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RAMSI is a unique operation, not just in the region, but around the world, and it is attracting a lot of attention internationally for its approach. RAMSI’s approach can be summed up in a few key principles. Partnership RAMSI is a partnership. RAMSI does not replace government in this country. It does not have a mandate to work in all areas of government. It works with the elected government of the day. It follows and implements Solomon Islands laws and regulations. An example of this partnership working in practice is the Solomon Islands Government-RAMSI Consultative Forum, which was established in November 2005, and which brings together RAMSI’s leadership with Permanent Secretaries of our counterpart departments to discuss cross-cutting issues which affect all of RAMSI’s operations, and to give us a better understanding into the government’s priorities and concerns. Part of the idea of partnership is an important principle of mutual obligation. We are here to help, but it is not RAMSI’s job to solve every problem in Solomon Islands. The elected government of the day must take responsibility – responsibility for setting and following clear priorities, responsibility for upholding the law, responsibility for sharing costs, responsibility for meeting commitments and undertakings which have been made. Another obligation on the part of leaders is to inform themselves as best as they can on the important issues affecting the country. Capacity building is central to RAMSI’s efforts. We know that our work will not be sustainable if Solomon Islanders themselves are not building the skills and capacity to take the country forward. We know that capacity building is not only about developing individuals, it is also about developing strong institutions. That is why the PPF are now actively putting the Solomon Islands Police Force in the driver’s seat. That is why our officials in the Department of Finance and Treasury and other areas are told that it is their job to develop the capacity of their counterparts. We measure RAMSI’s success by the extent we are building local capacity. RAMSI comes as a package. When RAMSI was first designed, there was a clear determination that the problems of Solomon Islands could not be addressed simply through a law and order approach, or through a traditional aid program. RAMSI contains elements of both of these but all of its parts work together and reinforce each other. For example, our work in the courts reinforces the changes we are helping to bring about in the Solomon Islands Police Force and the Prisons Service. Our work in the Finance Department reinforces the Government’s ability to implement its programs right across the board. Of course it is only natural that, over time, we will make faster progress in some areas than in others. But even so, the strength of our approach – the benefits it brings to ordinary Solomon Islanders – comes from the fact that it is an integrated whole. While RAMSI will of course not be here forever, RAMSI is still a long-term commitment. When putting RAMSI together, the countries of the region accepted that they could not do a quick fix. The crisis that the country faced was a serious one, and it was not going to be solved overnight, or even in two to three years. The people of Solomon Islands wanted the confidence to believe that the region’s support was firmly behind them. The continued, and indeed growing, support for RAMSI – with fourteen nations of the Pacific Islands Forum now contributing personnel to RAMSI – demonstrates that the region firmly supports working towards a brighter future for Solomon Islands. |
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