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{
    "id": 661863,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/661863/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 246,
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    "content": "commercial use. Fourthly, the extraction of underground steam within a water conservation or other water resource protected area. With regard to wildlife, a number of transactions have been classified as requiring Parliamentary approval. They include: extraction of oil, gas and minerals within a wildlife conservation area, or other wildlife protected area, export and re-export of endangered wildlife species, as well excision or change of boundaries of gazzetted national park or wildlife protection area. With regard to forests, we have two classes of transactions that require Parliamentary approval. These include: long- term concession of a gazzetted forest resource and excision or change of boundaries of gazetted public forests or nature reserves. We have had cases in this country where a forest has been excised and given to private people or companies to ostensibly undertake development activities. While that might be a good thing, there is need for both Houses of Parliament to approve such transactions and also for the public in the local community to benefit and give input before such permits are given. With regard to genetic material, grant of an access permit, a material transfer agreement or a permit to conduct field trials of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and any other transaction will be subject to ratification by an Act of Parliament. Those are the classes that now going forward; will require parliamentary approval. Nobody will be given a grant to explore oil or gas without the two Houses of Parliament approving. Nobody will be allowed to use a part of a former forest which has been degazetted without the approval of the two Houses of Parliament and without public participation. That is the first thing. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the second thing which I want to highlight is in Clause 3 which talks about the types of transactions which fall under this Act. They include all transactions relating to natural resources, whether the grant to exploit those resources is given to the national Government itself or to county governments. As you know, sometimes, the Government itself is involved in the exploitation of natural resources for example, through state corporations and parastatals. Therefore, even in the event that it is a national Government agency involved, Parliament must approve those transactions. Clause 4 states that transactions can fall within that threshold for Parliamentary approval and they are in the Schedule which I have already highlighted. The fourth issue I want to highlight relates to Clause 5 which provides that once a person has been given a licence or an agreement, or once a Government agency involved has issued a grant agreement involving the exploitations of a natural resource, whether minerals, gas or oil, within 14 days, the beneficiary of that transaction must write and submit that grant to the Cabinet Secretary (CS), so that the CS can forward it to both Houses of Parliament within 14 days. When you get the grant or licence, it will not be in operation until you first submit it to the CS within 14 days. Under Clause 6, the CS for Environment and Natural Resources in this case is enjoined to ensure that they submit to Parliament within seven days after the receipt of a request. Once Parliament is seized of the matter, it must dispose it of within 60 days or two months. That means that Parliament is going to be very busy, knowing how busy we The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate"
}