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{
    "id": 134439,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/134439/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 296,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kombo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 218,
        "legal_name": "Musikari Nazi Kombo",
        "slug": "musikari-kombo"
    },
    "content": "In fact, at one stage, we were worried for the Minister that he was not being given enough because trade, as the Minister has said, is the key thing for us as a country if we are going to achieve Vision 2030 or even if we are going to do something about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). I think, for us, it must be trade, trade and trade. As we move on, we should urge the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance to spend more money in Ministries like this one. Sometimes we put a lot of money in the Ministry of State for Defence but quite honestly our interest must be in trade if we are going to move forward. So, as a Committee, we looked at what the mandate of the Ministry which is to promote trade, domestically, regional and internationally. Then we asked ourselves how they will promote trade. We were told that the Export Promotion Council (EPC) will be the body that will be used and then you look at the money given to the EPC and you ask yourself: How on earth are they going to promote trade around the world? Those were our main concerns. So, we are on the side of the Ministry that in future they should ask for more money. I was very glad this afternoon listening to the Minister outlining the most important countries that we do trade with and Uganda was ranked as No.1. Then sometimes you look at our politics in the region and more recently the hullaballoo and the quarrel over Migingo Island. It could easily have derailed our trade with Uganda. Sometimes when we are quarrelling internally, we actually block the railway line that will take goods to Uganda. These are issues, as a country and as a people, that we must start appreciating all the time, that if we have a neighbour as big as Uganda in terms of trade, we should nurture that neighbor and ensure that our relationship with Uganda is absolutely on top. That is the only way we can deal with situations. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we also looked at the Ministry’s budget and what they were given. They have a number of contractual obligations with COMESA. Again, the Minister was talking about COMESA today. Then you find that they owe"
}