26 Jun 2007

Proposed amendments to Nauru's constitution to be discussed in parliament this week

6:21 am on 26 June 2007

Proposed amendments to Nauru's constitution are set to be discussed in parliament this week.

A 36-member convention has been discussing recommended amendments put forward by a constitutional review commission after a series of public meetings last year.

The chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, Mathew Batsua says the review process has come about from concerns about governance and financial accountability problems Nauru has experienced in the past.

He says he will submit the recommendations for tabling in parliament this Wednesday for discussion in parliament and 90-days consultation before certain proposed amendments go to a public referendum.

Mr Batsua says the convention heard a wide range of recommendations...

"One of the more interesting which had a lot of debate at the convention was the recommended setting up of an ombudsman's office and also a leadership commission, which passed the convention, to police and monitor the performance of leaders against a leadership code that is introduced."