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Committees to strengthen Parliament

The Government yesterday submitted proposals for sweeping changes in Parliament with view to strengthening the legislature.

The proposals submitted to all party leaders envisage changes to the Standing Orders and for a greater role to the various committees in the affairs of public business.

Among the proposals are for live telecasting/broadcasting of Parliamentary proceedings.

According to the new proposals, Standing Orders will be amended to ensure that Ministers keep Parliament informed of the actions taken by them in respect of the reports of the committees.

There is also a proposal to establish a National Audit Commission consisting of the Auditor General and two other members appointed by the Constitutional Council.

The Commission will have wide powers with regard to public audit.

The power of Parliament over public finance will be further strengthened. The Commission will also assist Public Accounts Committee(PAC), Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) and new Committee on Revenue. Parliamentary control of public finance will be established as an unqualified principle.

It has also been mooted to increase the facilities of Members of Parliament including expanding library and computer access and also setting up a research service.

Sectoral committees will be appointed for key Ministries.

Each committee will have the powers to examine any persons including Cabinet Ministers, non-Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Secretaries to the Ministries and other public officials.

They will also have the powers to move papers and records from place to place and to do all such acts as are necessary for the fullest consideration of matters in the discharge of their duties.

A Sectoral committee may request specialist opinion or technical advice in the form of written or oral submissions from sources other than Government officials in the performing of their functions.

Every sectoral committee will conduct its hearing in public.

The proposals also envisage in establishing of a Special Tribunal which will be entrusted with the task of examining, and making recommendations to Parliament on the laws that were enacted prior to the 1978 Constitution that are in conflict with the Constitution. The Tribunal will submit its reports to Parliament. The tribunal will have a period of two years from the date of its establishment to complete its work. The Tribunal will consist of not more than 10 members appointed by the Constitutional Council.

These proposals will be taken up for further discussion at the next Party Leaders' meeting on March 19.

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