Reserved seats ‘unfair’

By HELEN TARAWA
CHIEF Ombudsman Richard Pagen says a proposal to reserve seats for women in Parliament is discriminatory.
Pagen yesterday commended the two new women Members of Parliament – Central Governor Rufina Peter and Rai Coast MP Kessy Sawang – on being elected into Parliament “through the right way”.
Addressing new MPs during an induction programme in Parliament yesterday, Pagen condemned the idea of reserving seats for women.
“We are coming through the normal processes being established,” he said.
Pagen said the Ombudsman Commission would fight such discrimination, and improve how government departments and agencies worked to eliminate unfair and discriminatory acts.
“That’s one of the core functions of Ombudsman Commission,” he said. “We investigate administrative complaints and decisions of government bodies that cause adverse (effects) on individuals or people at large,” he said.
“We ensure that all government bodies are responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people.”
He said the Ombudsman Commission was created by law to be an independent organisation.
“If the commission’s decisions cause grievances to a party or an individual, they can go to the National Court or Supreme Court to review the Commission’s decision,” he said.
Pagen told the MPs that they had been given the mandate to make decisions, policies and laws in Parliament.