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MARWICK WANTS ANOTHER GO AT FINANCE COMMITTEE

27/01/2014 04:35:00 BY TIMOTHY SIMELANE

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MBABANE – Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo has shown interest in serving in the Ministry of Finance as a member of the Portfolio Committee again.

In the Ninth Parliament, he also served as the Finance Committee Chairperson. In previous terms he has also been member of the Finance Portfolio Committees.
“I indicated my wish to serve in the Finance Ministry again. I also showed interest in the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT),” MP Khumalo said in an interview.

Meanwhile, Siphofaneni MP Gundwane Gamedze said he had shown interest in serving in the Prime Minister’s Portfolio and that of the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development. He also has interest in the Finance Ministry. He has previously served in such ministries. Mangcongco MP Patrick ‘Pha’ Motsa showed interest in serving in the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ministry and that of the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT).

He said he developed an interest in ICT issues during the past five-year break and went as far as acquiring a diploma in ICT.
Ngwemphisi MP Veli Shongwe said he had interest in the ministries of Tourism and Environmental Affairs as well as that of Natural Resources and Energy. He also aspires to be in the Finance Committee. The Finance Committee is made complete by 12 members, according to the House of Assembly Standing Orders.

Each committee has to have at least three and no more than eight members. MPs also cannot serve in more than three portfolio committees to avoid being overloaded with work.
The House of Assembly and Senate are still to elect members to serve in international bodies such as the Southern African Development Community, PF, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Pan African Parliament.

As per procedure, the MPs said they were made to fill in forms to indicate their interest officially.
It is expected that when Parliament reopens next month, elections for the various committees will ensue before the budget debate is officially set in motion.

Over the years, Parliament has adopted a principle where the budget is debated by the portfolio committees before it is eventually passed by both the Assembly and Senate.

Speaker in the House of Assembly Themba Msibi said the House would decide whether it wanted to take the route of letting the Sessional Committee choose the members or it will elect itself. “The House is at liberty to regulate itself. It’s not a problem for a member to serve in both the Finance Committee and the Portfolio Committee if the House feels such will not be a problem.”