Hima Douglas, the Speaker of the Niue Assembly, emphasized that cabinet ministers should not participate in Parliament committees, as this undermines the accountability of the government. During a roundtable discussion at the pre-summit of the 7th Pacific Media Summit in Niue, Douglas highlighted the role of committees such as the public accounts committee, which is responsible for scrutinizing government finances and budgets.
He recounted his experience as a newly appointed speaker, noting that he initially allowed cabinet ministers to sit in these oversight committees. However, he soon recognized the importance of separating government officials from the committees tasked with holding them accountable.
Douglas stated, “Members of the Cabinet cannot be part of these committees. If they are, they are judging themselves, which is inappropriate.” He concluded by reiterating that such arrangements conflict with the fundamental purpose of parliamentary committees, which is to ensure government transparency and accountability.