Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA)
Secretary-General of the CPA
Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians
Treasurer-General
Distinguished participants
I appreciate the opportunity to welcome the esteemed delegates of the 33rd Small Branches Conference on the occasion of the 59th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in South Africa under the theme Effective Solutions to commonwealth Developmental challenges. We are indeed honoured to host you.
Since its inception in Fiji, 1981 the Small Branches Conference has provided a platform for Commonwealth Members from jurisdictions with population of 500 thousand or less to discuss and share issues pertaining to parliamentary affairs, politics, economics and social aspects in their respective countries where the focus is on small countries. It is in this conference of small branches where issues facing small communities are dealt with.
Through this conference, the small states have an opportunity to meaningfully reflect, from their own perspectives, on matters relevant to them and also on how they could contribute to the advancement of parliamentary democracy and development in many of the world’s smallest states.
The Small Branches Conference is a fulfilment of the aspiration that in the global political context we need all voices to be heard - big and small. We do not want a situation where the interests of small states are undermined by the overpowering interests of bigger states. Exactly 50 years later, we recall the ‘world’ that American activist, Rev Martin Luther Jnr spoke about, when he was speaking at the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington. It is a ‘world’ where we are judged by the content of our character. Let me add, not by the size of our jurisdictions.
Indeed there is nothing small about the matters that are before this conference, which are:
- Separation of powers and good governance in small states
- Is Education meeting local employment needs in small states?
- Self-determination, self-sufficiency and self-governance
- Ensuring technical and legislative capacity for ethical tax-raising in small states.
Of course, the only difference is that the context of the matters before you is that of small states. Otherwise the solutions that you propose might very well be relevant to bigger states.For example, the doctrine of separation of powers has been practised by many democracies small and big for a very long time.
However, we must continually improve its checks and balances because of the changing nature of governance itself, which is getting increasingly complex. The shifting policy and legislative framework requires our institutions, especially state legislatures, to have the necessary capacity to legislate and to oversee the intricate work of their governments.Importantly, the implementation of the doctrine of separation of powers must take into account the capacities that each arm of government needs in order to carry out its mandate fully.
Our agenda as host country is to afford a platform to all Commonwealth Member States, including ourselves, to share experiences and learn from one another the ways and means of dealing with the challenges regarding good governance, democracy and human rights. It is becoming important that Parliaments, as representative bodies of the people, must play a meaningful and clear role in strengthening our democracies. They must also protect the people against oppression or persecution of any form.
It is for this reason that South Africa was indeed shocked to learn about the latest escalation in the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic and the death of innocent civilians in a suspected poison-gas attack there. The effect of the conflict in Syria demonstrates that dialogue remains the most critical and viable weapon if the interests of our people are to be served and their rights respected.
For the resolution of that conflict, and any similar conflict in any country in the globe, we support an all-inclusive national dialogue that is free from any form of violence and intimidation. As you are all aware, our own country faced catastrophe.
However, it took our collective conviction and the boldness of our leaders, like Nelson Mandela, to avoid calamity and to be able to sit at the table and chart a way forward together. With these words, I would like to welcome you to Johannesburg, South Africa and wish you fruitful deliberations so that you find solutions to issues facing small states and also for the benefit of our community of nations.
I thank you.
