The
role of the Directorate is to draft all legislative
instruments of the Government before they are debated
and passed by Parliament.
The
specific objectives of the Directorate are:-
• To accurately draft and publish
in a timely manner, Bills, statutory instruments, regulations
and rules of Parliament.
• To provide advice and guidance on the interpretation
of existing or proposed laws.
Before
instructions are given to the Directorate for the
drafting of Bills or statutory instruments, the instructing
Ministry or Department must either seek Cabinet approval
authorizing the subject legislation or request through
its Minister the authority of the Attorney General
or Solicitor-General for the legislation to be drafted
without prior reference to Cabinet. This approval
will be given only in special circumstances.
When
Cabinet approves the proposals for legislation, the
instructing Ministry or Department forwards copies
of the Minister’s Cabinet Memorandum and the
Cabinet Minute to the FPC, together with any other
relevant papers so that the FPC is given the clearest
possible explanation of what it is intended to achieve
by the legislation to be drafted. Some times officers
of the Ministry or Department promoting the legislation
may be called on to attend a number of conferences
with FPC and are expected to seek out and provide
all information that may be required for the purposes
of drafting.
When
drafts of the legislation are ready they are forwarded
to the instructing Ministry or Department, which is
expected not only to examine them critically but also
to circulate them to persons, who in the opinion of
the instructing Ministry or Department, should be
given an opportunity to comment on them.
After
legislation has been drafted by FPC and approved by
the promoting Ministry or Department and the Law officers
it is submitted to Cabinet accompanied by a Memorandum
explaining the legal effect of its more important
provisions.
