Call for third Parliament chamber

MINES and Energy Deputy Minister Henock ya Kasita has proposed the creation of a third chamber of Parliament, to be used by the National Assembly and the National Council.

Such a chamber, he said, could be used by both Houses of Parliament for State of Nation addresses, opening of Parliament or when foreign guests address members of Parliament. Ya Kasita said the current situation where members of the National Council could not join the National Assembly for occasions such as the President’s State of Nation address was not good.”The current arrangement does injustice to members of the National Council.There are no permanent seats for them,” said Ya Kasita, who is the regional councillor for Okaku constituency in Oshana Region.He said it would also save time if the National Budget, for example, could be debated jointly by the two Houses in this proposed third chamber.He made the suggestion during debate on the money allocated to the National Assembly in the 2005/2006 Budget in the National Council yesterday.But Swapo’s Chief Whip in the NC, John Hakaye, disagreed with Ya Kasita, saying if joint debates were held, the NC would lose its constitutional power of reviewing bills.”Some people who do not like this House will even start asking what is the use of the NC,” said Hakaye.Ya Kasita said the current situation where members of the National Council could not join the National Assembly for occasions such as the President’s State of Nation address was not good.”The current arrangement does injustice to members of the National Council.There are no permanent seats for them,” said Ya Kasita, who is the regional councillor for Okaku constituency in Oshana Region.He said it would also save time if the National Budget, for example, could be debated jointly by the two Houses in this proposed third chamber.He made the suggestion during debate on the money allocated to the National Assembly in the 2005/2006 Budget in the National Council yesterday.But Swapo’s Chief Whip in the NC, John Hakaye, disagreed with Ya Kasita, saying if joint debates were held, the NC would lose its constitutional power of reviewing bills.”Some people who do not like this House will even start asking what is the use of the NC,” said Hakaye.