Port Vila, Vanuatu – April 14, 2025 – The Ministry of Youth, Justice and Community Services convened the first meeting of its newly established Legislative Drafting Committee on Wednesday, April 3, 2025.
The meeting brought together senior officials from all key stakeholders and agencies under the Ministry of Justice, marking a significant step towards a more streamlined and coordinated legislative process.
The primary purpose of the meeting was to discuss and develop the Ministry’s Legislative Annual Plan for 2025. Historically, individual stakeholders submitted separate drafting instructions to the Parliamentary Counsel's Unit to propose amendments to existing laws or request the drafting of new legislation. This approach often resulted in duplication and inefficiencies in legislative development.
However, following the enactment of the Legislative Drafting Regulation Order No. 48 of 2024, signed by the former Prime Minister, Hon. Charlot Salwai, all government ministries are now mandated to establish Legislative Drafting Committees. These committees are responsible for preparing and submitting a consolidated Legislative Plan to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel’s Legal Drafting Unit. This plan must then be approved by the Attorney General and subsequently endorsed by the Council of Ministers (COM) before ministries can proceed with consultations or draft legislative instruments.
The Committee is composed of two senior representatives from each stakeholder agency within the Ministry of Justice. Agencies represented at the inaugural meeting included the Office of the Public Prosecutor, Office of the Public Solicitor, Ombudsman Office, Department of Corrections, Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs, Vanuatu Cultural Centre, Law Reform Commission, Human Rights Unit (including the Child Desk and Disability Desk), the Ministry’s Policy Advisor, and a representative from the Pacific Community (SPC).
Looking ahead, the Committee has scheduled its second meeting for April 29, 2025, during which a formal Terms of Reference (TOR) will be presented to guide the Committee's work. Additionally, the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel’s Legal Drafting Unit will deliver a detailed presentation outlining the process of developing comprehensive policy frameworks, drafting Council of Ministers (COM) papers, and issuing formal drafting instructions for new laws or amendments.
The establishment of the MJYCS Legislative Drafting Committee reflects the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening legislative governance, enhancing inter-agency collaboration, and ensuring that legal reforms align with national policy priorities.