BUJUMBURA February (ABP) – The Cabinet met on Wednesday February 6 and Thursday February 7, 2019 in Gitega (central Burundi) under the chairmanship of the Head of State, Mr. Pierre Nkurunziza, with 12 items on the agenda, according to the press release from the General Secretary Office of the Government.
The Cabinet Meeting first analyzed the bill on the organization, missions and functioning of the General Inspectorate of Public Security and Disaster Management. After analysis and debate, the bill was adopted by condition of amendments, which will be carried out by a team set up for the purpose.
The Cabinet then analyzed the decree bill on the organization, missions and functioning of the Higher Institute of Police. Noting that the text needed to be reworked because the proposed organization did not correspond to that of an Institute, the Cabinet set up a team to edit the text which will be brought back within two weeks.
The file concerning the decree bill on the missions, organization and functioning of the Training and Improvement Center for peacekeeping missions was also analyzed. According to the statement, the Center has ambitions to be a regional Center of Excellence that can train candidates from other member countries of the East African Community or other regional organizations to which Burundi is a member. After discussions and debate, the bill was adopted with some corrections to make.
The Cabinet Meeting then turned to the decree bill on the organization, missions and functioning of the Chaplaincy of the Burundi Police. According to the statement, the project proposes that the Chief Chaplain be assisted by Assistant Chief Chaplains. The bill was adopted, but a team was appointed to re-examine the issue of the classification nomenclature of those chaplains.
In addition, the Cabinet examined the decree bill establishing and organizing the Burundi Drug and Food Regulatory Authority (ABREMA). After finding that the bill needs to be re-examined, the Cabinet set up a team to work on it. That decree bill will be brought back within one month, together with the text that reorganizes the Quality Standardization Office.
The Income Tax Bill was also introduced. That bill notably introduces electronic billing to limit the fraud relating to the turnover achieved as well as the rental income. It clarifies the category of micro-finance subject to income tax and clarifies how co-operative societies are taxed. The bill was adopted with some alterations to operate. The Value Added Tax Bill was also adopted, as well as the Tax and Non-Tax Procedures Bill. But the last requires some corrections. It is the same for the one revising the law on the organization of the communal administration which has been adopted although requiring also some corrections.
In addition, the Cabinet considered the ministerial ordinance bill on the management of State lands for agro-silvo-pastoral purposes. That bill introduces methods for the identification, management and conservation of agro-sylvo-pastoral lands. It also indicates the main actors who must work, as the case may be, in the form of a partnership to ensure a good increase in production, in this case the State, the agricultural producer organizations and the private partners. After discussions and debate, the bill was adopted, but a team was appointed for legal amendment.
The last decree bill analyzed concerns the statutes, organization and functioning of the National Agency for the Promotion and Regulation of Cooperative Societies (ANACOOP). It was adopted by means of finalization of the aspects of form by a team designated for the purpose.
In the miscellaneous, the Minister of the Interior, Patriotic Education and Local Development informed the Cabinet Meeting that the relocation of its services is underway, while the one in charge of Public Security reported the cheating observed among the notaries, especially when it comes to the authentication of sales contracts. It was requested that the text governing the notary office be reviewed for more order.
