates that parliament should have been convened to review the annual notice, not the P.M.

Mr Sogavare says he's legally allowed to endorse the notice and it doesn't mean that there won't be a review of RAMSI.

"We are still reviewing it. I mean, it requires a lengthy process. This is a partnership, the government cannot just jump in and review as it likes. This is a partnership between the Solomon Islands government and the participating countries so what needs to happen now - we've actually established four taskforces to review the various aspects of RAMSI so that report will come to us as soon as they've completed that."

Mr Sogavare says the taskforces will be looking at areas that cover institutional strengthening, law and order, reforms and economic impacts.

He says if there are areas to be reviewed, there will be consultation and it will be done properly.