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{
    "id": 47022,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/47022/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 320,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Okemo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 198,
        "legal_name": "Chrysanthus Barnabas Okemo",
        "slug": "chrysanthus-okemo"
    },
    "content": "Therefore, I would like to suggest that we look actively for private investors to come and invest in the sugar sector. The privatization as proposed by the Government is a good idea, but again, it must be done in a very careful manner in order to make sure that the farmers get some shareholding in these private sugar factories. If you merely leave it to outside forces or to investors just to come and own 100 per cent, the farmer will not get the full benefit of his sweat. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, before I proceed, I want to correct the position that the Prime Minister stated here very briefly. The fact of the matter is that the Privatization Commission as it is today has expired. It is illegal and should not be there. When the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance came to our Committee with the names and said that they wanted us to approve the automatic renewal of the contracts, we said that, that is against the spirit of the Constitution. These are public officers and they must go through vetting and a process of accountability as we are seeing it happening today. They are stuck with a Commission that expired and so, they cannot be complaining about the Committee on Finance, Planning and Trade not being able to meet them. Because we raised those issues when we last met with them, the Ministry of Finance has been afraid to come and appear before our Committee. So, the problem is not with the Committee on Finance, Planning and Trade, but with the Ministry of Finance which is stuck with a Commission that has expired its term. That should be known for the record, so that the blame goes where it belongs. Having said that, I think the Sugar Act is long overdue for amendment. The Ministry of Agriculture has given us undertakings, even in the past, and said that it is ready, but it has been ready for so long. Why can we not have a specific timeframe? Are we going to have the amendments next week, the following week or after 2012? When are we going to have them? We need to get a timeframe. I can see the Assistant Minister for Agriculture wants to inform me about something."
}