Bunge committee censures Basata decision on levies
The minister for Constitution and Legal Affairs, Prof Palamagamba Kabudi speaks during a Bunge session in Dodoma yesterday. PHOTO | ANTHONY SIAME
What you need to know:
Parliamentary committee on By-laws yesterday criticized the National Arts Council (Basata) over the new fee structure.
It added that what Basata was doing is breaching of the conditions and content of Basata Act, No. 23 of 1984, which does not give the council with power to undertake regulatory matters.
Dodoma. Parliamentary committee on By-laws yesterday on Friday, February 8, 2019, faulted criticized the National Arts Council (Basata) over the new fee structure of fees.
The structure requires a Temeke resident, in Dar es Salaam, to pay Sh50, 000 for a permit to if he or she is to get a permit for hold wedding and send-off ceremonies, and as well as other soireesrelated activities.
The Committee’s chairman, Mr Andrew Chenge, said, issuanceof permits for ceremonies were not among duties of Basata.
He added that what Basata was doing was in contravention of is breaching of the conditions and content of Basata Act, No. 23 of 1984.
“Basata now is trying to focus more on regulatory matters. This role has not been explained in the mother law of Basata as one of the duties of the council,” said Mr Chenge,
This, he said, was also against the country’s mother law, which prohibits sections of by-laws to differ from the mother law or otherlaws.
“Not only is the system of handling permits for artistic and entertainment halls against the mother law, but also increases costs to service providers,” he lamented.
He explained that already service providers were paying various charges to district councils.
“The increased costs to service providers may force them to shift the burden to their customers, hence escalate the cost of renting halls,” warned Mr Chenge.
