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{
    "id": 715972,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/715972/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 54,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "January 5, 2017 SENATE DEBATES 8 Sen. Orengo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I also wish you a happy new year and colleagues, Senators. This is a matter which has had some contestation. In fact, that is why there is a Special Sitting. Otherwise, we would have waited until February 2017. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the approach we had in the Senate was that we should have a sober, well-informed and reasoned debate on the matter that is before us. If I remember very well, one of the reasons why we adjourned last time without debate on this Bill was not only to allow public participation but also to create an enabling environment for us to talk and agree through consensus. Now that we are at this juncture, it will be important to know what is in the report before we begin saying what we think about the Bill as it is. This is because if we begin to speak about the Bill as it is, the possibility of the inclination of most Members would be to support or criticise the Bill for what it is while not knowing what the Committee is recommending. In order to continue to generate the spirit of consensus and agreement, it will be good to allow us to look at the report. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you will remember that even last time when we had the Joint Parliamentary Select Committee, a report was brought to the House first. People not only knew what was in the report but also the draft Bill was in the report for people to know what it was all about. So, I am pleading with you. Out of the remarks that you made about how we have conducted debates in this Chamber, the most convenient thing to do is to allow us to look at that report and debate on the basis of what the Committee has recommended. Finally, Third Reading is not a time for debate but Members make presentations of amendments and fairly short comments. So, I beg you to allow us to look at the report before we continue."
}