MPs want more input

A SUGGESTION was made in the National Assembly on Wednesday that better use be made of the President’s annual State of the Nation address.

DTA MP Philemon Moongo, during debate on the budget allocation for the National Assembly, suggested that Parliament revise the procedures followed during the presidential address to allow greater interaction between MPs and the President. “My suggestion is that, once a member has posed a question and the President has answered, the floor should be open for the rest of Parliament to further explore this question,” Moongo said.Although there were some murmurs from the ruling party benches, Moongo was supported by the Speaker of the House, Theo-Ben Gurirab, who welcomed the idea.”I agree that we can be more creative during question time,” Gurirab said.He added that, following discussions with President Hifikepunye Pohamba, it appeared that the President would be willing to see such a change made.”He is the first Head of State with knowledge of this House, so I think it would be a good idea, once a question has been raised and replied to, to have that issue become a matter for the whole House.I believe we can trust the Chair of the House to not let it degenerate into a public rally of sorts,” Gurirab said.Gurirab also supported a call by the DTA’s McHenry Venaani, who called for a serious look into the Parliament library, which he said was dangerously under-resourced.”MPs are supposed to be informed people, but when you look at our library, it lacks knowledge, it lacks books,” Venaani said.Gurirab said this issue had been raised previously and the time had come to address it.Other issues discussed before the National Assembly’s request for N$68.4 million and the National Council’s for N$31.63 million were accepted, were the need for capacity-building programmes for parliamentarians and a lack of resources facing parliamentarian portfolio committees.”Some MPs come into their offices and think the computer is a microwave,” CoD member Elma Dienda said light-heartedly, adding that staff in their offices were becoming frustrated with the lack of computer literacy among parliamentarians.”My suggestion is that, once a member has posed a question and the President has answered, the floor should be open for the rest of Parliament to further explore this question,” Moongo said.Although there were some murmurs from the ruling party benches, Moongo was supported by the Speaker of the House, Theo-Ben Gurirab, who welcomed the idea.”I agree that we can be more creative during question time,” Gurirab said.He added that, following discussions with President Hifikepunye Pohamba, it appeared that the President would be willing to see such a change made.”He is the first Head of State with knowledge of this House, so I think it would be a good idea, once a question has been raised and replied to, to have that issue become a matter for the whole House.I believe we can trust the Chair of the House to not let it degenerate into a public rally of sorts,” Gurirab said.Gurirab also supported a call by the DTA’s McHenry Venaani, who called for a serious look into the Parliament library, which he said was dangerously under-resourced.”MPs are supposed to be informed people, but when you look at our library, it lacks knowledge, it lacks books,” Venaani said.Gurirab said this issue had been raised previously and the time had come to address it.Other issues discussed before the National Assembly’s request for N$68.4 million and the National Council’s for N$31.63 million were accepted, were the need for capacity-building programmes for parliamentarians and a lack of resources facing parliamentarian portfolio committees.”Some MPs come into their offices and think the computer is a microwave,” CoD member Elma Dienda said light-heartedly, adding that staff in their offices were becoming frustrated with the lack of computer literacy among parliamentarians.