Treacherous bill an insult to us – Masisi
Spira Tlhankane | Tuesday March 26, 2024 06:00
Speaking at a media brief on Saturday, he said the British have no choice but to listen to Botswana, whose position is that trophy hunting is a way of controlling wild animal numbers and a source of income for communities. “I wish I had a vote in that House of Commons.
Truly speaking, we have little influence over how the British vote in the House of Commons. I think it's a shame,” Masisi said. Masisi, bidding farewell to The Bahamas Prime Minister Phillip Davis, bemoaned it was tragic for the British to consider passing such legislation in the 21st century without fully considering Botswana's perspective, particularly as a former colony.
Earlier, Masisi was quoted by British media expressing his concerns about the proposed trophy hunting ban, labelling it as "condescending" and a "resurgence of colonial conquest". President Masisi told Sky News he would be "abhorred, disappointed and disturbed" should the legislation be passed, stressing the autonomy of Botswana as a democratic sovereign republic. Before the Bill passed its second reading, Environment and Tourism minister, Dumezweni Mthimkhulu travelled to the United Kingdom (UK) as part of a large African delegation to lobby against it.
Mthimkhulu argued that the Bill would be counterproductive and discourage those living with wildlife from conserving and protecting them. Reflecting on the timeline, the UK government initially proposed the ban as part of its Animals Abroad Bill in 2021 but withdrew it in May 2022. Conservative Member of Parliament (MP), Henry Smith, then put forward his Hunting Trophies private members' Bill with government backing, but that also failed in November when it ran out of time in the House of Lords. Now Botswana finds itself fighting off another challenge after Labour MP, John Spellar, sponsored the legislation as a second Private Members' Bill. Despite concerns about the Bill advancing after passing its second reading in the House of Commons, several stages remain. Following the second reading, the Bill proceeds to the committee stage, where each clause and proposed amendments are debated. Once the committee stage is finished, the Bill returns to the floor of the House of Commons for its report stage, where the amended Bill can be debated and further amendments proposed.
The report stage is normally followed immediately by a debate on the Bill's third reading. If the Bill sails through the House of Commons it will go to the House of Lords for its first reading. Britain’s House of Lords is where it was previously blocked when it appeared set to win approval in September last year. If the Bill goes through at the House of Lords, it will still have to go through the first, second, and third reading, committee stage, report stage, and consideration of Lords amendments before being sent to the monarch for Royal Assent. Royal Assent is the Monarch's agreement to make the Bill into an Act and is a formality. After the Royal Assent it becomes an Act of Parliament and the Bill will now become law.