The Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Islands states that the House of Representatives must, under its rules and orders, establish not less than 5 sector standing Committees with the functions of scrutinising Government Administration and examining Bills and sub-ordinate legislation and such other functions as specified from time to time.
The Sector Standing Committee on Social Services is one of the six committees establsihed whose specific functions, assigned by the Speaker with the agreement of the Business Committee, are generally to scrutinise and review all Bills and Government Policies that relate to poverty alleviation, public health and education, gender and race issues, human rights obligations and other related social issues.
While Membership of Sector Standing Committees is usually reserved for Members of the House of Representatives, Standing Orders of the House provide that Sector Standing Committees can include two Members of the Senate appointed by the Speaker usually from the 13 Senators appointed by the His Execellency the President on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs. Other Committee Members are appointed by the Speaker after consultation with Party Whips and a Committee may have no more than 12 Members.
The general functions of sector standing committees, provided under Standing Orders of the House of Representatives, are to:
(a) consider or deal with Bills or other matters which are referred to it by the Speaker under Order 66 (2) following a resolution of the House;
(b) consider or deal with any other Bill or any aspect of any other Bill referred to it by resolution of the House;
(c) examine any sub-ordinate legislation falling within the category of affairs assigned to it under Order 89 (2) by resolution of the House;
(d) monitor, investigate and enquire into and make recommendations relating to any aspect of the legislative programme, budget, rationalisation, restructuring, functioning, organisation, structure, policy formulation, or any other matter it may consider relevant, of the Government departments falling within the category of affairs assigned to it under Order 89 (2) by resolution of the House;
(e) consider petitions and papers referred to it under Orders 27(6) or 28(5) by resolution of the House;
(f) consider petitions and papers referred to it under Orders 27(6) or 28(5) by resolution of the House; and to perform such other functions, tasks and duties as are conferred on the committee by the Constitution, by law, by these Standing Orders or by any resolution of the House.
|