HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 176251,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/176251/?format=api",
"text_counter": 269,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mrs. Odhiambo-Mabona-Mabona",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 376,
"legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
"slug": "millie-odhiambo-mabona"
},
"content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. I wish not only to support but also laud Members for the noble amendments that have been made to the Standing Orders. Mr. Speaker, Sir, just to abide by your plea, I will shorten my contribution. I wanted to say a lot especially because I was only able to attend the seminar for one day. I am glad and happy to note that some of the suggestions that I had made for amendments are in the Paper. Mr. Speaker, Sir, first of all, I want to say that I am very happy that the proposed amendments, in effect, bring about shortening of time for debate. I think as much as we normally have a lot to say, the House would be better placed when Members contribute less and we bring more Bills and Motions. This would be in conformity with the mood of the House for reforms. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would also want to laud the amendments that enable us to have live broadcast in the House. I would want to suggest that we interpret live broadcast broadly to include December 9, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3951 live broadcast of committee work. Members do a lot of work in committees which is not apparent to the public. I also suggest that it includes electronic airing of work that is going on. Currently, if you go to some offices in Parliament, you will hear the proceedings on radio. Recently, when we were on a visit to the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament in a house like our Continental House, you can sit in your office and be able to know what is going on. I would not want us not to amend but to broadly interpret that phrase to include that. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would also like to laud the amendments on Public Bills. This will also shorten time because in effect what we normally do is to debate a Motion and then debate again when it comes substantively before the House. This is double work. Further, I would like to commend the House for the additional committees, especially the Equal Opportunities Committee. As a person who is very committed to equal opportunities, especially for minorities including women, young persons and persons with disabilities, I am very happy that we are recognising these persons within our Parliament. Finally, I have been a little uncomfortable because I do not know how to deal--- I have been consulting and decided to put in an amendment subject to further consultations, if I have time. I am uncomfortable with parts (i), (ii), (b) and (c). These have to do with circumstances where we do not have a clear Official Opposition as provided in the current Standing Orders. We are proposing an amendment under (b) that where you have a coalition of Opposition parties, then they can form an Official Opposition if they have at least 30 Members. Again under (c), it says if that is not possible, but you have individuals who can form a caucus, then they can have an Official Opposition. I had actually intended to suggest amendments at the Committee Stage when the Bill comes. This is because the effect of this is this, currently, in the Back Bench, we are more than 60. If this part passes, then it means 30 Members can write to the Chair to form a caucus. The other 30 Members can also do the same. How then do we determine who the Official Opposition is? That is one area that is creating a lot of discomfort for me. I think it is going to create a lot of side shows for us. Secondly, Mr. Speaker, Sir, I have substantive issues that I would want to address in the substantive Bill and I think this provision pre-empts that. Finally, when you look at (c), it talks about \"the Leader in Parliament of his or her party\". We have not defined what that means under these amendments. I would want us to either delete (b) and (c) or we have amendments that would define who the leader in Parliament of his or her party is. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}