Transcript
The organiser of the event, the UNDP's Effective Governance Team Leader Dyfan Jones, says the training programme aims to address the challenges faced by Pacific governments, especially the scrutinising of public spending.
"One of the major challenges in the Pacific is the financial systems and the financial oversight of public expenditure, so when the government is raising money is it being scrutinised as to why they're going to spend this money? And the role of parliament in that process is very clear. But in many Pacific countries they find it hard to implement that role effectively."
He says Pacific Island governments have been making some good progress in terms of financial management, but more work needs to be done.
"There's often these surveys done of the effectiveness of public financial management systems in the Pacific and they've clearly shown there's room for improvement. Every country is different and every country will have different levels of achievement, but what has been clear is way that all Pacific countries can improve this and this is why we are having this event."
Solomon Islands opposition MP Douglas Ete and the chairman of his country's Public Accounts Committee, says there is a lack of transparency around how public funds, such as the National Development Fund, are administered. This fund is paid out to MPs to spend at their discretion in their constituencies.
"And that fund - National Development Fund over the years has never been appropriated in Parliament, only once with the Lilo government did I remember in the last house, the ninth parliament, did he, in 2014 brought the NDF fund to be appropriated."
Mr Ete also says the lack of clarity around how governments manage money from donors, is an issue throughout the Pacific.
"It's an issue in the Pacific where moneys from donors, especially Taiwan is being imputed into the development aspirations of the people, specifically politicians. It is an issue that is really unclear."
Cook Islands MP Mona Ioane says observing two select committees in Wellington had taught him valuable lessons
"This is very important for us in the Cook Islands. We are new in the area of this select committee sittings. I've been attending meetings for chair of select committees. and... this is another learning experience for us."
He says he says that he plans to apply what he has seen in the New Zealand government back in the Cooks.
"So it is really interesting for all Pacific Islanders, especially myself, I'm the chair of our Public Accounts Committee, and of course our new Public Crimes Bill, I'm hoping that I can take it back home and put it into practice."
Dyfan Jones says that improving financial monitoring and parliamentary processes will have wider effects for development across the Pacific.
