Following months of bitter debate and failed votes, it looks like the Assembly will finally split the Ministry of Regional Affairs into three successor ministries, which means that soon enough we will have new positions up for election and a significant uncharted territory in terms of putting in the work to ensure that these new ministries succeed.

This situation also gives us the chance to examine three things that we can expect from the new ministries in the coming term.

• An executive server: With the expansion of the Cabinet from four to six members, and the increase in staff and infrastructure that this would entail, the idea of an executive server becomes more relevant. This would allow all ministries to avoid the balkanisation of servers and make it easier for staff to participate in the areas that most interest them.

• New leaders: One obvious effect of the split is that each new ministry will be led by a different person. It’s possible that some of the existing leaders will remain so, but it’s also possible that some people will now be able to rise through the ranks more easily now that they only need to be experts in more specialised fields. This is most likely a good thing for the region’s integration efforts and can potentially make it easier to field multiple candidates in elections.

• No dramatic changes: Nobody should expect the split to result in a surge of projects and activities. There may be new ministries, but initially the only difference from before will be the lack of a single minister. It’s unlikely that we will suddenly see the ministries doing exciting new things because the projects are the same, the staff are the same and the obstacles to success are broadly the same. Let’s temper our expectations and understand that just because there are new ministries doesn’t mean that all existing problems will be solved.

Do these things seem obvious? Perhaps, but it’s important to have a clear idea of what to expect from these new ministries. On the whole, this could be a good change, giving people the freedom to pursue new ideas and distinguish themselves as regional leaders.

That being said, it’s important to realise that just because there are new, smaller ministries doesn’t mean that they will be immediately successful. People will have to work hard and put in the necessary effort to ensure that there are truly new ministries, rather than just a split MoRA. If people become complacent, the only significant change will be that we’ll have a greater number of equally inactive ministries.

The South Pacific Independent News Network (SPINN) is an independent news organisation established in 2003 with the goal of providing good, insightful and timely commentary on regional events for the citizens of the South Pacific. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board. Content is published via pseudonyms. The SPINN is not associated with the Government of the South Pacific.