GOVERNMENT PRESS STATEMENT
NO 18 : 2014
CABINET RETREAT – REVIEW OF DRAFT BILLS
AT PIGGS PEAK HOTEL
FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER 2014
It is my honour today, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government to brief the media and general public on the outcome of the Cabinet Retreat that has taken place these past five days in Piggs Peak.
It has been a very busy week with every day dedicated to the review of draft legislation. As the audience will be aware from my opening statement last Monday, the clear articulation and legal obligation provided by statute is generally essential support for the effective implementation of Government policies and the accompanying strategies. The function of Government, in drawing up and processing expediently the necessary draft legislation, is of crucial importance. Cabinet review and approval is the final stage in that process within Government.
Around a third of the Bills that we have reviewed this week were brought forward from the 9th Parliament, to be reviewed again by Cabinet, together with any amendments identified as necessary in the intervening period of time, and then submitted to the current Parliament for its review, approval and, finally, submission for the Royal Assent.
I am very pleased to report that we have made excellent progress and reviewed no fewer than 29 draft Bills during the course of this week. These were:
- Crime Prevention Bill
- Disability Bill
- Public Service Bill
- Trademarks Bill
- Citizens Economic Empowerment Bill
- Tribunal Bill
- Patents Bill
- Customs (Amendment) Bill
- Income Tax Bill
- Audit (Amendment) Bill
- Consumer Credit Bill
- Tax Tribunal Bill
- Arts and Culture Council Bill
- Leadership Code of Conduct Bill
- Sexual Offences Bill
- Citizenship Bill
- Swaziland National Trust Commission Bill
- Gaming Bill
- Refugees Bill
- Education Bill
- Examination Council of Swaziland Bill
- University of Swaziland (Amendment) Bill
- Teaching Service Bill
- Swaziland Nursing Council Bill
- Public Health Bill
- Sectional Titles Bill
- SADC Licence Bill
- Swaziland National Pension Fund Bill
- Employment Bill
The Bills reviewed are those that were planned for the Retreat with the exception of the Bills that should have been presented by the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, but were not done so owing to his absence. The three Bills that we were, therefore, unable to review are – Administrative Justice Bill, Witness Protection Bill and the Prevention of Organised Crime Bill.
The Retreat this week was an important period of detailed review in a workshop setting. In their final draft format the Bills will, in the very near future, be presented in the formal manner to Cabinet where the appropriate decisions will be made. Thereafter they will be gazetted, which will achieve the transition from draft to approved Bill, then they will be forwarded to Parliament. We hope that these processes can be completed for the Bills to be tabled in Parliament before the opening of the 2015 Session, followed by what we trust will be an expeditious and productive review of all the Bills by the two Houses.
Thank you.
Dr B.Sibusiso Dlamini Friday 12 December 2014
Prime Minister