Accountability

With RAMSI’s support, the Solomon Islands Government is working to combat weak administration and improper behaviour through the strengthening of Solomon Islands institutions of government accountability: the Leadership Code Commission, Office of the Ombudsman and the Office of the Auditor-General.

These institutions are vital to improving the accountability of Solomon Islands’ leaders and public service. They do this by conducting investigations into government procedures and leaders’ behaviour and by auditing government finances and performance. RAMSI advisers are working with counterparts in each institution to strengthen local capacity to ensure that any reports into maladministration are investigated properly.

The strategy

RAMSI will help to improve the accountability of Solomon Islands leadership and public service by:

• Strengthening the capacity of the Office of the Ombudsman, Leadership Code Commission and Office of the Auditor-General.

To learn more about some of the specific targets that have been set for each strategy, download the Partnership Framework document.

The challenges

Prior to RAMSI’s arrival in 2003, the organizations established to provide the checks and balances in government were badly understaffed, poorly funded and had almost ceased to function. While it had conducted investigations of complaints, the Office of the Ombudsman had not undertaken any major investigations since 1997 – and had only ever conducted one in its lifetime (Special Report No.5 of 1997). By 2003, it had a backlog of over 2,300 unresolved cases.

The Auditor-General’s office and Leadership Code Commission were faring little better: the Commission had not completed any investigations or established a complete Register of Leaders’ Interests, and the Auditor-General had been reduced to a staff of two with no audit reports tabled in Parliament since 1996.

Solomon Islands accountability institutions are now being strengthened and the quality and quantity of their activities are in stark contrast to pre-2003 levels. However, much work is still needed. Delays in the approval of legislation that would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of these institutions have hampered progress. Few Solomon Islanders are currently aware that they have institutions whose roles are to investigate and report on the conduct of leaders, public service administration and public finances. In the People’s Survey 2009, more than 55% of Solomon Islanders stated that they had never heard of the Leadership Code Commissioner, Ombudsman or Auditor-General.

RAMSI’s work

 RAMSI advisers are currently working alongside their Solomon Islands counterparts in the Office of the Auditor-General, Office of the Ombudsman and Leadership Code Commission in order to strengthen each institution’s capacity to investigate the conduct of leaders, improve the standard of public service administration, audit government finances and performance, raise awareness of their roles and build public demand for accountable government.

The key targets for this work include:

• The relevant parts of government are acting effectively to remedy administrative shortcomings and improper conduct.
• Each accountability institution tables its Annual Report to Parliament on time.
• There are mechanisms in place to ensure that Parliament’s recommendations on matters raised in audit reports are actioned by Ministries.
• There are efficient and accessible procedures for public complaints about the conduct of public officials and administrative action/inaction.

Achievements so far

RAMSI’s partnership with Solomon Islands’ accountability institutions has resulted in a number of key achievements. These include:

Office of the Auditor-General

• In 2009, for the first time since Solomon Islands Independence (1978), the Auditor-General signed-off Solomon Islands Government accounts within legislative deadlines.
• 2009 was the first time Solomon Islands Provincial Government audits had been completed on time in the history of the Office of the Auditor-General.
• The audits of the financial records of state-owned enterprises such as Solomon Islands Water Authority and Solomon Islands Electricity Authority are now up to date and being undertaken annually.

Office of the Ombudsman

• More than 80% of backlogged Ombudsman cases have now been resolved. At the same time, the Ombudsman has commenced a program of major investigations, examining particularly problematic areas of government administration.
• All outstanding reports to Parliament are now up to date and, with RAMSI assistance, the office’s first ever corporate strategic plan has been developed and implemented.
• The Ombudsman has introduced an innovative ‘aerogram’ initiative for members of the public to report maladministration by Government officials. Through an agreement with Solomon Islands Post, pre-paid complaints aerogrammes are now available at post offices throughout Solomon Islands to help members of the public easily report poor administration

Leadership Code Commission

• The Leadership Code Commission has adopted a more formal hearing process, resulting in matters being heard more efficiently.
• A new database and improved procedures have resulted in more effective administration of The Register of Leaders’ Interests, in which Solomon Islands leaders’ personal commercial interests are documented and scrutinized. Over 400 Solomon Islands public officials were fined by the Commission in March 2010 for failure to lodge their declarations of interests.
• The Commission is now producing annual reports, and with RAMSI assistance, has developed and implemented the office’s first ever corporate strategic plan.

Across all three institutions

• Changes to the legislation underpinning the Office of the Auditor-General, Office of the Ombudsman and the Leadership Code Commission, which would improve efficiency in these organisations and give each greater power to conduct investigations, have been drafted with the support of RAMSI.
• July 2010 saw the opening of Isaac Qoloni House, the new building for the Leadership Code Commission and Office of the Ombudsman in central Honiara. Funded by RAMSI, the new building provides an impressive new home for the Commission and Ombudsman to undertake their work, and includes a purpose-designed hearing room, similar to a court room, where the Commissioners will sit to conduct inquiries into allegations of misconduct by leaders.
• With RAMSI assistance, a suite of promotional and educational materials has been developed to help raise public awareness of each institution, and representatives from each institution are now undertaking community tours throughout the country to help raise awareness of their roles.