EALA sessions underway

The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) today resumed business and adopted two key reports.

In the deliberations, the House urged the Partner States to step up the desire to create a conducive business and competitive environment by removing Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), which it noted, hampered trade in the region.

At the same time, the Assembly is recommending that the Council of Ministers should extend the jurisdiction of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) to resolve commercial disputes which may arise.

Presenting a Report of the workshop on Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) in the EAC region, Chairperson of the Committee on Communication, Trade and Investments, Dr. James Ndahiro noted that NTBs, had, by and large created a negative impact on trade expansion efforts in the region.

Dr Ndahiro said the issue necessitated the need for in-culcating a common, comprehensive and holistic approach for the elimination of NTBs.

 

Hill-side residents to be relocated: Premier

Steve Nzaramba

Politics

Prime Minister Dr Pierre Damien Habumuremyi has stated that in a period not exceeding one year, a currently-ongoing census of people living on steep hillsides will be completed, with alternative, more decent places of accommodation for them.

This was revealed during a meeting held between the Premier and members of the Government-established Taskforce charged with the prevention of disasters and mitigating their repercussions.

The Government of Rwanda has implemented various programs aimed at fighting against extraordinary disasters that cause preventable loss of life, including recent cases caused by unusually heavy rainfall.

Prime Minister Dr. Pierre Damien Habumuremyi against this backdrop held a meeting with the various authorities concerned with this issue to see identify the best wayto mitigate the effects of these disasters and limit the human loss and damage to property.

The meeting focused on general measures that can be put in place to address the problem of flooding, protect infrastructure and manage land. Participants at the meeting also revisited the importance of meteorology in time of heavy rainfall.

The Prime Minister also established a special committee to accelerate the implementation of these programs. This committee is composed of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Defence.

To date, 17 deaths have been recorded that can be directly attributed to land slippage caused by heavy rainfall recently experienced across the country.

National anti-drug abuse flagship campaign set for launch

Steve Nzaramba

Social

The Ministry of Youth in collaboration with various government organs, the civil society sector and various religious denominations in the country are set to launch the “Ijisho ry’umuturanyi” initiative, in the fight against drug abuse and distribution in the country.

Youth Minister Jean Philbert Nsengimana called upon every Rwandan to participate and be a sort of look-out for their fellow citizen in order for the initiative to be truly effective.

In a press conference held yesterday, the Minister revealed that this initiative will depend on government and private sector combined, but mostly religious denominations and churches are expected to play the biggest role.

Religions are expected to play a major role in the campaign by sensitizing followers and the public at large of the dangers of drug use.

Minister Nsengimana stated that the main way this program will work will be to infiltrate the local community right down to the grass-roots levels, with people interviewed to pin-point groups or individuals who sell and deal in drugs.

The nation-wide campaign is expected to be launched by the First Lady Jeannette Kagame on the 26^th May in Gatsibo District, under the theme “Rwandans coming together to up-root drug-abuse in Rwanda.”

Finance Minister presents draft budget

Steve Nzaramba

Economy

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has elaborated on the guidelines used by the Parliamentary Budget Committee in drawing up the draft National Annual Budget for 2012-2013, set at an astronomical 1.378.4 Trillion Rwandan Francs.

Finance Minister John Rwangombwa revealed that the government procures revenue primarily from sources such as Taxation, Grants and financial aid from foreign donors and Tourism, among others. The Minister detailed that approximately 6 billion Rwandan Francs are expected from tax collection, a further 540 billion coming from donor grants and financial aid. 182 billion is the anticipated increase from last year’s figures.

Minister Rwangombwa explained that the budgetary allocations were made after reductions were made from various sectors, and additions made elsewhere. He gave examples highlighting this, pointing out the reduction of monies allocated to travel and training courses for government employees, refurbishment of office furniture and other supplies being diverted and instead going to the National Police for purchase of equipment used in response to an accident, and the injection of cash into cement company CIMERWA to increase its daily output.

He also stated that the budget is prepared in accordance with local and global economic trends, and the amount of exports coming out of the country.

MPs sitting in the National Parliament’s Chamber of Deputies’ committee on budget and national patrimony collectively fronted ideas on ways to boost the economic climate in the country, proposing that under-performing state bodies be investigated and reprimanded, and also called for decrease in imports and increase in exports in the country through boosting of natural resources such as sugar-cane plantations to produce more sugar locally in-lieu of importing, same principle being applied to rice production and the entire agricultural sector.

Upon ratification by parliament and the cabinet meeting respectively, the Draft Budget is expected to be unveiled on the 14^th June in concert with other member countries of the East African Community.