'Significant Progress' Reported In Regional Legislative Drafting Capacity
(Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat)
The Commonwealth and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariats have reported significant progress in legislative drafting capacity building for the Pacific region.
This follows the successful completion of the first Pacific Law Drafters Technical Forum held 26-28th June in Port Vila, Vanuatu.
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The Technical Forum brought together 12 drafters from six Forum Island Countries (FICs) - the Cook Islands,
Over the three-day program, a range of technical issues were addressed with the aim of producing better laws for FICs.
Katalaina Sapolu, spokesperson for the Commonwealth Secretariat (ComSec), stated:
“Training for Pacific law drafters has historically been a neglected area in building good governance infrastructure in the region.
“Better drafted laws make a significant contribution to improving good governance, economic growth and security.
“Technical training provides law drafters with new and improved skills. Undoubtedly this will contribute to their ability to prepare clearer and more efficient legislation and regulations for their respective governments and communities.”
The Technical Forum was sponsored by the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the program prepared and presented by the New Zealand Office of Parliamentary Counsel.
The meeting in Port Vila also reviewed progress on the Action Plan for
The Action Plan is a 14-part blueprint to address a critical area of legal infrastructure for FICs, covering issues such as recruitment, training, support and retention of FIC law drafters.
At the Technical Forum meeting in Port Vila, considerable progress was reported in implementation of the Action Plan. This included:
• The development of a Pilot Advanced Diploma course for law drafting to be conducted by the University of the
• Development of a Pacific Law Drafters Network to provide professional and personal support for FIC law drafters. The Network will include a website with networking, ‘help desk’ and training information facilities.
• Making available to FIC government law drafters a Law Precedent Data Base to be provided by the New Zealand Office of Parliamentary Counsel.
• Progress in developing linkages between the 14 FICs’ Law Drafting Offices and counterparts in the 11 Australian and New Zealand Law Drafting Offices.
Said Andie Fong Toy, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s Officer-in-Charge: “With ComSec’s ongoing leadership and support, this partnered effort between ComSec, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and University of the
