Bills and cakes
Bills timeline response
THIS is my response to Bharat Morris’s letter “Bills timelines” in FT 14/10. What he said is a likely outcome or even an inevitable one, given the number of members on each side of the House and the current parliamentary sitting calendar.
However, it is my personal view that, this does not take away the principle of the matter, or the spirit in which Bills are expected to be processed in Parliament — albeit based on a democratic and Westminster system.
All Bills as a proposed law, by nature need to undergo thorough, exhaustive and necessary scrutiny and committee review, as much as it is possible (the legislative role).
It must also elicit and include, the views and comments of the general public and the relevant stakeholders, in that law-making process. (The scrutiny and representative role).
Otherwise, the resultant Act of Parliament, may not be as representative and effective as a law of the land, as it should be.
I sincerely believe, therefore, that it would be better to have just one or even two laws, passed in the whole sitting year — that would have undergone an exhaustive review and process in accordance with parliamentary procedures — then to have a whole host of Bills processed without delay, via SO 51 and passed into law. I am sure the public would benefit more from the former, rather than the latter.
Very little can be done now about the numbers in Parliament and the inevitable vote count, but the thing is, thorough processing through the three readings and committee review, enables all members to have their say and to have it recorded in Hansard for posterity. Importantly, it enables the members of the public to participate in the workings of Parliament and also have it recorded for posterity as well, irrespective of the outcome.
This is the bottom line of the workings of this noble representative institution. It is always better to be heard and considered, then not to say anything, or contribute at all. Moreso when it comes to law-making.
In any case, I would like to thank Mr Morris for voicing his opinion. If he did not express it, we would not have known his views!
EDWARD BLAKELOCK
Admiral Circle, Pacific Harbour
Thank you
THANK you Amenatave Yaconisau Malani for your letter (FT 14/10).
Yes, you are right — the law is said to be black and white, but I would like to err on the side of equity.
“What is the argument on the other side? Only this, that no case has been found in which it has been done before. That argument does not appeal to me in the least. If we never do anything which has not been done before, we shall never get anywhere. The law will stand still while the rest of the world goes on, and that will be bad for both” - Lord Denning (1899- 1999).
KORINA WAIBUTA
Knollys St, Suva
Some cake first
To Tomasi Nanuqa of Tavakubu, Lautoka. I am pleased you are so passionate about my views. It appears that you have been waiting for a reply from me for a while. In fact, I agree with everything you say, baraca, even though you rant on a bit. I need to eat some Fiji 50 cake. I feel like I am missing out! For Fiji 50 cake, I am willing to change the way I think and refrain from spitting any more venom. Promise and cross my heart.
JAN NISSAR
Carlton, NSW, Australia