“There being no business I propose that we adjourn.” Madam Speaker, that is the import of Order 42 (2). That is applying for adjournment or whatever. So that application cannot be foundationed on Order 42 (2).
But the more important matter, Madam Speaker I know that the issues that the Hon Majority Leader has raised are very substantial matters to Government, and of course, this country. The laws relating to petroleum resources are very important and certainly, we must have adequate time for them. Madam Speaker, Government, as we all recollect, has for a very long time advertised the intention to produce petroleum in the last quarter of 2010, that is October, November, or December of this year. Since last year, that has been the stand. I know that that schedule has been slightly amended and we are now talking about December 2010 to commence production.
Madam Speaker, production definitely, cannot commence unless and until we have these Bills to regulate the resources and even prescribe the legal framework. So I know that they are very important matters that should concern us as a Parliament.
Madam Speaker, I recall that since last year, I have been making this observation at various fora including this House that these relevant Bills should come for consideration of this House before production commences. Unfortunately, these appeals have fallen on deaf ears and we have had to wait until the dusk of this Meeting before we are coming with this application.
Madam Speaker, people have been talking about the fact that for the past four weeks or so, we have not done too well in attending to the Business of the House. But programmes from Government did not come to this House and this is why in the first, two, three weeks, we were not doing much.
Madam Speaker, I am considering this from a very practical perspective and I think that practically, it would be impossible to deal with these important and very sensitive documents in two weeks. Madam Speaker, as we speak today, and the Hon Majority Leader said, during the course of next week, the Bills will be laid. He used the word “will”. Madam Speaker, I know the Hon Majority Leader as a Leader of Government is not even too sure about that because if he was, it would find expression in the Business Statement that was read to us.
The fact that the Business Committee did not capture these things, should suggest to anybody that Government is not ready with these Bills. I had said that even if they were not ready and they were in draft forms, they could have come to Parlaiment and then the various committees will be considering them and Government would at the same time or concurrently, be tapping from the Parliamentary committee.
Madam Sepaker, these are not just ordinary Bills. Government, as we know, has almost spent 18 months on this. Today, we are told that as a nation, we have rejected the Canadian module that Government was initially considering. Now, we are associating with the Norwegian module. Government has spent 18 months and would it make any good sense for Parliament -- because as I said, it is not captured here and beyond next week we have only one week to exit. If it comes the following week, can anybody say Parliament can do deligence on these Bills within one week or even two weeks? It is impossible.
Madam Speaker, we are not talking about just the Committee for Energy which should be the core committee to deal with it, anyway. But do we say because we are talking about petroleum resources
management, the Finance Committee would not be involved? Environment would have to be involved and Defence -- And because it is going to affect marine culture because production is on the high seas, the committee responsible for marine affairs, and in fact, marine culture, that is Agriculture, should also be involved. I believe Transportation and Defence --
Madam Speaker, this is a very serious business and once the Bills are laid and referrals are made, these important Committees would have to touch bases in particular with Canada, and with Norway to let us see the practicality of suggestions that are coming from Government.
I do know that Government sponsored people to link up with the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA); they came and made very outrageous recommendations and they fell by the road side. These respective Committees would have to do serious engagement with major stakeholders, not only in this country; because of course, that is where they have to begin, have public hearings, touch bases with committees and outside the country, including what pertains in West Africa, which we are all bemoaning.
So Madam Speaker, I think that clearly, as a Parliament, we cannot do justice to this in two, three weeks. And if we accept that we cannot do justice to it in two, three weeks, then why say that we should extend Parliament's Meeting for two weeks or three weeks? For what, knowing very well that we cannot do business?
Madam Speaker, so I think that, yes, indeed, they should come; then referrals would be made and then - We would have about three months to do this. And Madam Speaker, because the Hon Majority Leader himself is here, and he is the Leader of Government Business, if anything goes wrong, he would be held accountable. When we come to this, Leadership,
including his very goodself, would have to be involved. So I think the better way is to let the Bills come, referrals would be made, we will have time to look at them and let there be serious deligence on it.
Afterwards, if we have to come back, maybe, after one and a half months, two months, when we have given them sufficient time, then this House could be recalled. Because I understand and I do appreciate the fact that we have to do it before the next Meeting because the next Meeting is the Budget Meeting - basically. So when we come, our prior concentration would be on the Budget.
These things would have to be done before the Budget Meeting, I appreciate that. But we cannot be stampeded to do this matter in two weeks - [Interruption.] Hon Gershon Gbediame, I used the word advisedly. I am not saying you are stampeding us. So these adjuncts are not necessary. They are for the good of this House and for the good of this country.
Madam Speaker, I think if we as a House, have to be very much involved in this Business and do a diligent and serious work; certainly, we cannot do it in two weeks. We cannot do it in three weeks. Let the Bills come; let the proper referrals be made; let the committees be appropriately constituted and then we will do work on that and when they are ready and Parliament has to be recalled, I believe that would be the better way to handle it.
