Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 41920,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/41920/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 27,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "In any event, I think it is indisputable that a need for the announcement of the Government’s fiscal policy on the same day as the other partner States does not lead to any corresponding need to adopt or maintain the same style or form of announcement as is in the case in those States or has been done in the past. I should hasten to add, however, that as this House is in charge of its own affairs so long as the Constitution and the laws are not broken in letter or spirit and so long as the Standing Orders of the House are observed, it is not the place of the Chair to prevent the Minister for Finance or any other hon. Member from making a Statement in this House. I must emphasize though that the important point is that any statement or speech and any ceremony or fanfare attending thereto, can only be such as is countenanced by the Constitution as it stands, the laws and the Standing Orders. On what the correct budgeting process at present should be, I will say the following: Hon. Members, given the position that I have taken, that Article 221 is in force and operational, it follows that it is my considered opinion that the budgeting process is broadly speaking as set out in that Article. It is worth noting that certain sections of the old Constitution relating to the Legislature are saved under Section 3 of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and it further follows therefore, that Standing Orders providing for financial procedures in the House will continue to apply with such alterations, adaptations and exceptions necessary to bring them in conformity with these provisions. As hon. Members are aware, the matter of the budget process has generated extensive national debate and the Chair, therefore, takes the liberty to set out the following roadmap in the hope that it will help to guide the budgeting process going forward. The budget process, from the point of view of this House, commences with the presentation of a Budget Policy Statement pursuant to Standing Order No.143, which the House dutifully considered and adopted on 3rd May, 2011. This is followed by submission of the Estimates to the National Assembly as has been belatedly done, which Estimates, once laid in the House, should stand committed to the relevant Committees of the House for review."
}