The mandate of House Keeping Committees is to ensure that the business of the Assembly is running smoothly. The committees are:
- House Business Committee –
The work of the House Business Committee is to:
- Prepare and, if necessary, adjust the Assembly Calendar with the approval of the Assembly;
- Monitor and oversee the implementation of the Assembly Business and programmes.
- Implement the Standing Orders respecting the scheduling or programming of the business of the Assembly and the functioning of the Committees of the Assembly;
- Determine the order in which the reports of Committees shall be debated in the Assembly;
- Make decisions and issue directives and guidelines to prioritize or postpone any business of the Assembly acting with the concurrence of the Leader of the Majority Party or the Leader of the Minority Party, as the case may be.
- Consider such matters as may from time to time arise in connection with the business of the Assembly and shall have and perform such powers and functions as are conferred on and ascribed to it by these Standing Orders or from time to time by the Assembly.
The members of the committee are:
(a) The Speaker who is the chairperson;
(b) The Leader of the Majority Party;
(c) The Leader of the Minority Party; and
(d) Not less than two other members nominated by Assembly parties and approved by the Assembly at the commencement of every session, reflecting the relative majorities of the seats held by each of the Assembly parties in the Assembly and taking into consideration the interests of independents. The House Business Committee is appointed within seven days on assembly of a new Assembly. In nominating the Members to the House Business Committee, each Assembly party shall include its Whip into the membership.
If, for any reason, a member of the House Business Committee is unable to attend, the Leader in the Assembly of the party which nominated that Member may appoint another Member in that Member’s place for the period for which the Member is unable to attend.
- Committee on Selection
The Selection Committee consists of the Leader of the Majority party who is the chairperson, the Leader of the Minority party and not less than two other members nominated by Assembly parties and approved by the Assembly. The committee nominates members to serve in Committees, save for the membership of the House Business Committee and Committee on Appointments.
- Assembly Procedure and Rules Committee
The Assembly Procedure and Rules Committee comprise the Speaker as chairperson, the Chairperson of Committees and not more than three other Members. It considers and reports on all matters relating to the Standing Orders. The committee may propose amendments to the Standing Orders. Upon approval by the Assembly, and any such amendments take effect at the time appointed by the Assembly. It may also propose rules for the orderly and effective conduct of committee business. Upon the approval of the Assembly, any such rules continue in force until amended or repealed by the Assembly. These rules are annexed to the Standing Orders and are binding upon Committees to the same extent as the Standing Orders.
- Committee of Privileges
The Committee of Privileges consists of the Speaker, who is the chair, and ten other members of the Assembly. The quorum of the committee is six members including the chairperson. The Committee of Privileges, either of its own motion or as a result of a complaint made by any person, inquiries into any alleged breach of order by any member of the Assembly, or into any conduct of any member of the Assembly within the precincts of the Assembly (other than the Chamber) which is alleged to have been intended or likely to reflect adversely on the dignity or integrity of the Assembly or the member thereof, or to be contrary to the best interests of the Assembly or the members thereof.
The committee after such inquiry reports its findings to the Assembly together with such recommendations as it thinks appropriate. After considering the report, and the recommendations of the committee, the Assembly may take such disciplinary action against the member concerned as may be provided by the rules of the Assembly, which may include suspension from the service of the Assembly.
- Liaison Committee
The Liaison Committee consists of the Chairperson of Committees as the chairperson and the chairpersons of all committees of the Assembly.
The committee: This committee also considers reports of Committee that have not been deliberated by the Assembly and reports to the Assembly on the consideration of such reports.