Conduct of Business Regulations elicit tough debate among MPs
Some of the amendments were passed in the background of lots of arguments by the members. They included amendments on the regional and the international organizations in which the parliament of South Sudan also takes part.
Some of them are the Pan African Parliament (PAP), International Parliamentary Union (IPU), and the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
Mr. Ayuen said the three regional and international legislation created a lot of debate among the parliamentarians because they were not included in the conduct of the business of the previous parliament.
“It is an amendment that we have put because some people had issues that they did not hear before and that they do not understand how they work,” Ayuen explained.
Ayuen stated that it is important for the Reconstituted parliament to incorporate the amendment into its conduct of business for members to hold the government ministers accountable because they represent the country to the body.
“They are so important because we are part of African Union and if there are bodies of African Union, we send ministers there and this minister (in charge) must do what we know as a nation. We will ask the minister who has gone there to come and report to the parliament so that the parliament will know what they have gone to do,” he lamented.
The parliamentarians also raised an issue on the dress code for each member including the speaker. They argue that the team needs to be in formal attire when the members are transacting the business.
“Within the region, like in Kenya and Uganda, the speakers normally wears gown while conducting the business of the parliament which is not the case in South Sudan.
“Members and the speaker in South Sudan currently dress the way they want but internationally, parliamentarians have specified attire to wear and they are not allowed Jeans and sportswear,’’ he protested.
Ayuen said members of the house brought the motion of dress code to attention so that the parliament of South Sudan should match the international standards of how business is conducted in the parliament.
“Now people dress as the way they like even the speaker does not have a gown, the workforce does not have a gown and this what they wanted to express. Even in the East African region, members and the speaker wears a special gown in Kenya the speaker wears a special gown so this is what they want to have for our speaker” he revealed.