. The GSSA expressed its concern that the amendment to the Bill excluded the GSSA from specifically nominating a representative of professional and academic expertise. The Department's response was that, the Bill made provision for the Minister to appoint such an individual and the GSSA still had grave concerns with this amendment. The GSSA also pointed out that the organization represented the majority of geoscientists in South Africa, particularly those with significant professional and academic expertise and therefore felt that it was in a better and more informed position than the Minister or the Department. Further to this point, the GSSA noted that the present incumbent that the organization nominated had attended all the Council Management Board meetings in the past year while the Department representative had not attended a single one.