The copies of the Private Member's Bill N° 1/PPL/S on the Standing Orders of the Senate adopted during the plenary sitting of the Upper House of Parliament on Friday, May 24, 2013 were on Monday, May 27 tabled at the Supreme Court acting as the Constitutional Court for examination and approval, reliable sources in Parliament disclosed.
When the Constitutional Council will finish examining the bill, it will be sent back to the Senate where the President of the Provisional Bureau will incorporate the observations of the Council. He will then prepare a final copy to be forwarded to the Presidency of the Republic for promulgation. All these have to take place before the start of the June ordinary session of Parliament. They will have to meet the provisions of Article 14 (3 a) of the Constitution which provides that, "Both Houses of Parliament shall meet on the same dates: (a) in ordinary session during the months of June, November and March each year, when convened by the Bureaux of the National Assembly and the Senate after consultation with the President of the Republic." The Senate will only go operational with the election of the Permanent Bureau and the setting up of General Committees to handle issues within their competence.
From every indication, the procedure towards the promulgation of the Private Member's Bill on the Standing Orders of the Senate that will pave the way for the election of its permanent bureau and putting in place of nine General Committees, are expected to move at a faster pace. One of the Senators, Emma Eno Lafon disclosed to Cameroon Tribune yesterday, that all Senators have been asked to be on standby. This is to enable them meet in plenary to elect the permanent bureau of the House and constitute the nine General Committees once the President of the Republic promulgates the bill on the Standing Orders of the Senate.
The Standing Orders comprise aspects such as the Permanent Bureau of the Senate, Parliamentary Groups, General Committees, terms and conditions for tabling bills or resolutions, representation of the Senate, setting the agenda, organising debates, supervision of sessions, status of the Senator, immunity, incompatible, vacancy, allowances as well as benefits granted to Bureau members and parliamentary groups.
