Chairperson, on the point of unpaliamentary behaviour, we need to develop through the rules committee, a formula that ensures that punishment fits the crime. In other words, incidents like that which occurred during the Public Enterprises Budget Vote debate must be investigated fully and be followed with harsher consequences. [Applause.]
To this end, the IFP welcomes the action taken by the hon Speaker thus far. Secondly, but keeping with the idea of accountability, Parliament must not fail in its principles of holding the executive to account and I think you spoke at length about this hon Speaker and I agree with you. However, what we find is in the portfolio committees which you do not sit on hon Speaker, we find members on this side of the House, criticising departments and Ministers, but when they come here where I am standing, they wax lyrical and that is the problem. We all have to be committed to ensure that we hold the executive to account.
Hon Speaker, we are waiting your update on the moving of Parliament's location and request an answer soon and you have referred to that. And why we need to know that is: How much of money is going to be invested here before that Parliament becomes a reality. So, I think it is important that we be given regular updates.
However, having said that there is a serious oversight in terms of maintaining the infrastructure in this particular Parliament. The information technology, IT, firstly is insufficient for current usage volumes. This is a simple tool of trade that all members and support staff must be able to access for greater efficiency and outputs. Often MPs are provided with tools of trade and I heard you say hon Speaker that we have to learn ourselves. I do not know if that is possible for people with the receding hairlines like me, but I think we have to be trained. We have to keep up with is the Fourth Industrial Revolution. So, we need training in this regard if we bring in better IT.
Hon Speaker, I was just recently elected the president - not of the country - of the Parliament squash club. We have a parliamentary squash club here. [Applause.]
However, honestly hon Speaker, I plead for the maintenance and upgrade of these squash courts. We host visiting teams that play against us here and there is a need to maintain our standards. The same can be said hon Speaker, for ablution facilities around this Parliament and a properly equipped clinic.
Hon Speaker, we will support this budget. I am glad you touched on the issue of staff morale and the finalisation of the matter of the Secretary to Parliament. Another challenge we have is the interpretation services. We saw the kind of chaos this led to during the Budget Vote debates, when we did not have interpreters on board. Hon Speaker, you have said all the right things, now is the time to implement. We will support this budget, but ask for more money for Parliament. Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]