TUESDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER 2008 the Speaker, Sir Peter Kenilorea
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TUESDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER 2008 The Speaker, Sir Peter Kenilorea took the Chair at 9.30am. Prayers. ATTENDANCE At prayers, all were present with the exception of the Ministers for Mines and Minerals and Rural Electrification, Agriculture and Livestock, Development Planning and Aid Coordination, Foreign Affairs and the Members for Shortlands, Central Makira, North‐ West Choiseul, East Makira, West Guadalcanal, North Guadalcanal, Central Honiara, Malaita Outer Islands, West New Georgia/Vona Vona, West Are Are and South Vella Lavella. SPEAKER’S ANNOUNCEMENTS Mr Speaker: Honourable Members before we proceed with today’s business, I wish to inform the honourable House of a number of procedural matters outlined in the circular to Members by the honourable Prime Minister and which relates to the desire for this House to congratulate, encourage and support the Solomon Islands National Futsal Soccer Team which will participate in the coming 7th FIFA Futsal World Cup to be held in Brazil later this month. Yesterday, the honourable Prime Minister gave notice of a congratulatory motion. He desires to move today, in recognition of this remarkable achievement, the motion that appears in the Notice Paper. Although the motion does not comply with the usual notice requirement, the Speaker yesterday granted leave under Standing Order 26(1) for the honourable Prime Minister to move this motion in today’s sitting. Members of the National Futsal Soccer Team are present with us today but will need to leave shortly to prepare for their departure this afternoon as they head to Brazil. There is therefore need for us to deal with the honourable Prime Minister’s motion straight away rather than following the usual order of business. As Members are aware, this however, requires the suspension of Standing Orders. I now call the honourable Prime Minister to take the necessary steps to allow us to proceed immediately with this motion prior to the asking of questions. Hon. Sikua: Mr Speaker, in order to allow this House to immediately consider the motion standing in my name in the Notice Paper, I seek your consent under Standing Order 81 to move a motion to suspend the relevant Standing Order. Mr Speaker: Thank you Prime Minister, leave is granted for the honourable Prime Minister to move that particular motion of suspension. Hon. Sikua: Mr Speaker, I move that Standing Order 13 be suspended in accordance with Standing Order 81 so that the congratulatory motion in my name takes precedent notwithstanding the usual order of business for a sitting. Mr SOGAVARE: Mr Speaker, this side of the House has no problem with that motion. Standing Order 13 stands suspended. Mr Speaker: The honourable Prime Minister may proceed with his motion. I trust that having read both the Notice Paper and its explanatory memorandum this morning, Members have sufficient notice in order to contribute to this motion within reasonable time. Hon. SIKUA: Mr Speaker, I move: (1) that the National Parliament of Solomon Islands acknowledges with enormous pride the achievement of the Solomon Islands National Futsal Soccer Team in becoming the first National Representative in the Futsal Soccer Code to represent the Oceania Region and the Solomon Islands at the 7th FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil scheduled to be held in October 2008; (2) That the National Parliament of Solomon Islands on behalf of all Solomon Islanders wishes the Futsal Team as it departs for the World Cup on 2nd September every success in the knowledge that the team will represent their country proudly. Mr Speaker, I take much pleasure in moving this motion to congratulate our Futsal Team, the Kurukuru for qualifying to take part in the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil and as they depart today for the tournament on behalf of the whole House and our country and people, I wish them all the best in the tournament. You have all our support and encouragement and I trust that you will perform to your best and fly our flag high in Brazil. I also wish the team well in their friendly games in Australia en route to Brazil. Mr Speaker, soccer or football is our national sports and although we are not doing that well in the 11 a side code, we have been doing very well in the five a side code both in Beach Soccer and Futsal. Our national sport, soccer and sports in general, Mr Speaker, has had a unifying effect in our country, especially during the difficult times that we went through and currently as we work towards reconciliation and rehabilitation. Mr Speaker, it is an honour and privilege for our young Futsal Team, and for that matter for Solomon Islands to represent our region in the FIFA Futsal World Cup Tournament. I know that our team is placed in a tough pool with Brazil and Russia, but I am sure that they will do their best. Little was known about Solomon Islands in the World Soccer until we burst into the scene of World Beach Soccer representing our region three times. Now, our Kurukuru Team has done us proud again by representing our region for the first time in the Futsal Code at the World stage. Once again, Mr Speaker, on behalf of the whole country I wish our boys and the Team Management all the best in Brazil. I wish to assure them of all our full support, encouragement and prayers. I also trust Mr Speaker, that they will be good ambassadors for Solomon Islands both on and off the field. With these remarks, Mr Speaker, I beg to move. Mr Speaker: Honourable Members, the honourable Prime Minister has moved a motion to allow this House to acknowledge the achievement of the National Futsal Soccer Team and to wish success to the same in its participation in the 7th FIFA Futsal World Cup 2008. Before I allow debate, may I kindly remind Members that we only have today and tomorrow to deal with remaining business before this meeting is adjourned sine die tomorrow. Further, as I indicated earlier the Futsal Team present in the House this morning needs to leave shortly to prepare for their flight. For those reasons and on the basis that this is a motion of congratulation, I propose that the honourable Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition be given the opportunity to speak first on behalf of all Members of the House before other Members contribute. Further, I propose and accordingly request Members’ support that this debate be concluded by 10.30am to allow the team time with their families before departing this afternoon. While there is no time restriction for debate on motions under Standing Orders, I am sure this honourable House does not want to be responsible for any delay in the team’s preparation and departure for the World Cup. I therefore request Members’ cooperation and kindly ask all Members to be mindful of these considerations when making their contributions and to adhere to the normal rules of debate. Mr SOGAVARE: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I would like to debate in support of the motion moved by the honourable Prime Minister. In doing so, I join him in congratulating the country’s Futsal Team who will take on the challenging responsibility of not only representing Solomon Islands but the Oceania in the Futsal World Cup Championship Tournament to be held in Brazil later this month. Mr Speaker, this is an achievement worthy of commendation. It is an honour well deserved by the boys and the Solomon Islands Football Federation with the support of technical assistance attached to SIFF. Indeed, Mr Speaker, it is a direct result of well placed collective efforts. It is my understanding that the team is a product of a strategic development program put together by SIFF over the years at the School of Excellence to groom the country’s young talents to achieve high level of proficiency in soccer. Mr Speaker, the team virtually grew up playing soccer. It is therefore just appropriate that I take this opportunity, to join the Prime Minister, to sincerely acknowledge the painful hours put into the development of this team by SIFF Technical Officers. I appreciate that it is not an easy task. By the same token, Mr Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the commitment by the boys that enable them to cope with the demands of what is physically and mentally required of them. Mr Speaker, it is a fine example, of what team work and discipline can achieve. These efforts, Mr Speaker, have certainly paid off. We have a team that is both physically and mentally fit and ready to take on the world giants in Futsal. They have done what may have been thought of as impossible 10 years ago. Certainly, I join the Prime Minister to say “they have certainly done us proud”. I must also thank their parents, Mr Speaker, and guardians for the understanding, commitment and personal involvement in nurturing the interests developed by these boys at the early stage and for continuing to provide the support that has certainly assisted in transforming this interest into formidable skills comparable to the world’s best. We have reason to be proud of them, Mr Speaker. I wish them well as they take on the challenging responsibility of representing the Oceania in the Tournament not only as Futsal players but as rightfully observed by the Prime Minister, Mr Speaker, as ambassadors of the region. Mr Speaker, I support the motion and congratulate the Team. Hon. TAUSINGA: Mr Speaker, I make no delay in rising up and making my contribution to the motion moved by the honourable Prime Minister to congratulate the Kurukuru Futsal Team for their achievement and for their participation in the World Cup Tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.