NC starts reviewing six bills

NATIONAL Council members yesterday started discussing six bills referred to them for review by the National Assembly.

Speaking on the Forest Amendment Bill, Oshikoto MP Henock Kankoshi said he felt it was high time that the Directorate of Forestry was decentralised, as the distances people had to travel to get permits for transporting wood, harvesting and marketing were unnecessary. “Like in Oshikoto Region,” he said, “people have to travel to the Ongwediva Forestry Regional Office, which is in Oshana Region.”This, he said, is because the Forestry Office in Oshikoto doesn’t have a Receiver of Revenue Officer.”I think its high time now that the Ministry (of Agriculture) consider implementing the process of decentralisation as it is clearly stressed in the Swapo Party Election Manifesto 2004,” he said.Kankoshi also supported the Standards Bill – which aims to promote, regulate and maintain standards as far as the quality of commodities is concerned.Joining him in discussing the Bill was Hardap MP Barakias Namwandi, who cautioned that the standardisation of quality should not be limited to the products and services of big companies, but that it should also include small and medium enterprises.Kankoshi said he was glad the Namibia Standards Council included members of the private sector, as these would be people with first-hand experience of expected standards.The Child Status Bill, which aims to give children born out of wedlock the same legal rights as those whose parents are married, was also discussed.Oshikoto MP Leevi Katoma said that once the Bill was passed, the Ministry responsible would have to investigate cases where guardians misused children’s money for their own benefit.He said this was happening with foster grants.Discussions around the Children’s Status Bill and the Estates and Succession Amendment Bill were postponed to this morning.”Like in Oshikoto Region,” he said, “people have to travel to the Ongwediva Forestry Regional Office, which is in Oshana Region.”This, he said, is because the Forestry Office in Oshikoto doesn’t have a Receiver of Revenue Officer.”I think its high time now that the Ministry (of Agriculture) consider implementing the process of decentralisation as it is clearly stressed in the Swapo Party Election Manifesto 2004,” he said.Kankoshi also supported the Standards Bill – which aims to promote, regulate and maintain standards as far as the quality of commodities is concerned.Joining him in discussing the Bill was Hardap MP Barakias Namwandi, who cautioned that the standardisation of quality should not be limited to the products and services of big companies, but that it should also include small and medium enterprises.Kankoshi said he was glad the Namibia Standards Council included members of the private sector, as these would be people with first-hand experience of expected standards.The Child Status Bill, which aims to give children born out of wedlock the same legal rights as those whose parents are married, was also discussed.Oshikoto MP Leevi Katoma said that once the Bill was passed, the Ministry responsible would have to investigate cases where guardians misused children’s money for their own benefit.He said this was happening with foster grants.Discussions around the Children’s Status Bill and the Estates and Succession Amendment Bill were postponed to this morning.