8 Jul 2008

Solomons law against party-hopping overdue, says commentator

3:28 pm on 8 July 2008

The Solomon Islands Government is planning a law change aiming to add political stability to the country.

The Prime Minister, Dr Derek Sikua, announced during the celebrations of 30 years of independence that party hopping legislation, to stop the often frequent crossings of the floor of Parliament, would be introduced.

He says it will ensure loyalty and that the interests of the nation are maintained and not the MPs' personal interests.

Dr John Roughan, a political commentator and a former private secretary to the previous Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, says the changes are long overdue.

He says the ability to cross the floor allows MPs to be indisciplined with impunity.

"Knowing that there is no penalty whatsoever that I know of if a person moves from one side of Parliament to the other. There is no penalty. They don't have to face any kind of monetary loss or they don't have to face the electorate again. It's just too open."

Dr John Roughan