Bunge team declines debate on toxics

MEMBERS of the Parliamentary Committee on Industries, Trade and Environment yesterday declined to debate a report on disposal of toxic waste at mine sites and the demolition exercise unless they visit some of the areas to study the situation on the ground.

The report was scheduled to be presented before the committee members by the Vice-President’s Office (Environment and Union).
The MPs who described the report as hypothetical argued that they had never visited any mine site since the committee was formed, thus they are unfamiliar with the environmental issues contained in the report.
Konde MP Khatib Said Haji (CUF) said that the committee members were supposed to visit some of the mine sites and areas affected by the demolition exercise before debating the report.
He charged that some of the government officials have been providing their supervisors with false reports, adding that it will be difficult for the lawmakers to validate the report because they were not aware of the situation on the ground.
“One of the roles of the National Assembly is to supervise and advise the government. Therefore, they cannot debate the report of which they are not familiar with the issues presented,” Mr Haji said.
CHADEMA Special Seats MP, Hawa Mwaifuga, said that the committee had requested to visit some of the mine sites several times so that they can be familiar with some issues, but their request had never been successful.
She said that the committee deserves the rights to know all the actions being taken by government executives on some issues related to environment so that it can do its job well.
Singida Urban Lawmaker (CCM) Mussa Sima said the report was hypothetical because the MPs, as people’s representatives, were supposed to be involved in some incidents related to environment instead of reading them in the report. “We cannot allow this report to be presented in the National Assembly because we cannot prove the authenticity of the document,” Mr Sima said.
Special Seats (CCM) MP Faida Bakari maintained that the committee members will never debate the report unless their request is fulfilled. “We cannot validate the report because most of the committee members are new and we have not visited any of these areas as shown in the report,” she said.
Ms Tauhida Nyimbo (Special Seats- CCM) said environment is very sensitive issue thus legislators should make sure that they safeguard the interests of their electorate.
“We are here to work for the interests of our people and not the ministry. We are not ready to debate this report before visiting some of these areas to get the real picture,” he stressed.
On the demolition exercise, Ms Nyimbo said that there were some people whose houses were demolished although they were issued with permits by some government executive.
“How are we going to prove this if we don’t visit the sites?” she asked. Responding, the Deputy Minister in the Vice-President’s Office (Environment and Union), Mr Luhaga Mpina, said that it was not the responsibility of his office to coordinate the committee’s tours.
He pointed out that the committee was responsible with identifying the areas it wants to visit and inform the office of the National Assembly Clerk for further communications with his ministry.
Mr Mpina said that his ministry is ready to take the committee members to all areas which they will be interested to visit them.

Source www.dailynews.co.tz