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{
    "id": 1349909,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1349909/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 253,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "As the Chairman of the Parliamentary Service Commission, I hereby instruct the Clerks of the Houses of Parliament and the Director-General, Parliamentary Joint Services to ensure that staff, parliamentary reporters and visitors strictly comply with the dress code and display of badges. Further, in dealing with cases of non-compliance, the Clerks of the Houses of Parliament and the Director-General, Parliamentary Joint Services are hereby directed to take immediate disciplinary action under the Parliamentary Service Commission Code of Conduct and Regulations governing admittance of visitors to the precincts of Parliament. Hon. Members, with regard to the admittance of Member’s visitors to the precincts of Parliament, Rule 4 of the Speaker’s Rules places responsibility for the conduct of visitors on the Member. For clarity, the said Rule states as follows – “4. Members are responsible for the selection and conduct of all visitors whom they introduce to the precincts of the Assembly, and are required to assist in enforcing these Orders.” Hon. Members, I have cited this Rule which governs access by visitors to the precincts of Parliament because it has constantly been breached. The violations have also led to access by visitors to places exclusively reserved for sitting Members, albeit in the company of Members. Owing to our numbers against the limited capacity of our facilities, no Member will be admitted in the Members’ Restaurants if accompanied by more than one guest at a time, except with prior notice to the Clerk of the National Assembly. The guests must be properly dressed and shall display their visitor badges at all times. Further, no Member shall take a guest to an area of the restaurant reserved for Members only, unless permitted by the Speaker. Hon. Members, to safeguard your comfort and privacy, I have instructed the Chief Serjeant-at-Arms to ensure that no visitor accesses areas designated as ‘restricted’ in the Speaker’s Rules. Further, I have directed the Clerk, who is also the Officer Administering the Catering Fund, to alienate clearly designated and marked areas in the restaurant for Members only. This is a provisional measure awaiting the comprehensive consideration and recommendations of appropriate Membership Rules by the Parliamentary Catering Fund Management Committee. Many times, the Catering Fund Management Committee has come to the Speaker protesting that there are Members who sometimes come with as many as 10, 15 or 20 guests. When they are told that the facilities are available for a limited number of people… Some have even attempted to assault officers who tried to advise them otherwise. Hon. Members, there shall be no exemption with regard to the exclusion of non- Members from areas designated for exclusive use of yourselves. The Chief Serjeant-at-Arms, under the guidance of the Clerk is directed, pursuant to Rule 23 of the Speaker's Rules, to expel any visitors from the stated places or any part of the precincts of Parliament if he considers such exclusion necessary for the convenience of Members or for preservation of order. Permit me to also address a concern raised by Members about the conduct of security checks at the gates and entry to the Chamber. Some Members have objected to being physically frisked by our security personnel and Serjeants-at-Arms. They request that we apply a more decent approach. As you may have noticed, the installation of the Integrated Security Management System is nearing completion. Upon completion, the system will offer contactless security screening. In the interim, I have directed the Director-General of the Parliamentary Joint Services to procure security-scanning gadgets for use at all entry points immediately. Additionally, all entries and exits to Parliament are and shall continue to be manned by parliamentary security officers with the support of officers from the National Police Service. The officers should be vigilant at all times and must enforce security measures without exception. With respect to frisking Members at the entrance to the Chamber, as you may have noticed, the Clerk has already made available hand-held screening gadgets for contactless screening. This follows a resolution of the House Business Committee. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}