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{
    "id": 246309,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/246309/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 122,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. ole Metito",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 199,
        "legal_name": "Judah Katoo Ole-Metito",
        "slug": "judah-ole-metito"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me come to the biggest component of our population who appear to be the biggest winners in this Budget; the youth. In this Budget, a lot of money has been set aside for youth programmes. I would like to disagree with Mr. Billow when he said that this could be a pre-election campaign. This will, indeed, stand the test of time. I believe that the Government intends to implement the youth programmes it has earmarked in this Budget. In this country, the youth constitute a bigger percentage of our population. This is the first time money has been set aside for micro-enterprise projects, which are meant to empower the youth of this country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like the Minister to implement the policy of reviving at least a youth polytechnic in each of the constituencies of this country. I would like the Government to come up with very clear guidelines on how to disburse the money meant for micro enterprise projects for the youth. I believe that implementation of the projects will change the lives of our youth for the better. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would also like to urge the Government to go a little bit further and find a way of making the youths acquire national identification cards with ease. I will be very happy to see the Ministry of Immigration being facilitated to decentralise issuance of identity cards from the divisional level to the locational or even the sub-locational level. This will reduce the distance presently being covered by the youth in pursuance of identity cards. Without identity cards, all the goodies provided for the youth in the Budget will not benefit them. Without identity cards, the youth will not get jobs. They cannot even access the funds provided for in the Budget for income-generating activities for the youth. 1488 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES June 21, 2006 Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would also like to thank the Government for providing more money for public service delivery, especially in the areas of education, health and water. However, I think it would be more prudent to see more money allocated to the Ministry of Health, especially taking into consideration what is happening on the ground in all the constituencies through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). We are either rehabilitating existing health facilities or putting up new dispensaries and health centres. However, if the Government does not provide those facilities with personnel and medical equipment, they stand to be white elephant projects. If that turns out to be the case, we will have the biggest number of white elephant projects that this country has ever had. In my constituency, for instance, we have already completed the rehabilitation and putting up of 10 health facilities. At that rate, we could have an average of ten such facilities in every constituency inoperative for lack of medical equipment and personnel. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}