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{
    "id": 737805,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/737805/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 58,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. G.O. Omondi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1169,
        "legal_name": "George Washinton Mallan Omondi",
        "slug": "george-washinton-mallan-omondi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to say a few things about this Bill. One, this is a very important Bill, but it will appear that this House is not giving it the importance that it deserves. We keep on talking about the poor economy and the low income that our people enjoy in this country, but when such a Bill comes that can correct those problems, we seem not to be giving them enough attention. I would have expected this House to be full to discuss this Bill. Secondly, I want to talk about the person who brought this Bill, Hon. Ochieng. It is very interesting that such brains in this House are not recognised. These are the people who are being frustrated in the parties and are now being kicked out. I do not know what would happen is such people are out of this House and this House is full of people who cannot bring such Bills to the House. These are the people who should be supported even by the people at home and the party leadership, so that they can keep on bringing such important Bills. Talking specifically about this Bill, those who have studied economic history will appreciate that no country has developed without protecting her industries. If you look at the history of Europe, specifically England, there was a time it was a criminal offense to bring goods into England which were readily available in the country. I am talking specifically about the textile industry which made England to industrialise. It was a criminal offense, punishable by death, to take textile from the eastern parts of the globe, more specifically India and China, to England. Through their trade protection by that time, they managed to develop. Currently, we are being pushed that we are globalising and that we are opening up trade. There is no country that opens up trade. Even the present practices where we see the subsidies of agriculture in Europe and America are forms of trade protection. This is the only way any country can develop. The other thing I want to talk about is the huge debt that the Opposition keeps on crying about. The Government insists that the debt ratio vis-à-vis the GDP is okay. What the Opposition is saying is that we are not exporting enough to be able to pay the huge debts which we are accumulating. How do we export enough to pay this debt? We can only do this by protecting our industries, manufacturing more and exporting more to earn more foreign trade. If you look at The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}