27 Oct 2010

Regional study points to weakened legislatures

1:01 pm on 27 October 2010

A report looking at leadership in the Pacific says there is a growing dominance of the executive over the legislature and a disconnect between government policy and its application

The report, looking at leadership practice against the Forum principles of good leadership, has 16 contributors reporting the situation in 13 Forum island countries.

It found leaders generally respect their laws and systems of government but the growing dominance of the executive over the legislature and the inability of governments to act decisively on corruption is troubling.

The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, says the study was written by scholars in each country and is clearly their point of view.

"It carries no official perspective of the secretariat. We ourselves will be looking at it. We have a leadership programme, I think these are the correct sort of issues to identify and further discuss amongst leaders, and at all levels."

Tuiloma Neroni Slade.