The first parliamentary session of the year has started on a fiery note and the opposition has been doing its job by asking the right questions. These are the types of questions that hold the government accountable.

A primary function of an effective opposition is to ensure that the government is acting with utmost accountability and transparency. The two most important values any good government will always practice.

The opposition had been in power for more than two decades and they did not particularly do a very good job when they were in power. However, they can be an effective opposition and work for the people.

If the opposition is effective, they will be able to show an alternate government is possible but for now, they need to ensure that the important questions are asked. One of the questions that was asked by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition Lauofo Fonotoe Pierre remains unanswered. He asked if the Minister for Works, Transport, and Infrastructure had shares in a solar power company that was contracted to supply electricity to the Electronic Power Corporation.

These were agreements signed when the opposition was in power and some of the senior members of the current government, were key players for the government back then. The answer to this question would show if a conflict of interest existed and could unearth other such self serving interests held by those in power.

There are many other questions that the opposition should be asking such as the purpose of the visit by a member of parliament to Pago Pago where he was detained temporarily by the immigration and sent back because he did not have the legal right to travel.

They should be asking if the government has submitted a report to the Speaker of the House so he could be brought before the Parliamentary Ethics Committee. They should question the involvement of cabinet ministers with the Chinese companies that want to have cryptocurrency operations, how a cabinet minister’s children can get contracts for tour operations, and how does a cabinet minister escape punishment for defamatory comments made on national television.

The opposition should also ask how much money has the government spent on overseas travel this year.

The government if they are accountable will provide the right answers and provide clarity on the issues raised. This must be done because it is owed to the people of this nation.

Our political system is based on open debate and political competition, where ideas meet, clash, and are accepted, or rejected, by majorities of citizens. The best ideas come from this confrontation, and so if there is no competition for power, the result is lose-lose for everyone.

With no competition, citizens find that their voice is not heard and therefore retreat from politics—an action that is deadly for democracy.  And, when unmolested governments focus on the day-to-day running of the state and forget the long-term goals.

Having a smart, competitive opposition is not only good for the opposition but, it also pushes the government to do better, re-think its action, and deliver to the citizens to keep its competitive edge and win the next elections.

Government accountability and transparency ensure that malfeasance is exposed—and that failed or harmful policies are swiftly corrected. The right people to keep this in check is the opposition. They are part of the parliamentary process and they are there for a reason.

When accountability and transparency in governance go unchecked, the right conditions for corruption are created. There is a global decline in government accountability, transparency, and rule of law, as authoritarian leaders ignore the most basic elements of due process, misuse the justice system to persecute their critics, and perpetuate impunity for corruption and abuses of power.

This has been seen in our country too.  Corruption drains resources from much-needed investment in health, education, infrastructure and other basic services as such resources are diverted from these well-meaning developmental programmes by selfish individuals for their gain.

It weakens democratic institutions, perverts the rule of law, discourages investment and aid, undercuts public confidence in government, feeds inequality, and disenfranchises large segments of the population. It is a severe obstacle to development and should be ‘nipped in the bud’ with the aggressiveness it deserves.