5.45pm Wednesday 6 August 2008

I would like to welcome you all here tonight and say it gives me great pleasure to host this event.

First of all because it is a privilege to have Mr Fernando La Sama de Araújo, President, or what we know as Speaker, of the Timorese National Parliament here in New Zealand.

Second, I am pleased that His Excellency offered to speak and I thank the NZ Institute of International Affairs for making it possible.

We host a wide variety of inward parliamentary delegations, about 50 a year, and I often feel that so few people get exposed to our visitors and their views. So I thank you Mr President for your generous offer to share some of your time with us.

The President or Speaker is one of the constitutionally important three pillars of state in Timor Leste. The others are the President and the Prime Minister.

This delegation is here to learn. The objectives for their visit to New Zealand include:

• Parliamentary procedure, standing orders, the development of legislation and the functioning of parliamentary committees;
• Electoral process and government formation (Timor-Leste also has a proportional representation system and a coalition government);
• Maori representation in the New Zealand political system;
• Security Sector: military and police institutions and civilian oversight

Tonight, His Excellency has chosen to speak on:

The Role of Parliament: The Case of Timor-Leste

He has agreed to take questions at the end of his speech.

Unfortunately I have another commitment tonight and I unable to stay, but I look forward to reading your speech.

Please welcome His Excellency Mr Fernando La Sama de Araújo President (Speaker) of the Timorese parliamentary delegation.