Another quality of the fono is the absence of political parties. Unlike the parliamentary model where partisanship features prominently, the fono can be seen as a ‘one-party’ institution. This makes the accountability process effective and robust. There are no hidden political agendas amongst some members of the council to bail out a offender because of affiliation to their political parties. Council members irrespective of their status in the council and the village are therefore subjected to the same process and treatment. While there are rivalries, bickering, bargaining and coalition amongst chiefs internally at times, the system is transparent enough to keep the council in line with the values and principles underpinning its constitution.