Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 20, 2015 News
By Abena Rockcliffe
Sending a signal that it means business, the government has given the Clerk of the National Assembly
notice of five Bills that it wishes to pass in the National Assembly. Those Bills have already made their way to the Order Paper for Thursday’s sitting.
Most of the Bills that are set to be tabled were passed in the Tenth Parliament but were not assented to by former President, Donald Ramotar.
These include the Constitution (amendment) Bill, the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (amendment) Bill 2015, the Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Bill 2015, the Fiscal Management and Accountability (amendment) Bill 2015- and the Local Government (amendment) Bill 2015.
The Constitution (amendment) Bill will be presented to the House by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams. That Bill will, once passed in the National Assembly, amend the Third Schedule relating to Article 222A of the Constitution to provide financial autonomy to certain entities.
Williams is also set to table the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (amendment) Bill 2015. This Bill is intituled an Act to amend the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act which was passed in 2009.
The Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Bill 2015 will be presented by Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan. This is a Bill intended to cap the benefits offered to former Presidents upon retirement.
Jordan will also present to the House the Fiscal Management and Accountability (amendment) Bill 2015.
Both of these Bills were originally presented by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, to the Tenth Parliament while he served as shadow Minister of Finance.
Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, is expected to present the Local Government (amendment) Bill 2015. A safe passage for this piece of legislation will pave the way for the holding of Local Government Elections in Guyana after 22 years.
When he addressed the Eleventh Parliament on June 10, President David Granger promised the nation that he will ensure that his government promotes legislation to secure strong and lasting constitutional reforms and to guarantee good governance.
In addition to the Bills that are to be tabled at Thursday’s sitting, Granger promised to ensure his government, which controls the House by a one seat majority, sees the safe passage of many other Bills that were passed and, in some cases, tabled in the Tenth parliament.
Among this is the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly Bill, a piece of legislation that seeks to establish an independent office of the Clerk of the National Assembly that would allow greater independence in the appointment of all staff of the Parliament Office.
The President also mentioned the Constitutional Offices Commission Bill which will allow the periodic review of salaries, pensions and other conditions for persons appointed to constitutional offices, including Members of the National Assembly.
The Telecommunications Bill, to provide a new regime for a liberalised and competitive telecommunications sector, was also named.
Further, Granger had mentioned the Public Utilities Commission (Amendment) Bill. This piece of legislation will allow for equal treatment to all investors in this sector and to ensure better service quality to consumers.
Granger also promised to ensure the safe passage of, and to assent to the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill. This Bill seeks to allow greater independence to the National Broadcasting Authority and to ensure standards of fairness, balance and accuracy on matters of public interest.
Granger said, “Government will adhere to an empowerment policy that regularly renews local democracy by ensuring that local government elections are held – as is stipulated in our Constitution.
“We shall fortify grassroots democracy by ensuring that local residents are allowed to play a greater role in managing their towns and villages. We shall, introduce legislation to upgrade the four hinterland regional administrative centres – Bartica, Mahdia, Mabaruma and Lethem – to township status with their own mayors and town councils.”
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