- ii - Committee members # Hon Peter Boyers # Hon Bernard Ghiro Chair^ Member MP for West New Georgia and Vonavona MP for Central Makira Hon Isaac Inoke Tosika* Hon Mark Kemakeza # Member Member MP for West Honiara MP for Ngella Hon Clement Kengava # Hon Siriako Usa # Member Member MP for North-West Choiseul MP for North-West Guadalcanal Hon Martin Sopaghe # Member MP for North Guadalcanal # Original members of the Committee on commencement of the inquiry under the Chairmanship of the Hon Laurie Chan. On 5 May 2009, the Hon Laurie Chan was appointed a minister and ceased to be a member of the Committee. ^ The Hon Peter Boyers replaced the Hon Laurie Chan as Chair on the appointment of the Hon Laurie Chan as a minister on 5 May 2009. Inquiry into the Facilitation of International Assistance Notice 2003 and RAMSI intervention - iii - * Following the referral of the inquiry, on 28 July 2008 the Speaker appointed the Hon Isaac Inoke, the Hon Mathew Wale and the Hon Clay Forau as additional members of the Committee. On 29 July 2008, the Speaker also appointed the Hon Manasseh Maelanga as an additional member of the Committee. On 16 October 2008, the Hon Mathew Wale was appointed a minister and ceased to be a member of the Committee. On 5 May 2009, the Hon Manasseh Maelanga was appointed a minister and ceased to be a member of the Committee. On 9 June 2009, the Hon Clay Forau was appointed a minister and ceased to be a member of the Committee. Committee Report No 1: November 2009 - iv - Committee secretariat Secretariat Mr Gavin Bare Mr Gordon Denty Mr Sunjay Dhari Mrs Alice Piko Fakarii Mr Stanly Hanu Mrs Emily Kupenga Mr David Kusilifu Mr Patteson Lusi Mr Noel Matea Mr John Niuman Mr Ian Rakafia Ms Jean Resana Ms Ellen Rii Mr Ray Sibisopere Mr Boniface Supa Mr Celsus Talifilu Mr John Taupongi (Legal) Ms Alice Willy Mr Calvin Ziru Ms Taeasi Sanga, Clerk to the National Parliament Ms Florence Naesol, Deputy Clerk to the National Parliament Mr Warren Cahill, Project Manager, UNDP Parliamentary Strengthening Project Mr Stephen Frappell ,Technical Advisor, UNDP Parliamentary Strengthening Project Ms Kate Harris, New South Wales Parliament Ms Julie Langsworth, New South Wales Parliament. Hansard Ms Arol Kimi Ms Esther Turangaluvu Ms Grace Pitu Ms Janny Bently Mr Liam Sau Mr Rexford Kouto Contacts Foreign Relations Committee National Parliament of Solomon Islands P O Box G19 HONIARA Website: www.parliament.gov.sb Telephone: (677) 23424 Facsimile: (677) 23080 Inquiry into the Facilitation of International Assistance Notice 2003 and RAMSI intervention - v - Chair’s Foreword I am pleased to present the report of the Foreign Relations Committee entitled Inquiry into the Facilitation of International Assistance Notice 2003 and RAMSI intervention . This report is a landmark report in many respects. The conduct of this inquiry has been an immense undertaking without parallel for the National Parliament of Solomon Islands. It extended over almost one and a half years and involved 35 public hearings and hundreds of witnesses across the Hon Peter Boyers country. This report is the first of its kind to be made Chair by our Parliament. The inquiry is also a landmark in terms of scrutiny and review of RAMSI. While there have been various external reviews of RAMSI undertaken by the Pacific Islands Forum, and reporting by RAMSI itself against its mandate, this inquiry is the first external review of RAMSI undertaken within Solomon Islands since the 2004 report of the Solomon Islands Intervention Task Force. It is also the first formal review undertaken by the National Parliament. On behalf of the Committee, I wish to thank all those who have been involved in assisting the Committee with this historic inquiry. Particular thanks are owed to the officers of RAMSI and the PPF for the positive way in which they approached the inquiry and the assistance they provided throughout. Sincere thanks are also due to representative of the Solomon Islands Government, led by the Prime Minister, the Hon Dr Derek Sikua, together with officers of the RSIPF, who have been very supportive of the work of the Committee. I especially want to acknowledge the people of Solomon Islands who gave up their time to assist the Committee throughout this inquiry, especially during its provincial hearings. The hospitality the Committee received in the provinces was appreciated by all members of the Committee. I wish to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the committee and hansard staff of the National Parliament. All staff from the Clerk down devoted considerable efforts to ensuring that the Committee had the resources necessary to complete this inquiry. The conduct of such an extensive round of public hearings, and the compilation of this report, are significant achievements for the National Parliament. Finally, I would like to acknowledge my fellow Committee members and former members, notably the former Chair of this Committee, the Hon Laurie Chan. Members of the Committee devoted enormous amounts of time and energy throughout this inquiry, travelling the full length of the country to ensure that the work of the Committee was effective and the evidence represented the views of all provinces and communities. Committee Report No 1: November 2009 - vi - On behalf of the Committee, I hope that this report will be of assistance to the Solomon Islands Government, RAMSI and the Pacific Islands Forum in guiding the future roles and responsibilities of RAMSI. I commend the report to the Parliament. Hon Peter Boyers MP Chairman Inquiry into the Facilitation of International Assistance Notice 2003 and RAMSI intervention - vii - Terms of Reference On 24 July 2008, on the motion of the Prime Minister, the Hon Dr Derek Sikua, the House resolved that: 1. Parliament refers the Facilitation of International Assistance Notice to the Foreign Relations Committee for inquiry, review and report. 2. In undertaking this inquiry the Committee may consider any matter relating to (a) the Facilitation of International Assistance Act 2003; (b) the Agreement concerning the Operations and Status of the Police and the Armed Forces and other Personnel Deployed to the Solomon Islands to assist in the Restoration of Law and Order and Security between the Government of the Solomon Islands and the Governments of certain Assisting Countries; and (c) any other notices made under the Act, that will assist the Committee in informing and making recommendations to this House in relation to the Notice. 3. The Committee to report to Parliament by Friday 14 November 2008. The reporting date for the Committee was subsequently extended on three occasions. On 28 November 2008, the House resolved that the reporting date be extended to 15 May 2009. Subsequently, on 3 April 2009, the House resolved that the reporting date be further extended to 23 July 2009. Finally, on 22 July 2009, the House resolved that the reporting date be further extended to ‘the first sitting of the budget meeting of Parliament this year’. 1 1 The first sitting of the budget meeting of Parliament in 2009 commenced on 12 November 2009. Committee Report No 1: November 2009 - viii - Table of Content Committee members...................................................................................................ii Committee secretariat ................................................................................................ iv Chair’s Foreword ......................................................................................................... v Terms of Reference ................................................................................................... vii Table of Content....................................................................................................... viii Executive Summary.................................................................................................. xiv Summary of Recommendations.............................................................................. xvii Terms and acronyms................................................................................................. xx Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................1 1.1 The Foreign Relations Committee ........................................................... 1 1.2 The scope of the inquiry ........................................................................... 1 1.3 The conduct of the inquiry........................................................................ 3 Initial advertising of the inquiry................................................................................. 3 Submissions .................................................................................................................. 3 Initial consultations with the primary stakeholders................................................ 4 Public hearings ............................................................................................................. 4 1.4 The political context to the inquiry .......................................................... 6 1.5 The impartiality of the inquiry.................................................................. 6 1.6 The civic education program .................................................................... 7 1.7 Structure of this report .............................................................................. 9 Chapter 2: Background to the RAMSI intervention ..................................................11 2.1 Solomon