TRC Report Still Not Ready: PM

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission report which many have been looking forward to is yet to be brought before the Parliament.

In a question raised by the Opposition group yesterday during the Committee of Supply 2022 Appropriation Bill 2022 asking the current stage of the report, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said that the government is currently working on the report recommendations.

The Prime Minister said that works produced has not been satisfactory and said the Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace (MNURP) is working closely with the Prime Minister’s Office on the report.

“So what we decide is for them to work on a matrix so that it gives us a bird’s eye view on the the issues that has been demanded on the government.

“I think the first step we decide to do is that the matrix is produced to the government  so that the caucus can look into the demands,” Prime Minister Sogavare said

Mr Sogavare said there are precedence set already on some claims the government has paid over the years like loss of properties which he said they borrowed 300 million from the Republic of China Taiwan.

The Prime Minister said  the report is a comprehensive one and the Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace (MNURP) need to add more inputs before tabled in the parliament.

“It’s a very comprehensive report it will go beyond just appraising the matrix.

“It needs the Ministry of Peace and Reconciliation to look intensely into it,” he said.

In an interview with Dr Derek Sikua late last year, the former Prime Minister said there has been no progress done with what has been recommended in the Truth and Reconciliation Report.

During the interview, Dr Sikua urged the the government to debate and passed this important report in parliament this year to ensure the country achieve a lasting peace and unity.

“It was tabled in around November 2014 and since then government who have come in after had not able to have the report debated in parliament and have the recommendations implemented.

“It is a very important report and that is what I’m urging the government to make sure that in 2022 (this year) this report must be debated in parliament and passed.

“That will pave the way for Solomon Islands to put in place the various recommendation for the TRC report and to ensure that we have a lasting peace in our country,” Dr Derek Sikua said.

By Simon Tavake