Mass absenteeism in parliament
ABSENTEEISM is not only a problem facing teachers.
For the second time in the same parliament sitting, the meeting has to be adjourned due to absenteeism.
Earlier in the current session, the meeting was forced to discontinue because of poor turnout resulting in lack of quorum.
On Thursday when the meeting was scheduled to commence in order for the Political Parties Integrity Bill 2014 to go through the committee stage, the deputy speaker Job Dudley Tausinga found himself sitting high up in front of an empty house again.
He adjourned the meeting to today under parliamentary standing order 12 (2) in accordance with section 67 of the constitution.
The constitution states “If objection is taken by any member of Parliament present that there are present in Parliament (besides the person presiding) less than half of all the members thereof and, after such interval as may be prescribed in the rules of procedure of Parliament, the person presiding ascertains that the number of members present is still less than half of all the members, he shall thereupon adjourn Parliament.
The attendance last Thursday was less than the number required for a quorum therefore the meeting was suspended.
By EDNAL PALMER
