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"content": "of a Committee. Nevertheless, the request by the Chairperson and similar requests by other Chairpersons, point to the challenges that the Chairpersons of Committees continue to face in obtaining statements from the Executive. There is, therefore, frustration both on the part of the Senators who request the statements and on the part of the Chairpersons who are required to respond to these statements. The Speaker has not been spared of these frustrations, since day after the day, statements continue to be deferred for lack of responses or lack of adequate responses. Beyond these frustrations, hon. Senators, there lies a consequential difficulty with the Standing Orders. Standing Order No.46(2)(b), contemplates that it is therefore, the Chairpersons of the Committees from whom statements are requested and who are to issue the statements requested yet the matters raised in the requests for statements are matters that are within the domain of the Executive. The information that the Chairperson requires in order to issue the statement is information that is within the possession of the Executive. If the Chairpersons are to obtain the information, it would require that it is provided fully, truthfully and within the stipulated time. Once presented, the Chairperson may present it to the Senate in the manner in which it has been received, in which case, the Chairperson and the Committee cannot vouch for the information received. The Chairperson may also choose to process information received from the Executive through the Committee before it is issued to the Senate for interrogation. This way, the Chairpersons and the Committee would take full ownership and responsibility for the statement that is subsequently issued. However, this would mean that each and every statement or respective Committee would conduct a full blown inquiry to enable the Committee to establish the issues relating to the statement requested. This would, therefore, mean that pursuant to the responses that would be provided after lengthy periods of time, further, the Committee that has previous statements in their in-tray would spend most of their legislative time on inquiries on the statements that are before them. Hon. Senators, these concerns are not new. They have been the subject of deliberation not just in this Senate, but also in the Senate of the Eleventh Parliament. Measures have over time been put in place in an attempt to better manage the statements. It is however evident that we have now come to a place where we require to conclusively determine the way forward so as to ensure that smooth processing of business of the Senate. At the inaugural leadership retreat of the Senate of the 12th Parliament, this matter was considered at length, and the leadership considered and proposed the way forward. In order to take the matter forward and following deliberations by the Senate Business Committee, I have directed that this matter be comprehensively addressed at a meeting of the Liaison Committee which will be held on Thursday, 17th May, 2018, at noon. The Liaison Committee, as hon. Senators, are aware brings together the Chairpersons of all Senate Committees. Thereafter, a meeting of all Senators shall be held, at which Senators shall have the opportunity to receive and consider the proposals emanating from the leadership and the Liaison Committee. Accordingly, I hereby inform all hon. Senators, that until the meetings are held, and until I have given further direction on this matter thereafter, the approval for requests 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."
}