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If the president is wrong about Fica‚ Parliament will say so‚ Yunus Carrim says

It was possible Parliament might take a different view on the constitutionality of the Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment (Fica) Bill from that of the Presidency’s law advisers‚ the chairperson of Parliament’s standing committee on finance‚ Yunus Carrim‚ said on Tuesday.

President Jacob Zuma referred the bill back to Parliament last week — about five months after it was referred to him for signature — on the grounds that its provision for warrantless searches was too broad‚ and could violate the constitutionally enshrined right to privacy.

The committee will be briefed by the Treasury on the bill on Wednesday. Carrim has given the assurance that the committee will address the President’s concerns as soon as possible.

Speaking during a National Assembly debate on the Financial Sector Regulation Bill‚ Carrim said other lawyers might arrive at a different opinion to that of the Presidency’s legal advisers.

“It does not mean that just because it comes from the Presidency’s lawyers therefore that Parliament must tremble and buckle. No‚ we are not going to do that. We are going to get independent legal advice and if the Presidency’s lawyers are wrong‚ they are just wrong and finally let the Constitutional Court decide.”

TMG Digital/BusinessLIVE

 

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