The Opposition was forced to withdraw two proposed pieces of legislation in Parliament on Thursday after the Speaker, Dr Jiko Luveni, ruled they were ‘not competent for consideration at this stage.”

A Bill for an Act to repeal the Regulation of Surfing Areas Decree 2010 (Bill No.8 of 2015) and a Bill for an Act to repeal the Mahogany Industry Development Decree 2010 (Bill No.9 of 2015) were in its second reading when Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum raised a point of order.

He pointed out that the Bills did not have any substantive clauses.

The second reading of parliamentary bills allows both the Government and Opposition to debate the main principles of the bill and raise any points of concern for amendments.

In her response and ruling on the Attorney-General’s point of order, Dr Luveni ruled that because the bills were not competent for consideration they would have to be withdrawn and resubmitted at a later stage.

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