Transcript
"Thank you very much Mr speaker I rise to move that parliament resolve itself into a committee of the whole house...."
In his opening remarks on tabling the RAMSI mission report Mr Sogavare said Solomon Islanders were standing at the cross roads as they prepared to take full responsibility for the affairs of their own country.
Mr Sogavare said Solomon Islands is about to start a new and challenging journey of nation building in the post-RAMSI era.
He urged all MPs to work together to build on the gains made through the RAMSI partnership, saying anything less would show a lack of appreciation for the success of the Pacific mission.
"And today Mr Speaker RAMSI has achieved significant results for Solomon Islanders and the region and it is in this context, Mr Speaker that RAMSI intervention reflects Pacific diplomacy, solidarity and cooperation."
The leader of the opposition Jeremiah Manele however in welcoming what he described as a comprehensive report on the RAMSI mission said he would have liked it to have included a section capturing the voices of the people of Solomon Islands and how this regional intervention had impacted on their lives.
Mr Manele also said there was still some anxiety and fear amongst the population as RAMSI departs.
"This anxiety and fear does not necessarily link to another major percived ethnic conflict. But the potential for a general deteriorating law and order situation where people in institutions can be harassed unnecessarily again. And I agree with the Prime Minister that we must not allow this to happen ever again."
The cost of the Mission to Australian and New Zealand tax payers was raised by the MP for Aoke Langa Langa constituency Matthew Wale.
It is estimated Australia has spent around $AUD3.5 billion on RAMSI and New Zealand's contribution has been around $NZD150 million.
Mr Wale said it was up to the taxpayers of these countries to decide whether this was money well spent.
"Our response is simply that the peace, the order, the security, the stability, the restored rule of law and the respect for the rule of law [and] a functional economy are priceless."
Festivities to celebrate and farewell the mission continue in the capital with leaders and representatives from all 15 Pacific Forum Islands countries who contributed to the mission to converge on the capital Honiara for the final RAMSI farewell event on Thursday June 29th which has been declared a public holiday.