By EMMA SUN
A SOLOMON Islands deputy premier visited Evelyn MP Christine Fyffe for a week as part of a program to assist women in power in the Pacific.
Rhoda Sikilabu, from the Isabel Province, shadowed Ms Fyffe and learned the ins and outs of the Australian parliamentary system.
Ms Fyffe said she met Ms Sikilabu through the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Association, an all-party group of female MPs from the federal, state and territory parliaments, where her role was to encourage females across the Pacific to stand for public office and improve female representation.
“Excluding Australia and New Zealand, women only make up five per cent of elected officials in the Pacific, which is the lowest percentage in the world,” Ms Fyffe said.
“Politicians in Australia complain about doorknocking in the sun, wind and rain; Rhoda swam across rivers, climbed mountains and camped in the bush to speak with voters in remote parts of her electorate.”
Ms Sikilabu said there were many differences between the system of government in the two countries, with a noticeable one being that she was expected to resolve a range of issues for individual constituents and even fund any services required.
She said it was great to be able to gain some insight into how things work in Australia.
“What I face and what I fight for is, we’re given a very small amount of money in our government. Our big MPs, who are given $10 million dollars for a four-year term, are not doing the services that we expect to cover all of the small wards,” she said.
“I do a lot of work here, but not through the government system, I channel my work in different ways, mostly through donors.
“That’s why I do this program, to get some mentoring and some assistance and make connections.
“Even though it is not the same back in my country, some things I see, feel and experience can be changed in my context, in my culture.”
Ms Fyffe said it was wonderful to host Ms Sikilabu.
“I was thrilled to be the first MP to host a colleague from the Pacific under the program,” she said.
“Rhoda is an impressive woman who shows great determination, resilience and strength; all qualities the Solomon Islands need in their parliament.”
