NFP makes case on global compacts
The National Federation Party (NFP) youth wing has asked parliamentarians not to ratify a covenant just for the sake of ratifying it.
NFP Youth representatives, including Dylan Kava and Apenisa Vatuniveivuke, made this statement to the parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence on the Ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in Parliament yesterday.
Mr Kava said the youth group’s concerns were that the realisation of the covenant would be hindered by the Constitution. “Unless there is a commitment by the Government to review and make the necessary legislative changes to conform and reconcile the 2013 Constitution with the two treaties, we see this as a mere stunt aimed at misleading the international community into thinking that economic, social and cultural rights and civil and political rights are legislated when it is then clearly being diminished by our current legislative framework,” he said Meanwhile, Government Whip Jilila Kumar asked members of the youth group what their role was in effectively disseminating information about the covenants to the community.
Provisional candidate Mr Vatuniveivuke responded and asked, “Is the Honourable member suggesting that we should be responsible for giving information to the public concerning the issue?
“So what it means basically as a youth group we should somehow make ourselves responsible for making the public aware of these issues?”
Ms Kumar said she wanted their opinion and their responsibility as a NFP youth group.
Mr Vatuniveivuke responded saying, “Our responsibility is to uphold the law.” As the youth group members tried to give their opinion chairperson of the committee Howard Politini told the National Federation Party’s youth wing submission team that their contribution were not constructive.
Mr Politini said the youths who presented their submissions earlier in the day were, however, constructive.
“Your beginning to sound like your leader. Be constructive when you come to this House,” Mr Politini said.
Mr Kava, while apologising, said the youth group was holding talanoa sessions, meeting peers and had a social media page where information have been put up. He said the treaties were progressive and a positive recommendation, but in order to fully the realise the impact that Government needed the people to feel there maybe need for a few legislative changes. He apologised if the youth group sounded negative in its submissions.