A Day in the Life of a Member ofParliament in Solomon Islands

This Discussion Paper is based on a seminar delivered on 4 April 2016 by the Hon. Rick Hou MP, which was organised by SSGM. It draws on his experience as a member of the Solomon Islands national parliament since 2010. It reviews the various roles and duties of the office against the many and varied demands on the MP, and suggests ways in which an MP can manage those demands. Finally, he looks at the management of the constituency office, and especially at how financial resources are managed. He discusses the various factors that either enhance or hinder the role of the constituency in service delivery and development assistance more generally. The paper concludes by making the argument for the constituency as an important vehicle for service delivery and development assistance in Solomon Islands. This paper is an expression of the personal views of the author, and does not reflect the views or position of any of the committees of which he is a member or political grouping to which he belongs in Solomon Islands.AusAI