Key bill on parastatals to get public airing

MORE than 10 parastatals are expected to present their views on a law intended to govern the way they do business to a select committee of the National Council from tomorrow.

After being rushed through the National Assembly in November after minimal scrutiny and input, public hearings will be held for three days to gauge views on the State-owned Enterprises Bill, particularly on a governance council which is set to govern and monitor the performance of the country’s 52 State-owned enterprises. Amongst those scheduled to make submissions to the committee tomorrow are Telecom, NamPower, the Bank of Namibia, Air Namibia and the Development Bank of Namibia.A select committee chaired by Omusati Councillor Jhonny Hakaye has already received written submissions from SOEs it has invited to comment on particular provisions of the Bill.These include the functions of the Governance Council, its relation to the boards of SOEs, the appointment of boards and remuneration of its members and SOE management.Parastatals will also be asked to comment on provisions in the bill dealing with the investment of public funds following recent revelations of dubious investments worth millions of dollars.Under the new law, SOEs will first have to obtain approval from the Minister of Finance before investing money.The Namibian understands that parastatals will also raise the issue of paying dividends to Government – something very few SOEs manage to do each year.Members of the public are also invited to comment on the bill, either orally or in writing.Last year, Prime Minister Nahas Angula presented the bill, which had taken years to bring to the table, to the National Assembly only two weeks before the House went into recess.Hardly any discussion took place.However, the DTA raised several concerns that the Governance Council, which would consist of Cabinet ministers, would not be able to act swiftly, given that their decisions would depend on approval from Cabinet.The DTA’s Johan de Waal had asked that the bill be referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee, but Angula wanted the bill passed and said the National Council could consider any proposed amendments.During debate in the National Council in December, Kavango Councillor Sebastian Karupu called for an ad hoc committee to be set up to garner public opinion on the law.The committee has said it would like to hear submissions from SOEs in the various sectors – service, supervisory and productive.The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) as well as the Polytechnic of Namibia and the University of Namibia have all indicated that they will deliver remarks on the proposed law.The committee comprises Hilma Nicanor (Deputy Chairperson), Dorothy Kabula, Theo Diergaardt and Lydia Kavetu.The committee will have to report back to the National Assembly with any proposed recommendations and changes by March 5.President Hifikepunye Pohamba will open Parliament today.The National Council is expected to resume business on Monday.Government intends the new law to stub out corruption and maladministration, as well as poor economic performance of many parastatals, which has marred their running over the years.Under the new law, the Prime Minister will chair the SOE Governance Council, which will consist of the Ministers of Finance and Trade, the Attorney General and Director General of National Planning.Performance agreements would be entered into between the board of the parastatal and the Minister responsible for the SOE as well as between a board and its CEO and other senior management.The council will be responsible for drawing up criteria under which the performance of SOEs will be evaluated and measured.Tomorrow a public hearing on the Children’s Status Bill by the National Council’s Committee on Gender, Youth and Information will also get underway to hear views on a proposed law which has gone to and fro between the National Assembly and the National Council for the last two years.At least 20 women’s groups and rights organisations are expected to make submissions to the council, particularly against equal rights to custody and guardianship for parents of children born outside of marriage.This will be the second time public opinion is being requested on this bill through a parliamentary committee.The bill aims to give equal rights to children born in and out of wedlock.The bill was first introduced in February 2004, but lapsed a year later after the then Minister of Women Affairs and Child Welfare, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, did not agree to all the recommendations made by the Parliamentary Committee after countrywide public hearings.The bill was then reintroduced in the National Assembly by Marlene Mungunda, Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, last year.It was passed without hitches, but was again put out for public hearing by the National Council last November.The National Assembly is expecting feedback from the hearings by next week.Amongst those scheduled to make submissions to the committee tomorrow are Telecom, NamPower, the Bank of Namibia, Air Namibia and the Development Bank of Namibia.A select committee chaired by Omusati Councillor Jhonny Hakaye has already received written submissions from SOEs it has invited to comment on particular provisions of the Bill.These include the functions of the Governance Council, its relation to the boards of SOEs, the appointment of boards and remuneration of its members and SOE management. Parastatals will also be asked to comment on provisions in the bill dealing with the investment of public funds following recent revelations of dubious investments worth millions of dollars.Under the new law, SOEs will first have to obtain approval from the Minister of Finance before investing money.The Namibian understands that parastatals will also raise the issue of paying dividends to Government – something very few SOEs manage to do each year.Members of the public are also invited to comment on the bill, either orally or in writing.Last year, Prime Minister Nahas Angula presented the bill, which had taken years to bring to the table, to the National Assembly only two weeks before the House went into recess.Hardly any discussion took place.However, the DTA raised several concerns that the Governance Council, which would consist of Cabinet ministers, would not be able to act swiftly, given that their decisions would depend on approval from Cabinet.The DTA’s Johan de Waal had asked that the bill be referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee, but Angula wanted the bill passed and said the National Council could consider any proposed amendments.During debate in the National Council in December, Kavango Councillor Sebastian Karupu called for an ad hoc committee to be set up to garner public opinion on the law.The committee has said it would like to hear submissions from SOEs in the various sectors – service, supervisory and productive.The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) as well as the Polytechnic of Namibia and the University of Namibia have all indicated that they will deliver remarks on the proposed law.The committee comprises Hilma Nicanor (Deputy Chairperson), Dorothy Kabula, Theo Diergaardt and Lydia Kavetu.The committee will have to report back to the National Assembly with any proposed recommendations and changes by March 5.President Hifikepunye Pohamba will open Parliament today.The National Council is expected to resume business on Monday.Government intends the new law to stub out corruption and maladministration, as well as poor economic performance of many parastatals, which has marred their running over the years.Under the new law, the Prime Minister will chair the SOE Governance Council, which will consist of the Ministers of Finance and Trade, the Attorney General and Director General of National Planning.Performance agreements would be entered into between the board of the parastatal and the Minister responsible for the SOE as well as between a board and its CEO and other senior management.The council will be responsible for drawing up criteria under which the performance of SOEs will be evaluated and measured.Tomorrow a public hearing on the Children’s Status Bill by the National Council’s Committee on Gender, Youth and Information will also get underway to hear views on a proposed law which has gone to and fro between the National Assembly and the National Council for the last two years.At least 20 women’s groups and rights organisations are expected to make submissions to the council, particularly against equal rights to custody and guardianship for parents of children born outside of marriage.This will be the second time public opinion is being requested on this bill through a parliamentary committee.The bill aims to give equal rights to children born in and out of wedlock.The bill was first introduced in February 2004, but lapsed a year later after the then Minister of Women Affairs and Child Welfare, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, did not agree to all the recommendations made by the Parliamentary Committee after countrywide public hearings.The bill was then reintroduced in the National Assembly by Marlene Mungunda, Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, last year.It was passed without hitches, but was again put out for public hearing by the National Council last November.The National Assembly is expecting feedback from the hearings by next week.