09 Apr 2014

Parliament has passed the National Meteorological Service (repeal and re-enactment with amendments) Bill  that was tabled before Parliament, for second reading, by environment, wildlife and tourism minister, Mr Tshekedi Khama.

Legislators unanimously supported the bill, sharing the same sentiments with the minister that it would provide convenient service to customers.  Having passed its second reading, the bill continued to committee stage and was passed without any amendments to its 20 clauses.

Presenting the bill for second reading on April 8, Mr Khama said the object of the bill was to provide for the establishment of the National Meteorological Service; -to provide for its powers and functions and to provide for related matters. 

He explained that the National Meteorological Service Act was passed in 2009, adding that a close look at the act revealed some deficiencies that needed to be corrected to enable the Department of Meteorological Services to effectively carry out its functions. Therefore, he said the purpose of the bill was to cure the defects realised and provide convenient service to customers.

The deficiencies observed, he said, included; among others: the inclusion within the licensing process a number of persons outside the department possessing no technical knowledge of the subject matter being licensed; failure to give the department the authority to regulate dealing with import, and export of ozone depleting substances.

Other deficiencies, Mr Khama said included; the failure to position the department as a focal point to several international instruments inclusive of the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its conventions, amongst others. 

Based on these, the minister said his ministry approached cabinet to request for the repeal and re-enactment with amendments a new Act and cabinet gave the go ahead through Presidential Directive CAB. 28(B)/2013 dated November 7, 2013.

The proposed amendments, he said were as follows; Clause 3 amends Section 3 of the Act by providing for the establishment of the National Meteorological Service which shall be a public office and shall be guided by the provisions of the Public Service Act.

Clause 4 amends Section 4 of the Act in the below order; Clause 4 (o) amends Section 4 (o) by inseting the phrase “prohibit the importation” before the phrase ‘control the use…’

Clause 4 (q) is amended to position the department as the National Focal Point for: the World Meteorological Organisation; the Viennna Convention on the protection of the Ozone Layer, and the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Conventions.

Clause 4 (r) introduces a new provision that provides for the provision of technical and administrative support for the National Committee on Climate Change.

Clause 5 (2) amends Section 5 (2) of the Act by providing for the appointment of the Meteorological Licensing Committee by the permanent secretary.

Clause 7 amends Section 7 of the Act by restricting the membership of the Committee only to employees of the department and further to this, Sections 8 to 13 of the Act had been deleted or removed as they find no application in the new Committee as the Committee will be managed in terms of the Public Service Act. 

Clauses 11 and 12 provides for the disclosure of interest and confidentially to be adhered to by the Appeals Committee members.

Clause 18 amends Section 22 of the Act as follows; Clause 18 (a) introduces new provisions that deal with prescribing by way of Regulations- the control and prohibition of ozone depleting substances; matters considered necessary for the providing commercial services; and the establishment of thee Designated National Authority under Clauses 18 (a) (vii), (viii), (ix) and (x), respectively.

Clause 18 (b) introduces new provisions under (iii) and (iv) to provide for- the protection of meteorological observation stations situated on private land, and for the establishment of National Committee on Climate Change respectively by way of Regulations by the minister. Ends