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South Pacific Independent News Network · 02-06-2021, 02:49 PM

Year 18 | 06 February 2021

THE SPINN
MAKING DECISIONS IN THE ASSEMBLY
James D. Halpert | Senior Editor

It's been a busy time in the Assembly, even with some drama along for the ride. From Roavin's nomination to the Court to the ongoing debate on elevation OWL to the Cabinet to a recent votes on changing the flag, legislators have had to face some tough decisions, and here are some thoughts on those choices.

ROAVIN AND THE CONCENTRATION OF POWER

Roavin was recently nominated to be Associate Justice. This seems to be a sound decision by the Cabinet, but let us consider the matter more carefully. Roavin currently sits on the Legislator Committee and the General Corps, is an Administrator and a Senior Moderator, and is running unopposed for Minister of Foreign Affairs. Few would seriously consider Roavin liable to abuse whatever power they hold, and I would tend to agree with that assessment, but regardless that is a startling concentration of power, which begs the question of why that is the case. Are we lacking in regional talent? Are we lacking in incentives to get people to apply for positions? Roavin may be a fine choice for the Court and for the other offices they hold, but we should consider if there is a reason why more legislators aren't stepping forward and whether there if anything we can do about it. After all, our region thrives when there are multiple people ready to pick up the slack.

DO WE WANT A WA MINISTRY?

Following the creation of three new ministries out of the Regional Affairs portfolio, is it the next logical step to upgrade OWL to ministerial status? Some argue that it is, that OWL has proven its worth and that it deserves an elected leader, a seat at the Cabinet table. Perhaps it does; the World Assembly portfolio is certainly one that has attracted much attention in recent months and seems ripe for development. Yet there is also the argument that there are already several ministries and that OWL is functioning fine in its current form, so why would it need to be a ministry? What would be the upside to having a new ministry, other than having one other position for someone to run? These are all good questions, but I feel that in the end the real matter won't be whether we need a ministry, but rather whether we want one. Simply stated, if we want a WA ministry simply for the status and legitimacy that it would confer to those currently involved OWL. Is that a bad thing? Not really, but it does leave us without a real answer to the question of how necessary a WA ministry is.

A LESSON FROM THE SAIL OR SPIRAL DEBATE

The Assembly recently voted to codify the sail flag, a symbol that has been used almost for the entirety of the Coalition's existence. This came as a result of a controversy between those supporting the continued use of the sail flag and those who believed that it was time to prioritise the spiral, a new symbol promoted by Somyrion, among others. Each may have their own opinion on the issue, but one lesson I think is worth rescuing from this event is the fact that an attempt was made, to some extent, to adopt a new symbol without a proper discussion by the Assembly. We should remember that the Coalition has used its flag, symbol and colours for near two decades by now. They form part of our identity and are one of various decisions that have endured through the years. It is perfectly legitimate to want to alter those symbols, but I believe a mistake was made in trying to change these symbols without proper, informed and explicit consent by the region. Yes, many support such a change, and maybe there could soon be a majority in favour of it, but for a symbol that has defined the South Pacific for almost all of its existence, the change demanded more than simply a silent transition.

The South Pacific Independent News Network (SPINN) is an independent news organisation established in 2003 with the goal of providing good, insightful and timely commentary on regional events for the citizens of the South Pacific. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board. Content is published via pseudonyms. The SPINN is not associated with the Government of the South Pacific.