Speaker to propose amendments to standing orders

Parliament Speaker Theo Zurenouc

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, August 28, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

THE Speaker of Parliament, Theo Zurenouc, has indicated plans to amend standing orders of parliament after concerns were raised by member for Rabaul Dr Allan Marat on conspiracy claims of hijacking parliamentary processes by Government to rush through bills and amendments without proper debates.

He understood the concerns, however, reiterated that all other laws passed by parliament have been done properly, in invoking the standing orders to pass laws that have been done so far.

“Bills or proposed laws, amendments that are passed through law by parliament- they have implications to the lives worth of our people and organisations and systems - hence it is important and necessary that a full, and if not, fair understanding and appreciation of a proposed new law or bill or amendment to any law is established before any law or an amendment is made on the floor of parliament,” the Speaker said.

“Sufficient time must be provided to the honourable members. We are legislators to review and appreciate the contents and implications of those laws, bills, and amendments in order to adequately debate before voting.”

“The chair understands the suspicions or the perceptions raised by the honourable member for Rabaul in his view of a conspiracy bid by the Government to prevent adequate debate on bills.”

“He has this perception because on a number of occasions legal bills and amendments were passed in a manner where insufficient time was provided for members to review and consequently leaving no time and space for adequate and meaningful debate for passage.”

Zurenouc reminded parliament of his desire in the best interest of the house, and the interest of citizens to uphold principles of a democratic system that the house operates in.

“This parliament must do its utmost best to abide by the provisions of the standing orders in processing proposed laws for passing in parliament.”

“Parliament should avoid as much as possible to suspend standing orders and bring cessationl orders to facilitate passing of bill and laws into acts of parliament.”

“And to improve the performance of parliament and for the benefit of our citizens the chair will be initiating in the next session certain amendments to pass the standing orders.”

“Maybe one of the amendments is to maybe make some of the relevant parts of the standing orders mandatory that we ensure that those that we pass are immune to suspension so that we can mitigate the concern that was raised by Member for Rabaul,” the speaker said.

He concluded that for the sake of improving the performance of parliament- the proposals will be made in the next session of parliament.