NFP’s President, Pio Tikoduadua [right]

The National Federation Party has called on the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Justice, Law and Human Rights to amend certain clauses in the Code of Conduct Bill.

Presenting their submission, NFP’s President, Pio Tikoduadua noted that there was a need to review clause 12 which bars the Commission from hearing any complaints previously revealed elsewhere.

This he says is very restrictive.

“The Commission will not investigate a complaint which has been disclosed to any other person or entity apart from the commission. This means for example when a complaint has first been aired in the media, the Commission will then say, I cannot investigate. This section also means that even if an allegation is raised in Parliament, the people’s house, the Commission can say, I cannot investigate it.”

Tikoduadua also says there is a need to expand the number of organizations listed under schedule six that would be covered by the Code of Conduct Bill.

The political party notes that all wholly and partly government funded organizations should be added to the list.

The Code of Conduct Bill which is the Bill 33 of 2018 sets out to establish an Accountability and Transparency Commission to ensure that all public office holders are held accountable.