GIZO: The much awaited Parliament meeting is now confirmed for next week.
This was announced over the weekend by the Office of National Parliament based on the endorsement from the Office of the Prime Ministers Cabinet.
Next week’s meeting will officially start the first sitting for the year 2023.
The National Parliament Office over the weekend in a statement confirmed the first sitting day as Monday 17th April.
David Kusilifu Clerk to National Parliament issued the statement titled the ‘Notification of commencement of parliament meeting’ on Sunday evening.
“The Prime Minister Hon. Manasseh Sogavare has scheduled the next meeting of Parliament to convene on Monday 17th April 2023,” the statement said.
The fifth meeting of the 11th Parliament was adjourned sine die on Monday 19th of December 2022.
The motion of the sine die was moved by the Hon. Prime Minister Manasseh D. Sogavare on Thursday 15th December 2022.
In his response speech last year Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare thanked all members who have contributed to the motion whilst responding to their queries and defending the government’s policies and programs of national interest.
A number of Bills are expected to be debated in this year’s sitting.
The Speaker of Parliament Hon. Patteson J. Oti in his closing remarks before adjourning Parliament highlighted that during the course of the 5th meeting, Parliament had sat for 48 days in a plenary;
• 6 bills were tabled and were passed by the house, 4 of which were appropriation-related bills.
• In this period a total of 38 parliamentary papers were tabled,
• 11 motions were put on notice
• 30 questions asked and answered
Also during the 5th meeting, Parliament resolved and approved the extension of the state of public emergency on one occasion to allow the executive government to manage responses to the global pandemic of covid 19.
Mr Oti added, with community transmission of COVID-19 affecting the country earlier this year, Parliament has to be resilient and ensure continuity.
A total of five inquiries were conducted so far as the standing committees are concerned, 110 deliberative meetings convened and 5 committee reports were tabled.
The Speaker further told Parliament that he looks forward to when Parliament will have its meeting this year.
PM last year said Parliament will resume as soon as possible as there are many issues to address given the upcoming Pacific Games this year followed by the national general election early next year.
By MOFFAT MAMU
