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{
    "id": 993050,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/993050/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 21,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orengo",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Minority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 129,
        "legal_name": "Aggrey James Orengo",
        "slug": "james-orengo"
    },
    "content": "are not at a standstill; they are also finding innovative ways of holding meetings. Some of those meetings are statutory and must be held. The courts also have come up with innovative ways of dealing with hearings. For example, in criminal cases where accused persons must always be present, the courts have come up with ways and means of ensuring that certain cases of urgency must continue, notwithstanding the presence or absence of parties in cases that are going on in the courts. Parliament is an important Arm. Law making must continue and we can never have a situation where Parliament is completely out and the operations cannot continue. Therefore, the only suggestion I would make is that, probably, we need to go back to the Rules Committee, like you have cited the case in the United States of America (USA), where they have had to amend their Standing Orders. It is said that, probably, COVID-19 is not going to stop tomorrow or in the next two or three months. We should amend Standing Orders accordingly so that the manner in which the votes are carried out and the definition of the word \"presence\" can also be looked into, so that everything is done within the Standing Orders. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as you have said, the law is never static. It is always speaking, including the Constitution. When we make laws, they are supposed to serve us; we are not supposed to necessarily serve the law. Therefore, I hope that in that spirit, Parliament – Senate and National Assembly – will continue to hold its deliberations. I hope that the ruling or communication will be made available because some people do not understand how we vote here. They do not understand why we are here as delegations. Every Senator belongs to a delegation. Sometimes it is important to consider how to vote within the delegation, although the Standing Orders normally say that the leader of the delegation will probably determine how that vote is cast. This is a timely ruling. Thank you for it"
}