Chinamasa says government will deal with those who refuse bond notes

Minister, why has the Committee gone out?  We have given money to that Committee to go and talk to people and yet, Minister, you know that it is a dead rubber.  What the Committee is doing is a dead rubber and the Minister knows it.  Why are we wasting resources on a dead rubber?  That is the question the Minister must answer.  Do not give us legal gymnastics.  Answer the question Hon. Minister – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]-

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order, order!  Can Hon. Members listen very carefully to the answer and do not get emotional.  Unfortunately, the Chair cannot instruct how the Minister can answer, but I understand the question and the answer from the Minister.

The question is, the Statutory Instrument under Presidential Powers was passed and the courts have affirmed that, having affirmed that, the bond notes therefore, are in circulation legally.  Because the Presidential Powers Statutory Instrument will expire in six months, it is necessary then to have the RBZ Act amended accordingly for permanency.  That is how I understand the Hon. Minister – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]- Order, order. Are you raising a point of order Hon. Gonese?

In the meantime, the Portfolio Committee has gone to conduct Public Hearings and the import of Section 141 is to have public involvement, to consult the public so that we get their input on legislation.  This legislation is the one which is providing the framework for the introduction of bond notes.  The import of the questions and the points of order from Hon. Members is that, is this not a fait accompli?

In other words, the input from the members of the public are largely redundant if the Executive has gone ahead to introduce the bond notes which are already legal tender.  What happens if the people of Zimbabwe have rejected or are going to reject the introduction of those bond notes and yet the Executive has already gone ahead to introduce the notes.  That is the import of the question that, are we not wasting resources doing things which are already overtaken by events?  That is the point – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-

HON. CHINAMASA:  Mr. Speaker Sir, clearly, the Hon. Members are reluctant to hear my story.  They are closing their minds to what I am telling them and if they continue, it is like a conversation between the deaf. The point I have made Mr. Speaker Sir, – [AN HON. MEMBER:  There is sign language.]-

THE HON. SPEAKER: May you just listen to what he is saying.

HON. CHINAMASA:  What is before this august House is not the Presidential Powers; it may be through the Parliamentary Legal Committee, but what is before this House is the Reserve Bank Amendment Bill, that is what we are consulting the public about.  We await to hear what the public have to say – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]-  I do not think that this – [HON. MEMBERS:  Inaudible interjections.]-

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Order please.

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