The Hon. Hector Appuhamy

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, I present the Report of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Sustainable Use of Resources on the Companies (Amendment) Bill referred to the said Committee.

¶ 02 Ordered to lie upon the Table.

¶ 03 Hon. Speaker, at this stage, I wish to make a special observation. Sectoral Oversight Committees are extremely important not only to Parliament but to the entire country and, in particular, to all institutions of Government. During the previous term, with the support of UNDP, we were afforded the opportunity to associate expert groups with these Committees. We request the Government to grant us that opportunity again. If these Committees can be supported by expert knowledge, it will be greatly beneficial to the country by facilitating discussions with public officials to design innovative programmes and by sharing that expertise with Parliament. It will, in effect, support the Government.

¶ 04 Therefore, we request that opportunities be given for this purpose. Many institutions are available to assist us, but such assistance can be secured only through your good offices and those of Parliament. We specifically ask that the necessary facilitation be provided.