Gov’t moving to change make-up of Parliament committees in its favour

The APNU+AF​C government is moving to change the composition of the four Parliamentary sectoral committees in its favour. Whereas in the 10th Parliament the government had three seats and the opposition four, a motion to be moved next week by Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally will reverse this. (See motion below)

4. REPRESENTATION ON SECTORAL COMMITTEES
The Minister of Social Cohesion to move the following motion:

​WHEREAS Standing Order No. 86(1) makes provision for the appointment of the four (4) Sectoral Committees, pursuant to Article 119B of the Constitution, as soon as may be after the beginning of each National Assembly;

​AND WHEREAS Standing Order No. 86(2) provides that each Sectoral Committee shall consist of seven (7) members, three (3) representing the Government and four (4) the Opposition, respectively;

​AND WHEREAS in this 11th Parliament, the Government is in the majority and the Opposition in the minority;

​AND WHEREAS Standing Order No. 86(2) does not represent the new majority reality in this 11th Parliament,​

BE IT RESOLVED:
That Standing Order No. 86(2) be amended to read that representation on the Sectoral Committees should be calculated in accordance with the seat allocation to the Political Parties in Parliament; and

​BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That Standing Order No. 86(2) be amended to read that, “each Committee shall consist of seven (7) Members, four (4) representing the Government and three (3) representing the Opposition, to be nominated by the Committee of Selection. The Government and Opposition shall be entitled to elect one alternate Member for each Sectoral Committee. (See Appendix)
(Notice Paper No. 4 (M4 Govt 4) published on 2015-07-22)