PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION (AMENDMENT) BILL

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Order for Second Reading read.

The Minister for Law and National Development (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

Sir, two new appointments were created recently in the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, namely, a Deputy Director and a Chief Special Investigator, to cope with the increasing work in the Bureau. But the Prevention of Corruption Act as it now stands does not confer on the incumbents of these two posts the powers that are now being exercised by the other officers of the Bureau, namely, the Assistant Directors, Senior Special Investigators and Special investigators. This Bill, therefore, seeks to amend the said Act in order to confer on the Deputy Director and the Chief Special investigator the powers now exercised by the Assistant Directors and Investigators of the Bureau.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill.-[Mr E. W. Barker].

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

5.23 p.m.

Clauses 1 and 2 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 3 -

Mr Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

In page 2, line 1, to leave out "following".

This amendment is necessary to remedy a clerical error made in clause 3 of the Bill.

Amendment agreed to.

The Chairman: There is a note to effect a consequential amendment:

In page 2, line 4, to leave out ":-" and insert a full-stop.

This will be done. There is also an error in page 2, line 3, the verb "is" should read "are", as the subject of that verb is "the following provisions". We will take it as a clerical error.

Mr Speaker: I agree, Sir. Shall I move it formally?

The Chairman: No, it is not necessary. We will take it as a typographical emendation.

Clause 3, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

The Schedule ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported with an amendment; read a Third time and passed.