Parliament’s Standing Orders should be amended to review the use of Standing Order 51, the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights has recommended.
The committee stated this in its review report of the Parliament of Fiji’s annual report for 2018-2019.
The committee noted 26 Bills were tabled in 2018-2019, out of which, 23 Bills were enacted through Standing Order 51.
“From the 23 Bills that were enacted, 22 were passed under SO51, whilst 1 Bill (Appropriation Bill), progressed through the normal legislative process provided for under the Standing Orders,” stated the Committee.
“Out of the 23 enacted Bills, 22 were passed under Standing Orders 51, and one (the Appropriations Bill) followed the regular parliamentary procedure outlined in the Standing Orders,” stated the Committee.
“The committee notes that there was a significant number of Bills (88.5 per cent) for the reported year and as a comparative (99 per cent) for the year that were enacted under Standing Order 51.”
Under Standing Orders 51, motion or Bills introduced in Parliament may be moved without notice and must proceed without delay for debate and voting.
