pARLIAMENT FAcTs

Cl ER k O f THE H O u SE

This officer is accountable for providing strategic guidance, oversight and leadership for the effective stewardship of the resources and assets of the national Parliament. He/she directs the development and provision of all administrative, logistical, and support functions necessary for the Parliament to operate smoothly, including procedural services, legislative services, information technology, parliamentary communications, publications and broadcasting as well as corporate resources.

Essentially, the Clerk of the House directs the operations of the Office of the Parliament and contributes to the short and long-term achievement of the parliamentary mission and the enhancement of services to the Parliament as an arm of State and to mPs in three business lines (i.e., the Chamber; Committees; and Constituency). The officer is also relied upon to safeguard the fairness and impartiality of procedural information, counsel and administrative support given to the Speaker, President of the Senate and all other house members and Senators.

Cl ER k O f THE S ENATE

as deputy head of department, the Clerk of the Senate assists in the provision of constitutional support for the work of the Parliament, particularly the Senate and parliamentary committees.

He/she assists in directing the operations of the Office of the Parliament and contributes to the short and long-term achievement of the parliamentary mission. The Clerk of the Senate ensures the fairness and impartiality of procedural information, counsel and administrative support given to the President of the Senate, leader of government Business in the Senate and all other Senators. This officer also specifically directs the development and provision of all administrative, logistical, and support functions in the areas of procedural and legislative services (Senate), Committee Services, Library Services and Hansard Services.

T HE O MB u DSMAN

The Constitution provides for an Ombudsman who is an officer of the Parliament and who is required to hold no other office of emolument nor engage in any occupation for reward other than the duties of his office. The Ombudsman is appointed by the President after consultation with the Prime minister and the Leader of the Opposition and shall hold office for a term not exceeding five years and is eligible for reappointment.

The principal function of the ombudsman is to investigate complaints of administrative injustice in respect to decisions made or acts done or omitted by a minister or department or authority of government. The ombudsman can best be described as a “grievance person” to whom a citizen can make a complaint with a view to redressing the mistakes, delays, rigidity and carelessness of the government bureaucracy. The role of the ombudsman is an advisory one and the findings of investigations made are recommendations submitted in reports by him to relevant persons, authorities or to Parliament.

The ombudsman is responsible only to Parliament, to which he makes annual reports on the performance of his functions including statistics of the complaints received and the results of his investigations. The office is non-political.