Inducting Parliamentarians

UNDP's new Parliamentary strengthening project in the Solomons is having its first big trot out this week. An induction course is being carried out, using regional resources persons - big names from politics, law and various academies.

PNG's Dame Carol Kidu has already thrown a welcome curve ball into what might otherwise be predictable pontification on good governance and the institutions to ensure it. She has pointed out the role of high expectations and misplaced expectations, on the part of electors, in escalating already heavy pressures on MPs. The good Dame pointed out that constituents expect MPS to be "responsible for delivering services" and that "Voters expect cash... ...they want you to solve all their personal difficulties". She also called for a "people's code" setting out expectations of people, of their MPs. This would enable MPs to get on with being legislators.

While this is welcome news for overburdened MPs, it de-emphasises a rather important reality: 2 months ago, almost all Solomon new MPs were campaigning, not as legislators, not even as leaders, but as the best development worker/service deliverer/personal difficulty-solver in the race. Indeed, the candidacy trail for many often starts as a scheme to leverage something out of a would-be candidate (see "Candidacy Solomon Style" at honiara-life). Constituents expect this of MPs, firstly because there are no other accessible sources for this sort of help, and secondly, because MPs leverage their entire campaigns on outlandish promises of this sort of assistance.

The MPs sitting in the induction course know this. In fact, servicing the debt on their leveraged wins is likely what they are thinking of, not making new laws. Around goes the cycle....see you in the 2010 general elections!