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"id": 851551,
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"speaker_name": "Sen. Poghisio",
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"legal_name": "Samuel Losuron Poghisio",
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"content": "―In considering the application for a licence under Clause 4 that I have read, the County Executive Committee (CEC) Member shall take into account a number of things- (a) the effect the advertising will have on the general characteristics of the area including its effect on any features of historic archeological, architectural landscape, cultural or other characteristics; Mr. Speaker, Sir, hitherto, people have been putting advertising displays as they wish. They negotiate with the person who owns the land and put whatever size and colour of advertisement they want without caring whether it creates any obstruction or changes the historic, cultural or architectural nature of that landscape. It will be important that before a person gets a licence, all that is looked into. (a) in giving the licence, the CEC Member, will have to look at whether the proposed advertisement will- (i) endanger or obscure anyone using the highway, railway, water way, dock, harbor or the aerodromes, airstrips, airports. (b) hinder the reading or interpretation of any other traffic sign, railway signal or aid to navigation by water or air; This is very common. As we drive on our highways, there are big billboards which prevent a person from seeing oncoming vehicles around the corner. It also hinders the reading of other signs. The billboards should also not hinder the operation of any device used for the purpose of security, surveillance or for measuring speed of any vehicle. For example, the police would like to measure the speed of vehicles but big billboards hinder that. Therefore, there are many ways in which the CEC Member must take into consideration factors that cause problems. This Bill, in this Clause goes further to say- ―(iv) be so distracting or confusing as to pose a hazard to road user in the vicinity or the advertisement; or, (v) obscure any existing and legally erected advertisement;‖ Mr. Speaker, Sir, the competition today is how big an advertising billboard is so that it can obscure and prevent people from reading an existing one. Therefore, order has to come in. The CEC Member has to consider that before allocating a particular spot. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in Clause 6, the CEC Member has been given a timeline. It states that- ―The county executive committee member shall within fourteen days of receipt of any application under section 4, consider the application and may- (a) where the applicant meets the requirements of this Act, approve the application and issue a licence to the applicant; (b) approve the application subject to such conditions as the county executive member may impose; or (c) reject the application.‖ Mr. Speaker, Sir, I know that this is where the controversy will be. In which order, therefore, will the CEC, Member consider those who come? The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}